What's the future of fintech in the Asia Pacific?
The Money20/20 whitepaper is out - I played a role in writing it.
Once in a while, I work on content that I know will stretch me, either because it's in a new area, or at the fringe of my competency.
There are two ways to see it:
- "Just endure the pain of a lower hourly rate".
- "Hey, I'm paid to learn".
I consciously choose to see things from the latter point of view.
It starts with saying yes
Over the years, this willingness to step away from what I'm perfectly comfortable with has definitely yielded dividends.
- Over a decade ago, I said yes to writing enterprise tech white papers. This introduced me to long-form writing and set me up for one of the longest pieces I've done - an 88-page report for a European MNC.
- In 2014, I started writing about data centres by doing a twice-a-month newsletter. This laid the foundation for what I know about data centres today - long before AI burst into the scene and made it fashionable.
- A couple of years back, I started writing editorial and advertorial stories for one of the best-known cybersecurity event organisers. This opened my eyes to how cybersecurity professionals really work and think.
- Working with various marketing agencies on multiple 'recovery' projects (with angry, disappointed clients) or on ABM campaigns taught me to focus on what's really important.
What are some projects that you've said yes to, and reaped richly from in return?
The world of fintech
Anyway, around the middle of last year, I said yes to the Money20/20 team to take on a project that would plunge me deep into the world of fintech.
To be clear, this isn't my first foray into this area. But it is certainly the broadest: spanning banking, payments, and lending, as well as touching on another half dozen areas.
In fact, when I first saw the meticulously formatted interviews that were painstakingly transcribed - there were over 50 - I knew I was either in trouble or I was going to love it.
Guess which was it?
An exceptional team
Anyway, The Future of Fintech in APAC: Money20/20 Whitepaper is out, thanks to the tireless efforts of team members.
- Snazzy, cutting-edge design.
- Insights from over 50 key leaders.
- Refined by the able guidance of Ian Fong.
If it's up your alley, I'll encourage you to download it here - it's free.
