If you want to understand where FinTech is really heading, stop watching the hype — and start listening to the people who see the entire system move. In this episode of the Scouting for Growth Podcast, Sabine VanderLinden is joined by Elizabeth Lumley, Deputy Editor of The Banker (Financial Times Group) and one of the most respected global voices in FinTech, banking technology, and regulation. With nearly three decades of front-row insight, Elizabeth brings clarity to what truly matters for financial services in the year ahead — and what’s mostly just innovation theatre. Elizabeth’s career began almost by accident. She set out to be a political journalist, but quickly found herself reporting on how banks, insurers, and financial institutions were adopting data and technology. That path led her through 28 years of covering regulation, risk, data, and digital transformation, culminating in her current role at The Banker — a publication trusted by senior decision-makers precisely because it values depth over noise. Her work was recognised in 2022 with the State Street UK Press Award for Journalist of the Year in Technology and Digital Finance. One of the defining moments in Elizabeth’s influence came early — when she embraced social media before it became fashionable. Twitter amplified her voice at exactly the same time as FinTech startups began emerging at scale, creating a powerful feedback loop between new technology, public discourse, and institutional change. For Elizabeth, social media wasn’t just a platform — it was a way to shape narrative, challenge assumptions, and bring critical thinking into the open. In this conversation, she offers a refreshingly grounded perspective on the trends shaping FinTech today. Yes, the industry talks endlessly about Web3, the metaverse, and immersive financial worlds — but Elizabeth calls it what it is right now: theatre. Interesting, provocative, and largely disconnected from what banks are actually working on. The real priorities? Efficiency, cost control, talent retention, and operational resilience. They may not make headlines, but they dominate boardroom agendas. The discussion also turns to insurance — a sector Elizabeth describes as most powerful when it’s invisible. Embedded insurance isn’t new, but delivering it at the right moment, in the right context, remains far harder than many realise. She challenges the industry’s obsession with “owning the customer” to cross-sell more products, arguing instead that serving customers better is the true path to long-term profitability. This episode is essential listening for: Banking and insurance leaders planning beyond the hype cycle FinTech founders aligning innovation with real institutional demand Investors assessing what will actually scale in the next phase Executives navigating regulation, data, and technology trade-offs As Elizabeth makes clear, FinTech isn’t about novelty — it’s about using technology to make financial services work better. And in a market craving substance, that perspective is more valuable than ever.