CFIT (Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology) has bolstered its leadership team with the appointment of two influential figures in the fintech industry as independent non-executive directors.
Stephen Ingledew OBE, chairman of FinTech Scotland, and Alex Marsh, former head of Klarna UK, have joined CFIT’s team to provide invaluable expertise and to support the growth and development of the UK fintech sector.
Established in Q1 2023, CFIT aims to overcome barriers to growth for financial technology, positioning the UK as a global leader in financial innovation. Sitting at the intersection of government, regulators and industry, CFIT is a central convening force, leveraging expertise from across the financial innovation space to set priorities, drive forward solutions and advance growth in UK fintech.
These non-executive director appointments mark a significant milestone for CFIT’s governance and their commitment to delivering better outcomes for consumers and SMEs. By forming time-limited coalitions of experts from finance, technology, academia, and policy, CFIT aims to address key industry challenges and unlock the potential of Open Finance.
Ingledew OBE, a prominent advocate for open, creative, and inclusive financial ecosystems, brings his extensive experience as executive chair of FinTech Scotland and co-founder of the FinTech National Network. At CFIT, Ingledew will assume the role of chairman for the remuneration and nomination committee, overseeing board member nominations to ensure a balanced mix of skills, experience, independence, and knowledge.
Marsh, renowned for his leadership roles in the banking, fintech, and retail sectors, including his tenure as head of Klarna UK, adds a wealth of knowledge and expertise to CFIT’s team.
Marsh’s belief in the power of innovation and collaboration has made him an influential figure within the UK Fintech Strategy Group, International Fintech Group, and the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in the UK. In his role as chairman of the finance, audit, and risk committee at CFIT, Marsh will oversee risk management, financial reporting, and compliance processes.
Delight at appointments
Charlotte Crosswell OBE, chair of CFIT, has warmly welcomed the addition of Ingledew and Marsh and said she was looking forward to working with the new board members to “execute on the CFIT mission to support the next stage of scaling for UK-based firms and to solidify the UK as the global leader for fintech innovation”
“Their joint experience is incredibly relevant for us as we embark on work to support the growth and development of the UK fintech sector. Alex brings significant experience of working within startups and scale-ups, understands the barriers they face and has great financial and risk management expertise, which is crucial to us as a publicly funded body.”
“Stephen’s experience in setting up and driving national fintech coalitions is invaluable to us. His four-decade long career facilitating collaborations across all UK regional fintech clusters will be instrumental in shaping our operating model going forward.”
Ingledew OBE said he was thrilled to be appointed a NED for CFIT. “Having set up Fintech Scotland in 2018 to deliver positive economic outcomes through financial innovation, I have first hand experience of driving collaborations across diverse stakeholders and organisations and can bring my expertise to the team as we, jointly, lead the charge for fintech innovation across the UK.”
While Marsh expressed his support for CFIT’s mission to bring together the best minds from the ecosystem across the UK and help to drive better outcomes for consumers and SMEs across the UK.
“My experience in scaling up the UK arm of payments disruptor Klarna will bring significant benefits to the CFIT team and first hand, deep understanding of what is needed to help unblock barriers for growth for financial technology firms,” he said.
