Matthias Kroener

Matthias Kroener has spent more than 25 years building financial institutions from scratch and disrupting the ones already standing. As co-founder and former CEO of Fidor Bank, often cited as the world’s oldest fintech bank, and as the earlier co-creator of DAB Bank, Europe’s first digital bank and online broker, Kroener has operated at the frontier of financial technology longer than the word fintech has existed. He speaks on digital transformation, open banking, the future of financial services, and the leadership mindset required to stay relevant in an era of constant disruption.

Fidor and the Fintech Revolution
Under Kroener’s leadership, Fidor became a truly global operation with offices in Dubai, Munich, New York, and Singapore, winning the Celent Model Bank of the Year Award in both 2015 and 2019 and the World Economic Forum’s Award for Young Companies. DAB Bank achieved a successful IPO in 1999 at a valuation of 1.5 billion euros. He has spoken at TEDxBerlin and the Singapore Fintech Festival, and serves on the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s International Technology Advisory Panel.

Culture Before Technology
Kroener’s core message is deceptively simple: fintech is a culture game, not a technology game. His presentations cut through the hype and deliver practical strategies for incumbents and disruptors alike.

Matthias Kroener delivers keynotes on fintech innovation, digital banking, and leading organizational transformation in financial services.

Open Banking – The game changer

Why regulators and technology are working hand in hand to be the strongest game changers for retail banking

Open Banking is transforming the way banks operate, how they engage with customers and the products and services they provide. It has become a global phenomenon supported by regulations such as PSD2 and the UK’s Open Banking initiative but driven by consumer expectations, business needs and rapid technological development.

Being with Fidor’s BtB offer at the forefront of the Banking-as-a-Service market development, Matthias identifies the challenges banks face and discusses the key components and characteristics of a successful future banking platform.

With less direct customer interaction, new business models and partnerships with non-banking players will play a crucial role in a bank’s efforts to integrate with their customers’ lifestyles, interests and

needs.

Key Takeaways:

• How technological drivers are the key to successful participation in the new API economy
• How the Internet of Things is changing the landscape
• Why a paradigm shift is taking place as banks face the need to decouple their customer channels so account holders can do transactions through any interface they choose.
• How open banking is affecting a bank´s return on equity
• Why corporate culture and the war of talents plays an increasingly strong role in that environment

Maximum Service. Maximum Customer Engagement.

The essential guide to understanding and engaging the next generation of Financial Services customers

No organization or business can afford to ignore the digital consumer.

With roots in the hotel/hospitality industry, Matthias gained extensive practical knowledge and understanding of delivering customer-centric services and solutions. He understood early on that digital technologies will allow a superior customer experience. Having created two online banks himself (with a strong customer-centric drive at its core) Matthias has a unique insight into digital customer behaviour.

His insight into regulatory environments combined with a deep understanding of technological trends has enabled Matthias to build bridges between the traditional banking world and fintech-powered digital banking platforms.

Key Takeaways:

• The common myths and misconceptions many leaders and businesses believe about the digital consumer (even if they don’t know it)
• Understanding the core beliefs, mindsets and expectations of consumers and employees
• Can consumers co-create a bank’s pricing? The secret to engaging, persuading and motivating via a digital community and loyalty scheme
• How to achieve record low customer acquisition cost
• Understanding the global challenge of financial inclusion
• Financial Inclusion: a global challenge.

The Future of Banking

Why your retail bank, as you know it today, will disappear.

The financial services industry is currently facing a perfect storm of disruption and upheaval, and the challenges that lie ahead will require an unprecedented level of agility and adaptability.

Open Banking is transforming the way banks operate, how they engage with customers, and the products and services they provide.

With less direct customer interaction, new business models and partnerships with non-banking players will play a crucial role in banks’ efforts to integrate with customers’ lifestyles, interests and needs.

Key Takeaways:

• The key regulatory, social and technology trends that will shape the future including artificial intelligence, robotics and automation
• Why future primary banking relationships will be invisible
• How data and A.I. will create a unique customer experience
• How tech-companies and customer-owners will take over control, forcing incumbent banks to vanish
• The skills and competencies that banking teams will need in order to be future-fit

Is M&A the Abbreviation for Murder & Assassination?

How incumbent banks can embrace and tackle the world of fintech innovation.

The financial services industry is currently facing a perfect storm of disruption and upheaval, and the challenges that lie ahead will require an unprecedented level of agility and adaptability. To survive and succeed, organizations must be ready to anticipate, prepare for and pre-empt this disruption.

In this presentation, Matthias will uncover the specific challenges faced by incumbent banks. He will also take a look at the business life cycle of an established bank and see why banks need to radically change their approach – and make some tough decisions.

Key Takeaways:

• An understanding of the world financial services: increasing regulation, accelerating technological development and massively changing consumer behaviour.
• Analysing the lifecycle momentum your company is experiencing, no matter whether you are an incumbent or a start-up
• Five innovative options that incumbent banks need to consider
• The common culture and mindset traps that will set any organization on a collision course with obsolescence – and how to avoid them
• Proven and practical strategies for staying one step ahead of change and remaining relevant