POPMART Head of Southeast Asia & Middle East Jeremy Lee hops on a quick but jam packed conversation with On Call host Paulo on the role of Southeast Asia in POPMART's Global Business, the opportunities for creators and storytellers in the age of generative AI and new innovations in IP protection, and his learnings on leadership across several years leading regional business development for consumer brands.
This On Call with Insignia episode is part of a series featuring speakers from the NOVA 2025: SG60 Edition event co-hosted by Smobler, the New York Stock Exchange, Gemini, Nifty Gateway Studio, and Skadden.
Timestamps
(00:28) Role of Southeast Asia in POPMART's Global Business;
(01:33) Role of Role of Singapore and Southeast Asia for Consumer Brand Creation;
(02:51) Learnings on IP Protection and IP Innovation for Brands;
(04:40) Thoughts on AI and Future of Storytelling;
(06:41) GTM Learnings from Southeast Asia;
(07:58) Blind Box Leadership Questions;
About Jeremy Lee
Jeremy Lee is Head of Southeast Asia & Middle East for POPMART. Prior to POPMART, he held regional sales and business development leadership roles across consumer brands, from the Lego Group to J&J. He has also been handpicked across these roles to be a leading Diversity & Inclusion advocate, co-creating a psychological safe space to enable team members to bring the best versions of themselves to the workplace.
Directed by Paulo Joquiño
Produced by Paulo Joquiño
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The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
Dr Loretta Chen, PhD, a mulitihyphenate figure in the media, education, publishing, performing arts & cultural scene for over two decades, hops on a quick but jam packed conversation with On Call host Paulo on the future of storytelling, finding its value in leadership, and sifting through the noise to tell stories that matter.
This On Call with Insignia episode is part of a series featuring speakers from the NOVA 2025: SG60 Edition event co-hosted by Smobler, the New York Stock Exchange, Gemini, Nifty Gateway Studio, and Skadden.
Timestamps
(00:18) Significance of SG60 for Loretta;
(01:38) Power of Storytelling in Leadership;
(03:43) Evolution of Storytelling for Leaders;
(05:57) Role of Technology in Storytelling;
(06:57) Emerging Technologies for Storytelling;
(09:24) Future of Storytelling;
(10:45) Advice on Storytelling for Leaders;
(11:51) Blind Leadership Questions;
(14:00) Epilogue: What is Smobler?;
About Loretta
A multifaceted and influential figure in the media, education, publishing, performing arts & cultural scene for over two decades, Dr Chen was the People's Choice for Nominated Member of Parliament and has been the International Consultant to the Kingdom of Bhutan since 2011. She is a passionate advocate for social equity - challenging the status quo through artistic, literary and entrepreneurial avenues.
When the Metaverse came into play, Dr Chen envisioned a unique opportunity to shape social narratives with technology. Through her latest venture, Smobler, Dr Chen aims to create a Metaverse for Good to drive positive change, promote inclusivity and leverage emerging technologies to empower and inspire audiences across the globe. Dr Chen is part of the AWS Women Founders Program, UBS Project Female Founder, a Top 100 WoWomen of the Future, Forbes and Asia’s Most Inspiring.
Directed by Paulo Joquiño
Produced by Paulo Joquiño
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The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
NYSE Head of International Markets Cassandra Seier hops on a quick but jam packed conversation with On Call host Paulo on Singapore and Southeast Asia public market opportunities going global, the ways NYSE is diversifying capital access for issuers and investors, globalization of venture exits, and more.
This On Call with Insignia episode is part of a series featuring speakers from the NOVA 2025: SG60 Edition event co-hosted by Smobler, the New York Stock Exchange, Gemini, Nifty Gateway Studio, and Skadden.
Timestamps
(00:38) Singapore and Southeast Asia Public Market Opportunities Going Global;
(02:32) Diversifying Capital Access for Issuers and Investors;
(03:48) Globalization of Venture Exits;
(05:41) Enriching the Public Markets Playbook;
(07:35) Public Markets as Innovation Bellwether;
(08:25) Why you should engage with exchanges early;
(13:00) Blind Leadership Questions;About Cassandra SeierCassandra Seier is the Head of International Capital Markets for NYSE Group, a part of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE).
Cassandra is responsible for attracting new listings from companies around the world, including Asia, Canada, EMEA and Latin America. She advises private companies, private equity and venture capital firms, investment bankers and others on the IPO landscape, NYSE initiatives and listing venue selection.
Prior to joining the NYSE, Cassandra spent more than 24 years at Goldman Sachs, where she most recently served as a Managing Director focusing on futures and OTC clearing. During her time at Goldman, Seier worked in the bank’s offices in Singapore, New York and London.
Cassandra earned a BA in Finance with a minor in Economics from the University of Oregon. She has been a CFA charterholder since 2004. Seier is President and CEO of Women in Financial Markets (WIFM), a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to connect, elevate, and advance female leaders in the financial industry.
Directed by Paulo Joquiño
Produced by Paulo Joquiño
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The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
StraitsX Head of Commercial Jason Tay hops on a quick but jam packed conversation with On Call host Paulo on the ways stablecoins are becoming more global, more accessible, and more integral to payment experiences, not just for Web3 wallet holders but more importantly for companies like StraitsX, your chicken rice aunties (among hundreds of thousands other SMEs and more traditional businesses globally).
This On Call with Insignia episode is part of a series featuring speakers from the NOVA 2025: SG60 Edition event co-hosted by Smobler, the New York Stock Exchange, Gemini, Nifty Gateway Studio, and Skadden.
Timestamps
(00:28) Stablecoins Going Global;
(02:02) Technology is Experience;
(04:41) Bringing Web3 to Chicken Rice Aunties;
(07:44) Blind Leadership Questions;
About Jason Tay
Jason Tay is a digital assets and fintech professional and thought leader whose career started in corporate investment banking at JP Morgan and SGCIB. In 2019, he joined MDAQ and later became the Head of Business Development and Government Relations. In 2024, he joined StraitsX as their Head of Commercial, leading the firm's P&L and Revenue generating functions, overseeing Marketing, Onboarding and Strategy business units, as well as launching new chain partnerships and go-to-market strategies for wider adoption of the companies' web3 payment infrastructure.
About StraitsX
StraitsX is the stablecoin-native settlement layer driving global finance, and a Major Payment Institution licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. As the issuer of XUSD and XSGD stablecoins, StraitsX leverages the power of blockchain and stablecoin technology to drive payments interoperability while offering innovative tools for fund management, stablecoin integration, and cross-border transactions. Partnering with leading financial institutions, global liquidity providers, and payment technology partners, StraitsX delivers cutting-edge payment solutions in a highly regulated and reliable environment, bridging the gap between traditional finance and the digital economy. StraitsX is part of Fazz Financial Group, a leading ecosystem of financial services in Southeast Asia.
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Directed by Paulo Joquiño
Produced by Paulo Joquiño
The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
Timestamps
(00:00) Introduction;
(00:29) How a tech exec from China joined a Singapore AI startup;
(02:38) The evolution of LLMs in China;
(03:33) AI Development in China and the rest of the world;
(04:37) The value of building a career in China tech;
(06:34) Scaling a global AI company;
(08:37) Scaling in Southeast Asia vs rest of the world;
(09:39) Driving the AI conversation and building strategic relationships;
(10:34) Future of Conversational AI;
(13:02) MCPs impacting the cost structure of building AI;
(14:26) New paradigm of pricing AI products and solutions;
(15:00) WIZ.AI's AI Roadmap;
(15:54) Considerations of Enterprise Buyers;
(17:14) AI Enterprise Sales;
(22:30) Advice on AI Transformation;
(24:17) Make or Break Moment;
Robin Li is the Senior AI Strategy and Partnerships Director at WIZ.AI, bringing over 20 years of enterprise technology experience and more than 10 years specializing in AI companies. Based in China before joining WIZ.AI in Singapore, Robin has witnessed firsthand the evolution of AI development across different markets, from the early days of conversational AI to the current LLM revolution. At WIZ.AI, he focuses on bridging the gap between AI builders and enterprise buyers, helping organizations navigate the complex journey of AI transformation while building strategic partnerships across global markets.
WIZ.AI is a conversational AI talkbot platform for 300+ global enterprises present in 17+. countries. Their conversational artificial intelligence talkbot mimics conversations with real people by localizing for 17+ different languages and dialects from ASEAN to Latin America. The company’s tech solution replaces traditional human call-centers for different application scenarios (e.g. tele-sales and customer care) across a variety of sectors (financial services, telecommunications, healthcare, etc.). The company’s enterprise grade proprietary technology is built on the company’s R&D into natural language processing, automatic speech recognition and text-to-speech technology. WIZ.AI is a first-mover in untapped emerging markets, with 11 patents in conversational AI technology. The founding team cumulatively has over 40 years of experience in FinTech, big data, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
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Produced by Paulo Joquiño
The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
Rinaldi Utama is the CEO and co-founder of Se'Indonesia, launched with a mission to redefine Indonesia’s quick-service restaurant landscape focusing on high-quality smoked beef rice bowls. He was previously CEO and co-founder of Lakuliner, a house of indonesian-fusion culinary brands. Before that he was part of the legal team at Kopi Kenangan.
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Timestamps
(00:36) Introducing Rinaldi Utama decided to focus on beef rice bowls
(03:47) Why Se’Indonesia also went into QSR business
(07:48) How Se’Indonesia is approaching scale across Indonesia and across SKUs
(14:15) Rinaldi’s Learnings from working at the start of Kopi Kenangan’s scale and starting from cloud kitchens
(15:44) Future of F&B in Indonesia and advice for F&B entrepreneurs starting out
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Directed by Paulo Joquiño
Produced by Paulo Joquiño
The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
Watch Part 1
Thothathri Srinivasan (who goes by "Tho") is the Head of AI and Engineering at Flip, one of Indonesia's largest consumer fintech companies. With over a decade of experience in Silicon Valley, Tho has built products and systems at some of the world's most recognizable tech companies including Groupon, Netflix, and Pinterest.
Originally from Bangalore, India, Tho began his career in electronics and software engineering before moving to the United States in 2010 to pursue his master's degree in computer science. His Silicon Valley journey started at Groupon in 2011, where he worked on merchant-facing products and learned the fundamentals of dynamic pricing and A/B testing. He then spent six years at Netflix Studio, building the infrastructure that powers content rights management, deals, and contracts - essentially everything from "pitch to play" in Netflix's content ecosystem.
After a stint at Pinterest working on shopping monetization, Tho briefly explored the AI startup space before relocating to Southeast Asia with his family. His transition to the region led him to Flip, where he now leads AI and engineering for Indonesia's growing fintech market.
Tho is also an alumnus of Insignia Ventures Academy's Certificate in Venture Capital program and became involved in angel investing through the XA Network, bringing his technical expertise to early-stage startup evaluation and mentorship.
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Timestamps
(00:00) Kickstarting AI Transformation in Flip;
(03:28) Measuring ROI on Flip's AI Initiatives;
(07:04) Learnings from Tho's Make or Break Moments in Tech
(10:21) Leading Engineering teams in Southeast Asia vs Silicon Valley;Follow us on LinkedIn for more updates
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Produced by Paulo Joquiño
The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
Thothathri Srinivasan (who goes by "Tho") is the Head of AI and Engineering at Flip, one of Indonesia's largest consumer fintech companies. With over a decade of experience in Silicon Valley, Tho has built products and systems at some of the world's most recognizable tech companies including Groupon, Netflix, and Pinterest.
Originally from Bangalore, India, Tho began his career in electronics and software engineering before moving to the United States in 2010 to pursue his master's degree in computer science. His Silicon Valley journey started at Groupon in 2011, where he worked on merchant-facing products and learned the fundamentals of dynamic pricing and A/B testing. He then spent six years at Netflix Studio, building the infrastructure that powers content rights management, deals, and contracts - essentially everything from "pitch to play" in Netflix's content ecosystem.
After a stint at Pinterest working on shopping monetization, Tho briefly explored the AI startup space before relocating to Southeast Asia with his family. His transition to the region led him to Flip, where he now leads AI and engineering for Indonesia's growing fintech market. Tho is also an alumnus of Insignia Ventures Academy's Certificate in Venture Capital program and became involved in angel investing through the XA Network, bringing his technical expertise to early-stage startup evaluation and mentorship.
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Timestamps
(00:00) Introduction to Tho;
(03:32) Driving merchant sales at Groupon;
(05:15) Building rights and compliance technology at Netflix
(09:24) Monetization at Pinterest;
(11:25) Moving to Indonesia and joining Flip;
(13:23) Joining Insignia Ventures Academy;
(17:03) Joining XA Network;
(19:03) Learnings from IVA;
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Directed by Paulo Joquiño
Produced by Paulo Joquiño
The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
The money for compliance AI is in cross-border adaptability.
That's our main takeaway from this call with Gani.ai founders Bintang Hidayanto and Timur Nugroho, who themselves went on a call back in December 2023 to first talk about working on an idea Bintang has had over the last decade as a lawyer and founding partner of one of Indonesia's leading law firms. It is an idea that he ultimately decided to pursue as generative AI technologies became more accessible and more widely adopted than ever before.
This fateful call led to the founding of Gani.ai, with Bintang bringing his 15+ years as a lawyer and Timur his 15+ years as a product leader to change the way people access compliance knowledge, resources, and support with agentic AI.
Timestamps
(00:39) Introducing our guests Bintang and Timur, how and why they started Gani.ai
(11:29) What makes Gani.ai different from your typical ChatGPT app or even legal tech giant Harvey.ai
(29:07) The perks of building compliance AI from Southeast Asia and optimizing for cross-border functionality
(33:52) Make or break moments in Bintang's and Timur's careers
(38:23) Special offer for those who want to try Gani.ai
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Produced by Paulo Joquiño
The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
Last year we covered the journeys of Tianwei and Hendra as they built fintechs in Singapore and Indonesia over the last decade and joined forces amidst the pandemic to bring together StraitsX's compliant stablecoin technology with Payfazz's deep financial services network in Indonesia. Coming to a year later, StraitsX has refreshed its brand as it launches global distribution through partnerships with some of the biggest Web3 exchanges and fintech players around the world. We go on call with Tianwei and Hendra to check in what this means for the company moving forward and StraitsX's renewed role in building the future of the internet.
Timestamps
(00:09) 2024 Recap;
(01:30) Introduction;
(02:29) Update on StraitsX within the context of Fazz group, Indonesia, the company's global ambitions;
(07:13) Institutionalization of stablecoin through virtual accounts with tier-1 banks;
(10:19) Regulation and distribution as StraitsX's key competitive advantages;
(19:00) Scaling trust for a global company;
(21:35) The road to 1.6 Trillion market;
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Subscribe to our monthly newsletter for all the news and resourcesDirected by Paulo Joquiño
Produced by Paulo JoquiñoThe content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
In this episode of On Call with Insignia, we go on a world tour of fintech innovation with Pat Patel, Co-CEO of GFTN Forums & CEO of USA, LATAM, MEA at the Global Finance and Technology Network (GFTN), the non-profit behind the Singapore FinTech Festival.
Over the past decade, Pat has been at the intersection of tech, finance, and policy—shaping ecosystems from London to Kigali, Tokyo to Perth. Drawing from his deep experience building corridors between regulators, founders, and investors, Pat gives us a first-hand look at how fintech markets are evolving worldwide.
We cover everything from programmable banking and AI-native fintech stacks to unlocking corridors between Japan, Africa, Australia, and Southeast Asia. Pat also shares what’s next for Singapore as it marks a decade of the FinTech Festival and what the next wave of fintech disruption might look like.
Whether you’re a founder expanding globally, a regulator exploring innovation, or an investor scouting cross-border opportunities—this episode is your field guide.
Timestamps
(00:00) Intro to Pat Patel and GFTN’s global footprint
(02:00) Three frontier technologies redefining fintech: AI, tokenization, quantum
(04:30) The rise of programmable banking and agent-stablecoin integration
(06:30) Key stablecoin use cases: e-commerce, supply chains, cross-border B2B
(08:00) Japan’s fintech evolution and why it’s now open for global startups
(10:30) Working with the JFSA and navigating Japan’s regulatory shift
(12:30) Building corridors between Japan and Southeast Asia
(14:00) Tips for founders entering Japan: long lead times, local trust
(16:00) What makes Australia’s fintech scene unique—and what to watch
(18:00) Why GFTN chose Perth: green energy, academia, and real Black Swans
(20:00) Preparing for the next Black Swan through tech-academic collaboration
(21:00) How Southeast Asia startups can scale into Africa
(22:30) Corridors and harmonization: Rwanda, Ghana, and Project 54
(24:30) Africa’s “Singapore”: Why Rwanda could lead in fintech governance
(26:00) What advantages SEA fintechs have in African markets
(28:00) Opportunities in payments, banking infrastructure, and open finance
(29:00) What SEA fintechs can learn from Europe’s consumer UX game
(31:00) The next decade of Singapore’s FinTech evolution
(33:00) GFTN’s strategy: from forums to advisory to fund
(35:00) The three foundational techs of Web3: AI, quantum, decentralized networks
(36:00) Where competitive advantage lies: regulator relationships and AI-native stacks
(37:00) Why legacy fintechs must reinvent—or be disrupted
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The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
Session recorded from the "PR & Comms for Global Growth" as part of the Insignia Ventures Academy StartCXO ProgramOur StartCXO program beginning in September is now OPEN for applications:Gain the skills to transition seamlessly into a start up leadership roleLearn from industry professionals, well versed in the start-up scene.Join our network consisting of Start alumni, andLearn more about IVA’s 12 week program.Book a call with our program director to find out moreWhom you are on call with:Elaine Seeto, Senior Director of Marketing APAC, RipplingJoel Cutinho, Senior Client Director at The P.R. GroupModerated by Paulo JoquiñoFollow us on LinkedIn for more updatesCheck out Insignia Business Review for more insightsSubscribe to our monthly newsletter for all the news and resourcesDirected by Paulo JoquiñoProduced by Paulo JoquiñoThe content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
You are going on call with Pratyush Prasanna, Group CEO of @FlipID , one of Indonesia's largest consumer fintech platforms serving more than 13 million users primarily for their money movement needs, among other financial services.
With 20+ years of executive and leadership experience in consumer and fintech companies including Paytm, Poynt, and Gojek, he joined Flip as MD then CEO finding a new mission in building the next epoch making company in Indonesia, inspired by the values and mission of Flip's founders.Timestamps
(01:38) Flip's Impact on Indonesian Fintech;
(02:58) Customer-Centric Innovations at Flip;
(06:53) Pratyush's journey joining Flip;
(13:02) Pratyush's takeaways from being acquired by Paytm;
(15:07) India vs Indonesia fintech -- where are the competitive advantages?;
(20:06) Insights from his time at Gojek;
(21:51) Future of Fintech in Indonesia;
(25:47) Guiding principles for Pratyush's leadership;TranscriptAbout who you are on call with:
Pratyush Prasanna is the newly appointed Group CEO of Flip.id, one of Indonesia's leading fintech groups. He brings a wealth of experience in the payments industry, with a proven track record of scaling businesses and driving innovation in emerging markets.Prior to joining Flip.id, Pratyush served as the Head of Merchant Payments at GoTo Financial, where he played a pivotal role in expanding their merchant payment solutions and driving adoption among Indonesian businesses of all sizes. His strategic vision and leadership helped GoTo Financial achieve significant growth in the highly competitive Indonesian market.Before his tenure at GoTo Financial, Pratyush was the General Manager of Asia at Poynt, a leading point-of-sale terminal provider. Based in San Francisco, Singapore, and Bangalore, he oversaw product development, partner acquisition, and market expansion across a diverse range of countries in Asia, including India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.Pratyush's career also includes a significant role at Paytm, India's most widely used payments app. As Vice President of Business and Product, he witnessed Paytm's remarkable growth. With his strategic vision and proven ability to execute, Pratyush is committed to expanding Flip's reach and impact, ensuring that all Indonesians have access to fair financial services.Connect with PratyushFollow us on LinkedIn for more updates
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Produced by Paulo JoquiñoThe content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
In a world where nearly 1.4 billion adults still lack access to basic financial services, the promise of technology to bridge this gap has never been more critical. Our exclusive roundtable from the Surfin AI Fintech Forum 2025 in Manila brings together three visionary leaders -- a venture capitalist, a nuclear physicist turned fintech CEO, and Nobel Laureate in economics, who are supporting the growth of a company at the forefront of this transformation.
Timestamps
(00:05) How a nuclear physicist turned fintech CEO, Nobel laureate in economics, and Singaporean venture capitalist joined forces to bridge AI with financial inclusion;
(09:39) Managing Risks of an Increasing Techno Nationalism to Build a Truly Global Fintech;
(17:13) Bringing Together Financial Inclusion and Agentic AI;
About who you are on call with
Yanan Wu is is CEO and founder of Surfin. Dr Wu has over 26 years of global investment experience, serving institutions and family offices, including stints at CITIC Prudential Fund and TD Asset Management Canada. He is no stranger to fintech as well, having launched and grown a robo-advisory startup prior to Surfin. He received a Ph.D in statistical physics from University Western Ontario in Canada and completed his post-doctoral research at Los Alamo National Lab in the USA.
Michael (Mike) Spence is an American economist who, with George A. Akerlof and Joseph E. Stiglitz, won the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2001 for laying the foundations for the theory of markets with asymmetric information. Spence studied at Yale University (B.A., 1966), the University of Oxford (B.A., M.A., 1968), and Harvard University (Ph.D., 1972). He taught at Harvard and at Stanford University, serving as dean of the latter’s business school from 1990 to 1999. In 2010 he became a professor at New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business. He is the author of the book, “The Next Convergence: The Future of Economic Growth in a Multispeed World,” Ferrar, Straus and Giroux, May 2011. Spence holds a BA in philosophy from Princeton University (1966), a BA/MA in mathematics from Oxford University (1968), and a PhD in Economics from Harvard University (1972).
Yinglan Tan founded Insignia Ventures Partners and is the Founding Managing Partner. Insignia Ventures Partners is a Southeast Asian early-to-growth stage venture capital firm that debuted in 2017 and manages capital from premier institutional investors including sovereign wealth funds, foundations, university endowments and renowned family offices from Asia, Europe and North America. Portfolio companies include GoTo (IDX: GOTO), Appier (TSE: 4180), Carro, Ajaib, Shipper, Tonik, Flip, Fazz, Aspire, Super, Groww, J&T and many other technology market leaders. Prior to founding Insignia Ventures Partners, Yinglan was Sequoia Capital’s first hire and Venture Partner in Southeast Asia. He also serves on the International Board of Stars – Leaders of the Next Generation, the Singapore Government’s Pro Enterprise Panel. He is also a Board Member at Hwa Chong Institution and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore. Yinglan was educated at Stanford and Carnegie Mellon and completed executive programs at Harvard, Wharton, Cambridge and Oxford.
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The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
After building brand recognition and educating the market on digital investments in the years leading up to their 2020 inflection point, Finhay set its sights on a bigger goal: becoming Vietnam's first fintech to secure a stock brokerage license.
In this final episode of our three-part series with VNSC by Finhay CEO and founder Huy Nghiem, we explore how Finhay acquired VNSC, a securities brokerage, and transformed from a wealthtech startup into a comprehensive digital investment institution.
The acquisition process wasn't without challenges - from competing with cash-rich real estate companies to an 18-month restructuring period involving system integration, compliance work, and regulatory discussions. But the result has positioned Finhay to offer all-in-one investment options to Vietnam's young investors.
Timestamps
(00:00) Why Finhay is not just your ordinary fintech anymore;
(00:22) Why Finhay needed to acquire its own license;
(01:04) The acquisition journey;
(02:50) The post-acquisition journey;
(04:53) Impact of the acquisition and the future of VNSC by Finhay;
About Huy
Huy Nghiem is the founder and CEO of Finhay. Prior to Finhay, Huy built his expertise and experience in the financial markets as a financial advisor at AMP in Australia. He also co-founded and led tech companies and business initiatives during his time in Australia. He graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor's degree in Accounting and Marketing.
About VNSC by Finhay
VNSC by Finhay is Vietnam's largest digital investment and wealth management platform. The company partners with financial institutions to offer investment products for underserved mass retail investors in Vietnam, from millennials to families in rural areas. Since its founding in 2017 by serial entrepreneur Huy Nghiem, Finhay has helped create millions of financial accounts for Vietnamese to save and grow their wealth.
Music from Music from 'KHÔNG SAO CẢ' RAP VIỆT ft 7dnight and BẮC BLING (BẮC NINH) | OFFICIAL MV | HOÀ MINZY ft NS XUÂN HINH x MASEW x TUẤN CRY by Hoa Minzy
Some footage from Finhay, Toss
Directed by Paulo Joquiño
Produced by Paulo Joquiño
The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
This is Part 1 of 2 with Zi Yong Chua, Carro COO on his journey driving Gen AI transformation in the pan-Asia used car platform.
Timestamps
(01:19) How Zi Yong joined Carro after PayPal, Alipay, and his own ventures;
(04:41) Zi Yong's first order of business as COO, refining Carro's internal data processes for better productivity;
(08:20) How Zi Yong linked productivity gains to end business results;
(12:59) Zi Yong's three principles on leveraging Gen AI;
(19:18) Stay tuned for part 2 on how these principles impacted Carro's Gen AI journey and the ROI of their Gen AI transformation
About who you are on call with
Zi Yong is the Chief Operating Officer at Carro. He drives the "People, Process, Technology" transformation within Carro, ensuring that Asia Pacific's fastest growing automotive marketplace remains at operational excellence as it continues to grow rapidly. He is focused on digitising workflows, enabling automation and data-driven insights within the organisation.
Zi Yong brings more than 15 years of experience from the Internet and e-payments industry, with roles in global giants like PayPal and Ant Group. In his 5 years in Ant Group, he led Product teams and projects with Paytm and Touch N Go Digital, helping them become ‘super app’ in their respective markets. He was also the principal inventor of a patent for payment system decision making during his time in Ant. Back in 2009 while still in university, he founded his own venture-backed mobile payment company, and was one of the early drivers of the Android developer scene in Singapore.
Connect with Zi Yong
Follow us on LinkedIn for more updates: https://www.linkedin.com/company/insignia-ventures/
Check out Insignia Business Review for more insights: https://review.insignia.vc/
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter for all the news and resources: https://insignia.vc/newsletter
Directed by Paulo Joquiño
Produced by Paulo Joquiño
The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
Many startups found an inflection point thanks to the shift to digital in 2020 amidst the pandemic.
VNSC by Finhay was one of these startups, at the time a wealth management startup focused on mutual bonds and roboadvisory.
But what has set Finhay apart has been its ability to convert this growth inflection into market leadership and an opportunity to become much more than just a wealthtech startup (more on that in part 3).
If you ask CEO and founder Huy Nghiem, Finhay's inflection point only came because of they spent the prior two years placing the foundations for brand recognition, educating the market on digital investments, and finding the right partners and investors to develop their corporate maturity.
We explore these past three years in Part 2, without which Finhay would not have been able to be the first Vietnamese fintech to secure a stock brokerage license at the time with more than 2.7 million users.
More on the stock brokerage acquisition story in the final episode in Huy's story!
Timestamps
(00:00) How Finhay laid the groundwork for their platform to grow in 2020;
(01:02) Validating ideas via Vietnam founders' Facebook group;
(01:45) Meeting his first VC + signing his first VC term sheet;
(03:07) Learnings from fundraising;
(03:37) Subscribe for Part 3: From tech startup to tech securities brokerage;
About Huy
Huy Nghiem is the founder and CEO of Finhay. Prior to Finhay, Huy built his expertise and experience in the financial markets as a financial advisor at AMP in Australia. He also co-founded and led tech companies and business initiatives during his time in Australia. He graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Marketing.
About VNSC by Finhay
VNSC by Finhay is Vietnam's largest digital investment and wealth management platform. The company partners with financial institutions to offer investment products for underserved mass retail investors in Vietnam, from millennials to families in rural areas. Since its founding in 2017 by serial entrepreneur Huy Nghiem, Finhay has helped create millions of financial accounts for Vietnamese to save and growth their wealth.
Music from XG - Is This Love
Some footage from TechFest Vietnam, Finhay, Tourzy Media
Directed by Paulo Joquiño
Produced by Paulo Joquiño
The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
VNSC by Finhay has been raising the bar for Vietnam fintech for the last 8 years 🇻🇳
As it celebrates its 8th birthday today, we go back to the company's roots, and the pivotal moments that led the startup to this point in our docu-podcast series Against All Odds:
Part 2 on Finhay's early challenges launching its first product and raising its first round coming next week! Subscribe to get notified.
About Huy
Huy Nghiem is the founder and CEO of Finhay. Prior to Finhay, Huy built his expertise and experience in the financial markets as a financial advisor at AMP in Australia. He also co-founded and led tech companies and business initiatives during his time in Australia. He graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Marketing.
About Finhay
Finhay is Vietnam's largest digital investment and wealth management platform. The company partners with financial institutions to offer investment products for underserved mass retail investors in Vietnam, from millennials to families in rural areas. Since its founding in 2017 by serial entrepreneur Huy Nghiem, Finhay has helped create millions of financial accounts for Vietnamese to save and growth their wealth.
Music from Suno AI
Some footage from Canva, Fishburners, TaiwanPlus News, Chris Brycki, Finhay
Directed by Paulo Joquiño
Produced by Paulo Joquiño
The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
Welcome to the Manila edition of our AI Transformation event. This all started as a playbook that we developed together with our partners at FileAI, WIZ.AI, NetSuite, and AWS. We launched that playbook last year, and as part of that launch, we organized an event in Singapore, providing businesses from different industries the opportunity to dive deeper into what AI transformation really means for them.
Thanks to our partners, we decided to hold this event again here in Manila. Manila is a particularly interesting market to discuss AI because there are a lot of challenges and misconceptions about implementation here. Our guests today are more than qualified to address these topics.
We have with us three experts in AI transformation. They’ve helped businesses across various industries, from F&B to banking, and across multiple markets—from Southeast Asia to Japan. WIZ.AI even has clients in South America, bringing a wealth of experience to the discussion. And of course, NetSuite is a global company with deep expertise in this space.
Timestamps
(00:00) Introduction;
(03:49) Clare from File.ai on AI Transformation;
(11:10) Aldo from NetSuite on Automation and Upskilling;
(16:57) Alex from Wiz.ai on Conversational AI;
(21:05) Cybersecurity and Data Privacy in AI;
(29:51) Q&A Session: What is really the competitive moat for enterprise AI solutions?;
(45:14) Q&A Session: Is it possible and worth it to verticalize as an application layer solution?;
(51:32) Q&A Session: How does Gen AI impact tools for VC portfolio management (Business Intelligence)?;
(56:12) Q&A Session: How close are we to a 5-6 person multi-billion dollar company?;
(01:01:40) Q&A Session: Who really controls the AI supply chain?;
(01:05:15) Q&A Session: How do I think about AI Transformation for SMEs?;
(01:11:24) Q&A Session: What are AI use cases for professional services?;
(01:15:01) Q&A Session: How do I eliminate manual data handling?;
Follow us on LinkedIn for more updates: https://www.linkedin.com/company/insignia-ventures/
Check out Insignia Business Review for more insights: https://review.insignia.vc/
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter for all the news and resources: https://insignia.vc/newsletter
Directed by Paulo Joquiño
Produced by Paulo Joquiño
The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.
Timestamps
(00:00) Highlights;
(01:29) Chen Chow's Resilience Index: The Four Factors that Drive Entrepreneurial Resilience;
(08:37) What Does Relevance Mean and What Drives Chen Chow; Full episodeTranscriptHe is also a mentor for Insignia Ventures Academy's StartCXO programAbout who you are on call with:Yeoh Chen Chow, or known as CC, is now offering advisory, consulting, executive/biz coaching, keynote speaking, fireside chat, workshops via One PerCent Advisory and Coaching (1% Advisory & Coaching). Clients engage CC for office/coffee hour. CC has extensive experience building up startups (Fave, KFit) from scratch, till being acquired by Pine Labs for USD45mil. Through the process, raised fund from ~20 VCs, corporates & angel investors across the region, and acquired/acqui-hired 9 companies, including 3 subsidiaries of Groupon in MY, SG and ID. He has invested in 30+ startups/companies around the region too.His experience from both sides of aisles, give him good perspectives across the whole process. He has worked at global consulting firm, mid-sized startups, multinational companies as well. He is an Eisenhower Fellow and an alumnus of Cornell University. He is passionate and active in youth/student/entrepreneur empowerment, and he spent quite a bit of his free time in mentoring for various programs, including McKinsey's Youth Leadership Academy since 2010. He started USAPPS, non profit initiative which has been running since 2006, helping Malaysians to achieve their dreams to study at top US universities.Connect with CC on LinkedInFollow us on LinkedIn for more updatesCheck out Insignia Business Review for more insightsSubscribe to our monthly newsletter for all the news and resourcesDirected by Paulo JoquiñoProduced by Paulo JoquiñoThe content of this podcast is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, tax, or business advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any Insignia Ventures fund. Any and all opinions shared in this episode are solely personal thoughts and reflections of the guest and the host.