Trust in FinTech: Closing the Credibility Gap webinar write-up
On Wednesday, the 6th of May, FinTech North’s community came together virtually for the Trust in FinTech: Closing the Credibility Gap webinar, hosted in partnership with FinTech North’s long-standing PR partners, Galibier. The session welcomed an engaged audience for an open discussion around trust, reputation and credibility across the sector with attendees posing thoughtful questions to the speakers throughout the event.
The webinar recording is available to watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlgUzZszjcU&t=3480s
The webinar opened with a welcome from Joe Roche, FinTech North’s General Manager, who introduced the session and shared an overview of FinTech North’s journey so far, community, strategic aims and upcoming activity. Oliver Chesher, Founder and Managing Director at Galibier, then provided some scene-setting from a communications and PR perspective, discussing Galibier’s long-standing relationship with FinTech North and the increasing importance of reputation management across the sector. Oliver reflected on how trust, risk and credibility are now central to doing business within regulated industries, describing trust as ‘the biggest barrier to doing business in the industry,’ and noting that this is ‘where PR comes alive.’
Joining Oliver for the panel discussion were Ezechi Britton MBE, Co-founder and Director of Collectively Better; Alex Clough, Senior Product Owner at Lenvi; and Angela Hesketh, Head of Government & Public Affairs at PEXA, who brought founder, product and regulatory perspectives to the conversation.
Reflecting on the evolution of the sector from a founder’s perspective, Ez discussed how the FinTech industry has matured significantly over the last decade. ‘When we founded my first start-up… it was very much about disrupting the big banks,’ he explained, contrasting the early ‘move fast and break things’ mentality with today’s need for stronger governance, accountability and collaboration with incumbents and regulators. He emphasised that while innovation remains critical, ‘people won’t go to the businesses they can’t trust.’
A major theme throughout the discussion was the role transparency and communication play in building customer confidence. Speaking from a regulatory and property market perspective, Angela discussed the challenges consumers face during the property transaction journey, where uncertainty, delays and repeated requests for information can quickly erode trust. ‘Trust is built where the journey is predictable, transparent and consistent,’ she explained, highlighting the importance of collaboration, governance and clear communication across the wider ecosystem.
From a product and operational perspective, Alex discussed how organisations can build trust by simplifying journeys and helping customers better understand what comes next. ‘Transparency, delivery, and doing what you said you’d do,’ he noted, are key to earning trust, while automation and clearer processes can help reduce friction and improve confidence throughout the customer journey.
The panel also explored crisis management, founder responsibility and the realities of operating within regulated environments. Ez shared examples of organisations managing regulatory scrutiny, operational failures and cybersecurity incidents, highlighting the importance of transparency, planning and stakeholder communication when challenges arise.
Angela discussed the balance between innovation and consumer protection, particularly as major change continues across the property and payments landscape, while Alex reflected on how trust can often be measured through operational outcomes such as smoother journeys, fewer delays and better customer understanding. The conversation also touched on how smaller FinTechs can work more effectively with larger institutions, the pressures founders face as businesses scale, and the crucial role communications teams play in protecting organisational credibility.
Closing the webinar, the speakers shared final reflections on the importance of clarity, consistency and honesty in maintaining trust. Oliver reinforced the role communications and PR teams play during moments of challenge, encouraging organisations to ‘anticipate, mitigate, compensate’ and communicate clearly with customers, regulators and stakeholders alike. Throughout the discussion, one message remained clear: trust is fundamental to innovation, customer relationships and long-term success across financial services.
Thank you to everyone who was able to join the webinar, to our PR partners, Galibier, and to our brilliant speakers.
For more information and for opportunities for collaboration, please reach out to us at info@fintechnorth.uk.
