Ezechi Britton MBE, CEO-elect of CFIT, outlines strategic priorities at Leeds launch

Ezechi Britton MBE, CEO-elect of CFIT, shares how his experience in financial services will inform his leadership approach and strategic goals, in line with Ron Kalifa’s key areas – skills & talent, investment, idea connectivity, policy & regulation and international attraction.

Introduction

I’m addressing you all today as CFIT’s CEO in waiting. I hope indeed that my position is confirmed! I would like to share Charlotte’s thanks to our supporters, industry partners and collaborators. We would not be here today without them and their help and inspiration has been key to the creation of CFIT. I am excited by the prospect of a new leadership role in the Fintech sector, one that I have worked in for a number of years and appreciate as an engine of diverse opportunity for all.

Experience

My experience in financial services will inform my approach at CFIT. I began in the investment banking sector and witnessed the need for innovation and a new approach to service delivery. I followed this by being the founding CTO of a Fintech start up in partnership with expert colleagues and friends from the investment banking world. Here, I was exposed to the challenges facing start ups from both a finance, staffing and regulatory perspective. I embraced the learnings from these roles and established an initiative, Code Untapped, aimed at demystifying the technical underpinnings of the sector and providing opportunities for all to learn and work in the sector. I was honoured to receive an MBE for my work here too.

And finally, I became a “founding member”, deal principal and CTO of Impact  X Capital. A venture capital fund that was specifically set up to address the gross disparity in venture capital funding. Where, historically, 90% of startup venture capital funding has been invested in all white founding teams against 0.24% in black founders and 0.02% in black female founders. I’ve been enthused by the success of this initiative and will apply the lessons learnt from it to further the progress of diversity and inclusion in my role at CFIT.

Approach

My experience will inform my approach to this role by grounding me in the realities faced by people across the sector. I know the challenges that innovators face and have too faced the barriers that can often hamper start ups, SMEs and businesses that have grown to scale. I recognise that much has been achieved since I began my career path, with greater opportunities available for all. However, I recognise too that they are not sufficient and work is still in progress. In practicality this means that access needs to be more broad for people from diverse backgrounds and those returning to the workforce.

The UK has an amazing untapped resource of innovators, many of whom would never envisage working in Fintech, but are at the same time keenly aware, as consumers, of the issues that need to be solved. Access to the sector is vital for the UK competitiveness, because what we can achieve here will be a vital contributing factor. The more people that we involve the better because it is through innovators drawn from across the UK that we will achieve global leadership.

I have a passion and commitment for the sector that has both driven me to achieve and, at the same time, created a desire for others to do so. I am an instinctive coalition creator and know that the groups we create at CFIT need to be aligned so that they can coalesce and deliver results.

But good intentions are not enough, CFIT needs goals to reach and I will ensure that these are met.

Goals

My strategic goals as CEO will be fivefold, in line with Ron Kalifa’s key areas, and they are:

• Enhancing skills and talent across the UK
• Encouraging investment in UK Fintech
• Delivering national connectivity for ideas and education
• Ensuring a progressive policy and regulatory climate
• Driving the international attractiveness of UK Fintech

I believe too, as Barack Obama said, “that leadership more than anything is about setting a course and describing a vision for people”. And will encourage aspiration within the Fintech sector by ensuring that CFIT mentors and grows aspirant people, regardless of their social or educational background.

My desire is to foster a new generation of leaders who will, in turn, mentor their colleagues creating a culture of innovation and encouragement.

Conclusion

So, that’s what I have to offer for now, as the prospective CEO of CFIT.

As you will see I have great plans for the organisation, the Fintech sector and its people. Once in the role I’ll get to work with speed and dedication and will meet as many people in the network as is possible. Time will be of the essence because the economic imperatives of the UK economy demand action and not words. And we live in a fiercely competitive global economy that evolves and changes with impact and effect.

Thank you for joining us today and helping to make CFIT’s launch a memorable event.