A Flux Trends Presentation on Future Financial Industry and Fintech Trends by Bronwyn Williams 

The financial industry is in the midst of a season of change. 

New social “economies” have emerged, driven by massive waves of cultural and political change, and accelerated by powerful technologies, such as blockchain, 5G, the Internet of Things, big data, AI, automation and XR. These new economies include: 

– The gig economy – Aka the decline of the 9-5, salaried, linear study-work-retire life plan. 

– The sharing economy (and its dark side, the rentier economy) – How it’s no longer necessary to own an asset in order to enjoy it. 

– The on-demand economy – How the “three second rule” no longer applies just to spilled food. 

– The circular economy – The new market demand for sustainable, socially responsible business models. 

    – The social economy – How social credit scores, behavioural economics and “surveillance capitalism” are changing the idea of human value. 

In short, the modern economy is being forced to adapt to cross-sectoral changes every bit as disruptive as those that shook the socioeconomic landscape of the 19th century in the wake of the industrial revolution. 

Now the question is, in times where the average half-life of a Fortune 500 company is just 15 years, what can financial firms do to harness the potential of these emerging economies without being swept away by the changes? 

In this talk, Flux Trends unpacks the future of the financial industry and explains the most important trends and technologies set to impact on the sector in the coming months and years. The aim is to give business leaders the actionable insights required to navigate the next season of disruption. 

Trends covered include: 

– Digital abundance vs real word scarcity – from Donella Meadows to Ray Kurzweil beyond the limits to growth and the real cost of the fake world. 

– Bitcoin, blockchain and the concept of digital scarcity in a world of abundance and “limitless growth”. 

– Fantasy economics – From fiat currencies to mining digital gold to unreal estate and virtual wares; the untethering of value from reality and action from consequence is changing all the rules of economics as we know them. 

– The end of cash? – A look at the practicality, the promise and the problems with digital fiat currencies. 

– Growth at all costs – How negative interest rates and MMT are rewriting the rules of economics and what this means for businesses. 

– The missing middle class – What growing inter- and intra-national inequality mean for politics and economics – with a view through the South African lens. 

– Human data as human value – What this means, why it matters and why Universal Basic Income is an idea whose time has come.

– Behavioural finance – From biometrics to behavioural nudges, we explore how banks and brands are changing human behaviour through the power of incentives. 

– Banking fragmentation and balkanisation – How the financial supply chain is shape-shifting and creating new winners, losers and partners in the process – and why rent-seeking middlemen in particular should be concerned about their place in the value chain. 

– Fintech Innovation vs “Spinnovation” – An honest look at the potential vs the limits of fintech, highlighting the latest game-changing case studies. 

– And, why the human touch is essential for business longevity in a market where your margin is the next tech start-up’s opportunity. 

Key takeaways include: 

– How to identify your business “pivot” potential – How financial businesses can leverage core strengths into new products, markets and processes to keep ahead of destructive disruption. 

– How to cultivate a culture of foresight and innovation in yourself and your teams by embracing diversity of ideas as well as identities. 

– How to shift focus from selling products and services to solving problems, and why, often, the simplest solutions beat the shiniest new technologies. 

If your business wants to take advantage of the new economies changing the very fabric of the financial sector, this trend talk will help you spot the opportunities and anticipate the threats on the horizon so you can take charge of your business’s future.

If you are interested in booking this trend briefing or talking to Bronwyn Williams and Flux Trends, contact Cloud Clayton on info@fluxtrends.co.za or Bethea Clayton on +27764539405.

-Looking at Trends as Business Strategy-