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The Deloitte Financial Services Innovation Awards, which recognise pioneers in the sector, are to return after a break last year. The awards, which ran for the first time in 2019, were postponed in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic but are to be held virtually this year in June.
Winners will be selected in a number of categories: banking, insurance, investment management, most disruptive fintech, social or sustainable entrepreneurship, and leadership.
Challenges and opportunities
The awards recognise both individuals and companies leading the way in innovation – using technology to address challenges and create opportunities, improving user experience and changing the way business is done.
Global payments company Transfermate was named as the overall winner of the inaugural awards, which is run by Deloitte in partnership with Financial Services Ireland (FSI) and Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI). Other winners included Fexco, InvoiceFair, Xtremepush, AQMetrics and Fenergo.
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Unprecedented upheaval
"The challenges in 2020 highlighted the critical role of innovation across all sectors," said David Dalton, partner and head of financial services at Deloitte Ireland. "In a time of unprecedented upheaval, forward-thinking financial services companies are innovating to create new profit models, generate efficiencies, deliver new products and services, or enhance customer experience and engagement."
In addition to Mr Dalton, the judging panel will comprise BPFI chief executive Brian Hayes; FSI chairman Furio Pietribiasi, who is chief executive of Mediolanum International Funds Limited; Enterprise Ireland chief executive Julie Sinnamon; Ciarán Hancock, business editor of The Irish Times; and Gulru Atak, head of innovation, Citi.