Episode 57

Lessons and stories from building UK's Challenger Tandem Bank | Ricky Knox, Founder Tandem Bank

Published on: 1st November, 2022

If you have the pleasure to meet and work with Ricky Knox he will definitely have a major impact in your life.

He is the Founder of Tandem Bank - one of the first UK Challenger Banks.

He was one of the pioneers of the FinTech movement. He is a serial entrepreneur and had the vision to start a new bank, a good bank - when the Bank of England had only given one banking license in the last 100 years. I’m telling you, a man of vision, courage and wisdom.

The first mover advantage comes with challenges. Tandem had its own fair share of ups and downs, and in this episode we open up about them.

Ricky introduced me to the world of FinTech and entrepreneurship. And he had a huge impact in my life - not only he hired me but he gave me projects and opportunities that shaped who I am today. He is an amazing leader, entrepreneur and human!

Let’s get into it!

We cover: 

  • Tandem’s funding crisis in 2017
  • Lessons and mistakes
  • The “how to find your path” wisdom from his unpublished book
  • Culture! He’s the master at that
  • What he looks for in founders when making an investment
  • His secret to having so much energy! 
  • How to create FinTechs where women can thrive

Much love, 

Moni 💜

You can find Ricky here: 

LinkedIn: @rickyknox

And you can send me your comments and questions here:

Disclaimer: 

This episode does not constitute professional nor financial nor health advice and does not represent the opinion nor views of my current, past or future employers; nor those of the guests. The guest has agreed to record and release our conversation for the use of this podcast and promotion in social media.

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

Listen for free

Show artwork for AI Driven FinTech

About the Podcast

AI Driven FinTech
Practical Insights for FinTech Innovators
Welcome to "AI in FinTech ," the practical podcast for FinTech professionals eager to learn how to apply AI in our industry. Join me each week as our AI hosts go through Industry reports and practical use cases to help you incorporate AI, customer and industry insights into your career. Whether you're an individual contributor looking to boost your efficiency, a leader seeking process improvements for cost efficiencies, or a Product Manager interested in building innovative AI-driven tools, this podcast is for you. In just 10-15 minute episodes, we’ll explore the world of AI in Financial Services and learn together how to use AI to to drive customer and business outcomes. Stay ahead in FinTech with actionable AI insights and strategies tailored for our success. Remember many of the episodes will be generated by AI. If you want to listen to human interactions, head to my Purpose Driven FinTech podcast. Cheers, Monica

About your host

Profile picture for Monica Millares

Monica Millares

Monica is a Fintech entrepreneur passionate about delivering solutions that help people manage their money better - because sadly, most of us are in a vulnerable financial position.

She moved to Malaysia as part of BigPay's founding team to help build and launch what is now one of the fastest growing Challenger NeoBanks in South East Asia.

Prior to BigPay, Monica was one of the first joiners in UK Challenger Bank, Tandem, where she helped build a digital bank from scratch.

She is a product and customer experience senior business leader with over 17 years experience working in highly pressured, fast changing environments.

Monica is a mindset coach and the host of Mind of Success - a personal development and entrepreneurship podcast for the ambitious and entrepreneurial woman.

She has a background in Engineering and holds a Master’s Degree in Information Systems Management from the London School of Economics.