Open Banking Expo launches its Awards scheme to celebrate the significant progress of Open Banking across the global financial services sector. Equifax is the launch partner of the scheme.

The ceremony will take place in London, UK on 15 July, and the scheme is now open for entries. The entry deadline is on 28 May 2021 and can be submitted via www.openbankingexpoawards.com.

Open Banking has driven the most significant digital transformation shift in financial services in recent times to stimulate competition, drive innovation and offer consumers and businesses alike greater control in managing their finances.

The Open Banking Expo Awards is the only independent awards scheme in the Open Banking space. It will celebrate the innovators, disruptors and visionaries across the globe who have been at the forefront of the Open Banking revolution.

The scheme offers 12 categories, which can be found at: www.openbankingexpoawards.com/live/en/page/categories. They include awards for the Best Open Banking Partnership, Best App Proposition, Best Customer Experience and the Open Banking for Good award. The #PowerOfTheNetwork award is in association with Open Banking Implementation Entity (OBIE), which will recognise the best industry response to the Covid-19 crisis.

Dependent on the success of the UK Government roadmap, the awards will take place in-person during Fintech Week London at Level 39, London. The ceremony will be broadcast virtually to engage a global audience.

The judging panel spans experience across the Open Banking eco-system and includes:

• Lana Tahirly Abdullayeva, Advisor, Digital FS – Growth Strategy & Innovation
• David Beardmore, Ecosystem Development Director, Open Banking Implementation Entity
• Helen Bierton, Chief Banking Officer, Starling Bank
• Christian Clapton, Chief Executive Officer, Open Banking Initiative Canada
• Pedro Pinto Coelho, Founder / Chairman, Fination / Portuguese Fintech & Insurtech Association
• Simon Cureton, Chief Executive Officer, Funding Options
• Mark Curran, Director of Business Banking, TSB Bank
• Richard Davies, Chief Executive Officer, Allica Bank
• Nilixa Devlukia, Regulatory Expert, Payments Solved
• Charlotte Duerden, Managing Director UK, American Express
• Simon Eacott, Head of Product Development and Innovation (Payments), NatWest
• Carlos Figueredo, Chief Executive Officer, Open Vector
• Kate Frankish, Director of Strategy, UK
• Janine Hirt, Chief Operating Officer, Innovate Finance
• Tanja Imamovic, Open Banking Leader, Raiffeisen Bank International AG
• Mark Loch, Group Payments & Money Services Director, Tesco Bank
• David Parker, Director, Polymath Consulting
• Hetal Popat, Open Banking Director, HSBC
• Eyal Sivan, Head of Open Banking , Axway
• Rami Thabet, Vice President – Digital Product, RBC
• Dr Ruth Wandhöfer, Global Fintech 50 Influencer

David Beardmore, EcoSystem Development Director at the Open Banking Implementation Entity (OBIE) said:

“I’m always delighted to witness the invention and creativity amongst the ecosystem in bringing new open banking products and services to the market and these awards present an opportunity to recognise and celebrate those at the forefront of user innovation. The last 12 months has seen continued growth in open banking with more than 3 million consumers and small businesses regularly using open banking enabled products to help them manage their money more effectively.”

Jayadeep Nair, Chief Product & Marketing Officer at Equifax said:

“We’re delighted to sponsor the very first Open Banking Expo Awards. Through the turbulence of the last year it has never been more important to be able to clearly and quickly understand an individual’s financial circumstances. We firmly believe combining the power of Open Banking with credit reference agency data holds the key to help organisations improve decisions on affordability, collections, risk management and create a faster, more efficient, customer journey through integration with brokers. It’s time to recognise the innovators who have led the way in Open Banking during 2020.”

Co-founder of Open Banking Expo, Adam Cox added:

“Open Banking innovation continues to go from strength to strength and is now forging its way as a mainstay into everyday banking experiences for millions of people across the globe. The pandemic has only magnified this, highlighting huge opportunity to enhance social inclusion across the board. As we enter a new data-driven era of financial services we are looking forward to receiving a high calibre of entries.”