Canadian Tech Guru and Women in FinTech 2016 Power List Member to Speak at FinTech North
Dan Rajkumar / 27th February 2017
Two more high profile speakers have been announced for FinTech North.
The one-day conference is set to take place during Leeds Digital Festival on 26th April, organised by Leeds-based Whitecap Consulting and White Label Crowdfunding.
Laura Bailey, CEO & Co-Founder of Zerado, and Stuart Sherman, CEO of IMC, join a speaker line up that already includes Bob Ferguson of the Financial Conduct Authority and Chris Sier of FiNexus, the government’s FinTech Envoy for the North of England.
In 2016, Laura Bailey was named by Innovate Finance in their Power List of Women in FinTech. She is a commercial professional who specialises in driving company value and growth for the benefit of society. Zerado is a technology and consulting company specialising in Blockchain, Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence. It uses the latest cryptographic, blockchain and cloud technologies to create enterprise products and processes. She also sits as a Director in Disberse – a subsidiary of Zerado – commercialising sustainable change by a financial platform, in the humanitarian aid sector.
“I am delighted to be speaking at FinTech North this year. I have only heard good things about last year’s event. Although we are a London based firm, we spend a considerable amount of time in the region and aim to open a Leeds office later this year; it is clear the FinTech community is expanding in the region.” Laura Bailey, CEO & Co-Founder, Zerado
Stuart Sherman, CEO of IMC Business Architecture, will be flying in from Toronto to speak at FinTech North on the hot topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI). A serial entrepreneur, he has founded several global companies including an MIS business, a digital agency, a financial services firm, and latterly IMC. He leads a team of Social Scientists, Mathematicians, Cognitive Neuroscientists, Marketers, Interface Designers and Developers to help companies find the correct fit for AI inside of their existing organisational processes. IMC has offices in Canada, China, India and the UK, including a presence in Leeds.
“It is a real pleasure to come to the UK to engage with industry experts about the role of AI in FinTech. Coming from a FinTech hub, in Toronto, it will be interesting to cross pollinate thought and innovation in this market.” Stuart Sherman, CEO IMC Business Architecture.
Organisations to have pledged their support to the FinTech North conference include: aql, Computershare, BJSS, FiNexus, Munroe K, Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, and Nostrum Group.
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Laura Bailey provides commercial direction to Zerado’s applications of Blockchain technology in a range of markets and sectors. Laura has held a number of management positions in Financial Services and most recently, technology innovation. At HSBC, Laura was responsible for the origination, assessment and execution of Private Equity backed structured finance transactions, including management buy-outs, acquisition finance and highly leveraged transactions (company enterprise values typically ranging $30m-$700m). She has worked in both domestic and global roles. Laura studied at Nottingham University and holds two degrees.
Stuart Sherman is an Accountant with a specific specialisation in Organisational Behaviour and Behavioural Economics. Stuart has been in the technology business since he left public accounting in 1989. His first foray into tech involved growing and selling an International MIS company. In 1994 he started one of Canada’s first Digital Agencies, (sold to WPP in 1999), Stuart is a partner in a Financial Services company and IMC, which is focused on the application of AI to corporate decision making and specifically weaving Behavioural AI into Big Data. Stuart was Canadian Finance and Lease Association Member of the Year in 2010.
