Fintech is at the frontline of the financial revolution, ushering innovations that propel the digital transformation of financial services. This ambition to innovate and disrupt has invited the best minds in finance and technology to come together and come up with solutions that help bolster the industry, ultimately spearheading the digital revolution.

Throbbing at the centre of that digital revolution is the leading fintech company, Airwallex. The company is on the hunt for innovators who share their vision of digitally transforming businesses, facilitating them to go from offline to online, and take local ideas to a global platform.

‟Fintech has been and will continue to be a game-changer to me. Finance plays an integral role in society, and I believe fintech holds the ability to reshape and improve the level of financial access for everyone, especially the unserved and underserved,‟ explained Koh Jee Lee, Manager at Airwallex’s Financial Partnerships team. ‟Fintech goes beyond just the traditional financial services sector; it impacts and is a key driver of growth of many other industries, including eCommerce, insurance and lending,‟ she added.

Meanwhile, Chris Chan from the Platform Sales team expressed, ‟we are still only at the beginning of the fintech revolution and there is so much more to be done. Everything that we’ve done so far will be vastly different in 5-10 years. The next wave of fintech will marry new innovations into our day-to-day: blockchain, AI, IoT, social media, etc. The manner in which we interact with money will be even more seamlessly integrated into our daily lives (talking to Google, in-vehicle purchases, deeper integration to wearables). All the challenges and pains we associate with money (banking, payments, expenses) will be non-issues in the future.‟

Understanding what it means to be in fintech

As a manager in the Financial Partnerships team, Jee Lee is responsible for building and maintaining strategic partnerships with the company’s network of banking partners across the APAC region. On the other hand, Chris helps sell to large enterprises and platforms in APAC looking to leverage Airwallex’s payment capabilities for themselves and/or their customers.

With its expansion into Singapore, Airwallex is especially keen on bringing in local talents thirsty for career advancements into the fold of their fast-growing company. On the personal side, working at a startup will enable professionals to hone their speed and flexibility, considering the fast-paced environment the industry is in.

On why he joined the industry, Chris explained, ‟Fintech wasn’t the obvious choice when I first started looking for a career but I knew I wanted to be in a fast-moving space and around smart people. Payments (and really good people) took a chance on me and I’ve been hooked ever since.‟

Also read: How should you engage customers in a rapidly changing market?

For Jee Lee, the decision was more decisive. ‟I started my career at one of the big four accounting firms, focused on tax consulting. I yearned for a role where I would be able to better witness the influence and impact of my work,‟ she shared.

For those answering the call for the first time, especially fresh graduates, Airwallex serves as the ideal launchpad into the industry. Industry switchers, be it account executives from banks or product managers from investment companies, will similarly gain an inside look into processes, such as fundraising that they might not have had access to during their time in larger institutions.

Jee Lee believes that fresh graduates and industry switchers shouldn’t be afraid to step out of their comfort zone, especially those looking for a mid-career switch. ‟Spend a good amount of effort to understand the industry and find out where your interests lie — this includes opening yourself up for conversations with people in the fintech space. Once you’ve made up your mind, focus on your goals and let go of the assumptions and fear of judgement. Given the fast-paced nature of the industry, it is okay to start from scratch as there will always be opportunities to learn and upskill yourself!‟

As for Chris, his advice is simple: ‟Ask and ask. Seek to understand, not just know.‟

Finding upward growth in an innovative industry

Old-timers in the tech industry will find their place in the sun as well at Airwallex. Given that it is on an upward growth trajectory, Airwallex is where professionals can experience exponential growth that will enable them to explore exciting new opportunities, launch new products in the market, and flex their strategic skills by designing fresh, go-to-market plans.

Airwallex’s commitment to its cogent value proposition — empowering modern businesses to grow beyond borders — has helped the startup score over US$900 million in total funding from 12 renowned investors such as Square Peg, Tencent, Sequoia Capital China, and Salesforce Ventures, achieving a valuation of US$5.5 billion.

Chris counts delivering first-of-its-kind projects as some of his career milestones. ‟Across my 4.5 years in fintech, I’ve had the opportunity to deliver customers products which were the first ever implementation of its kind globally or within the region,‟ he expressed.

‟It definitely comes with its own challenges pulling so many pieces together — but being a part of a delivery team for something brand new & impactful for customers as well as the business has been the highlight of my career thus far.‟

Also read: Building resilience through the SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards

On the other hand, Jee Lee believes that her career highlight lies in the network of people she has met throughout her career at Airwallex so far. ‟Much of my job involves collaborating cross-functionally and externally to drive strategic outcomes for the company. Throughout my journey at Airwallex, I’ve interacted with many individuals who are smart, passionate and driven, and I personally feel inspired by them,‟ she elaborated.

In an industry marked by massive talent shake-ups, Airwallex’s sturdy foundations make it a safe ground for professionals to plant their feet. Founded in 2015, Airwallex was inspired by real-life experiences. Two of our founders, Jack Zhang and Max Li, invested in a Melbourne cafe and as small business owners, recognised first-hand the impact of high FX fees and banking costs on profit margins. They sought to engineer a better solution for businesses operating across borders. Airwallex has since expanded into 19 international offices across Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America with a combined force of over 1,300 team members.

Behind the tremendous growth are the talents and professionals who put groundbreaking ideas into work. The crucial role of talent for fintech startups has been captured in numerous data, with the Thought Machine reporting that 65% of respondents acknowledge that talent sourcing and retention will be their organisation’s priority in the next three to five years.

The indispensable contribution of talents and professionals has won them outpouring support from Airwallex. The startup adopts a people-centric culture that revolves around diverse teams of innovators, movers, and shakers jointly passionate about empowering customers.

The future of fintech in Southeast Asia

The startup spread its wings in Singapore in 2022 and has already witnessed massive market potential. After all, Singapore has risen to become one of Southeast Asia’s fintech leaders, with fintech innovators setting up bases in the country’s vibrant fintech ecosystem as gateways into the broader ASEAN region. Statista data shows that the country’s total digital payment transactions alone will reach an estimated US$20.91 billion by 2023, while digital payment users are expected to hit 4.58 million by 2027.

‟I see Singapore as one of the leaders within Southeast Asia in embracing and promoting a vibrant fintech ecosystem. Singapore is home to a large community of fintech innovators and has proven to provide a gateway for companies to successfully scale outside of the country. I am excited by further developments in Singapore’s fintech landscape with the strong emergence of trends like open banking, embedded finance, BaaS and BNPL,‟ shared Jee Lee.

Moreover, Airwallex encourages its teams to utilise its six values as guiding principles in facing challenges, sharing knowledge, practising openness, delivering results, and celebrating success. These values are: customers first, obsessive curiosity, inspire and be inspired, intellectual honesty, craftsmanship, and making an impact.

Also read: The future of sustainable growth according to Dagangan

Chris believes that adaptability and malleability are key traits needed to succeed in fintech. ‟’Change is the only constant’ is uttered across the industry all the time because of the sheer amount of innovation & development that goes on. It’s really a double-edged sword because your special formulae for success or personal knowledge libraries can become outdated within a couple of years or months even. The best people in fintech consciously & constantly make an effort to stay updated — no matter their seniority, role, or designation.‟

Jee Lee added that it is important to stay curious. ‟Fintech is an exciting space to be in today, with a lot of innovations founded upon an entrepreneurial spirit; having a curious mind and looking for different ways to solve problems is key to staying relevant in the industry. In an environment where the only certainty is change, being curious will present a learning opportunity daily,‟ she explained.

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This article is produced by the e27 team, sponsored by Airwallex

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