FinTech50
A BREAKTHROUGH
YEAR FOR FINTECH
Alan Bristow, CEO of international tech M&A business, ICON Corporate Finance, in conversation
with award-winning journalist Brian Bollen
ALAN BRISTOW, CEO
ICON CORPORATE FINANCE
I
firmly believe that 2014 will be a breakthrough year for
the financial technology (FinTech) industry in the UK. I
am also confident that by the end of the year many of the
companies in the FinTech50 that are still relatively unknown
THIRTY-FOUR
will have become major players in the market.
Despite strong global competition, London is still the
leading hub in the international financial services sector.
Today it is home to some of the world’s leading Investment
Banks and Financial Institutions; it is also home to many of
the world’s leading software engineers, exceptionally talented
individuals and teams intent on identifying problems in the
industry, creating new solutions, seizing opportunities and
generating profit.
The fallout from the credit crisis, and the loss of confidence
in banks, has seen a swathe of innovative new entrants arrive
in the FinTech market; looking to disrupt traditional business
models in financial services these companies are creating huge
opportunities for growth at a time when the international
M&A market is extremely vibrant.
In the 15 years since the founding of ICON I have never
known a more exciting time for companies to be competing in
the FinTech space. In the last 12 months the FinTech Software
& Services Index grew by 38% (compared to only 17% for the
S&P 500) and M&A activity in the FinTech space continues to
reach new heights with the total value of deals growing by
24% to $18.5bn.