Andrew Jenkins, director of UK-based mobility data and analytics firm Arity, has been appointed (on October 4) as the new Fintech envoy for Northern Ireland.
The appointment has been made by John Glen, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury.
Glen stated:
“Fintech is vital to the future of financial services, and we want every corner of the UK to be able to harness its power. I want to congratulate Andrew on taking up his new role as Fintech Envoy, where he will play a critical role in helping the sector to grow and flourish in Belfast and beyond. I have no doubt that he will build on the success of the existing envoys in ensuring that we remain a world leader in Fintech and at the cutting edge of the digital revolution.”
The financial technology sector is one of the fastest growing areas in the UK economy. Northern Ireland is considered an important jurisdiction for new developments and investment opportunities in Fintech-related businesses.
Jenkins will serve as the lead ambassador for North Ireland’s Fintech industry. He will be involved in various activities that promote the region as a place for financial technology companies to develop and grow their business.
He will be taking over the role from Georgina O’Leary, who was appointed in May of last year.
Jenkins remarked:
“I am honored to be chosen as the Fintech Envoy for Northern Ireland, where I will collaborate with the sector here to harness our incredible potential to lead the region and beyond in Fintech expertise and offerings.
I will work to bring together business and civic leaders to invest in leading edge technologies and applications, focusing on emerging capabilities in blockchain, artificial intelligence and data security, to further grow the sector in Northern Ireland.”
He added:
“Our mandate as part of the UK Fintech strategy is to capitalise on what we have already have in place here in Northern Ireland. With strong Government support, close collaboration between big companies and start-ups and a world class workforce, Northern Ireland has the potential to become the best place in the world to start and build a Fintech company.”
Jenkins has over 20 years of experience working in the technology industry, including the financial services sector, utilities, insurance, and the telecommunications and transportation industries.
Currently, Jenkins leads a team at Arity (founded by the AllState Corporation) that is focused on using mobility data to create relevant and safe mobility experiences.
He will join other envoys in the UK who’re focused on supporting Fintech businesses:
Chris Sier, chairman of Fintech North (envoy for the Northern Powerhouse)
David Duffy, CEO of CYBG (envoy for England)
David Ferguson, CEO of Nucleus Financial, and Louise Smith, Head of Intelligent Automation at RBS (envoys for Scotland)
Richard Theo, CEO of Wealthify (envoy for Wales)