Finance Disrupted LATAM

Memo

The finance industry is undergoing an unprecedented period of disruption as a result of digital innovation. From mobile money and online lending platforms to bitcoin and the blockchain, a range of new products and players will create new opportunities to better serve customers.In Latin America, where according to the World Bank, only 51% of adults have a bank account, the impact of this disruption can be revolutionary. The opportunity to give millions of people and SMEs better access to short and long-term financing would close a huge economic gap while giving business leaders the capacity to build smarter companies. But in a region that favours traditional financial services firms and suffers from frequent financial fraud, scaling the opportunity of fintech will have its challenges. It will require smarter regulation and a culture that embraces collaboration among both incumbents and startups.What does this all mean for traditional financial service providers and the wider economy? What are the strategies that they should embrace to avoid falling victim to the forces of creative destruction? Which are the upstart companies to watch, in Latin America and beyond? And what needs to be done to prepare for and enable this digital finance revolution?Finance Disrupted LATAM will bring together financial industry leaders, investors, entrepreneurs and policymakers who are immersed in the future of fintech and how it can help drive inclusive growth in Latin America. We will look at the future of the finance sector five years from now and examine how incumbents and startups can disrupt existing business models to ignite economic growth in the region.