In Conversation With... Paul Brown, COO at TechPassport

Tell us how you got into the FinTech industry? I joined a company called LendingMetrics as I became very interested in the FinTech space. I could see by the growth of the industry that it was a great time to challenge myself in this new sector. I learnt very quicky that the FinTech space is fast paced and constantly changing and innovating with new products and services. What have been the highlights of your career to date? The progression that I have had personally within the FinTech space- I have progressed from being very green to a COO. The learning curve has been really exciting and has given me the ability to build on my skills. How have you seen the industry change over the span of your career? Yes, there are so many advances to technology, from Open Banking to companies looking for full automation. There are so many exciting FinTechs out there and I am excited to be part of a business will allow FinTechs to showcase their product to banks, and for banks to be able to find the platforms quickly and easily. How would you like to see the industry change going forward? I would love to see FinTech’s investing in developers. As there is a skills shortage in the UK with developers, we need to do more to get younger people in to the industry to allow growth and sustainability in tech. If you were to give one piece of career advice to someone wanting to become a COO, what would it be? Being a COO is tough and you must expect to put the hours and time in to doing the role. People rely on you so you need to be able to enhance their working lives- the simple things count. For FinTech specifically you must be able to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in, it's not a resource rich industry. Embrace ideas, suggestions and innovation; a COO doesn’t know it all, bring in the right people with the right skills and let them grow, you will learn from them and this can only be beneficial to the company. Finally, always look back on the developments and progress that has been made, and how you got there. The journey is more important than the destination.