FinTech Roundtable Discussion on Growth, Productivity, and Talent September 2026 Wrap up

Innovate Finance brought together senior leaders from across the FinTech ecosystem for a roundtable exploring the relationship between growth, productivity, talent and socio-economic inclusion. 

The discussion considered how the sector can attract, develop and retain high-performing people from all walks of life.

The Innovate Finance team extends its sincere thanks to ClearBank for hosting the roundtable, to ProgressTogether for helping convene this important conversation, and to everyone who contributed. Special thanks also go to Chris Woolard, Partner at EY, for sharing his extensive FinTech expertise and powerful advocacy for social mobility. 

The event brought together senior commercial, people, regulatory and ecosystem leaders, creating a valuable range of perspectives.

A clear message from the discussion was that socio-economic inclusion is not separate from growth and productivity. It is integral to building the broad, resilient and high-performing talent pipelines that FinTech needs. This agenda also extends well beyond recruitment. It encompasses progression, organisational culture, sponsorship, leadership pathways and the opportunities available to people after joining a firm.

Several areas require action. 

Recruitment processes must be designed to reduce bias and recognise potential alongside traditional credentials and experience. Education must also evolve to reflect the changing skills required by the economy and create clearer, more accessible routes into FinTech.

Young people need greater access to senior professionals from a range of socio-economic backgrounds. 

• Seeing and engaging with leaders whose journeys feel relevant can broaden aspirations, build confidence and make career pathways more visible. 
• Structured mentorship, sponsorship and advocacy programmes can then help turn access into meaningful progression.

AI adds urgency to this work. 

It has the potential to become a powerful levelling force for knowledge sharing, giving more people access to information, tools and learning that were previously difficult to obtain. However, that potential will not be realised automatically.

Education providers, employers and industry leaders must act now to ensure AI expands opportunity rather than reinforces existing inequalities.

The FinTech community can lead by continuing to share best practice, evidence and practical lessons. This means listening both to established sector leaders and to people entering the industry, ensuring their experiences shape how firms recruit, develop and promote talent.

This roundtable was an important step, but the conversation must translate into sustained action. 

Further Innovate Finance initiatives focused on socio-economic progression, diversity and inclusion will follow as the organisation continues working with sector partners to build a more inclusive and productive future.