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In 2008, Maysam was sent to Reykjavik at the height of the country’s financial crisis, to recover funds from failed institutions. It was during this time that Maysam saw the financial devastation of the Icelandic people who lost businesses and houses for no fault of their own and a reality hit home: the financial system was not designed for serving the masses or the customers and institutions have overwhelming and life-changing knock-ons for everyday people.
The humanitarian foundations for a new product were set in that moment, and Maysam began sketching out an end-to-end product, based on his experiences in banking, that would tighten the structures, pillars and processes of large organisations - for the benefit of the majority.
In 2017, Elifinty as a product and a vision was refined. The project had two interconnected aims: finding solutions for difficult financial situations and to improve their financial well-being into the future.
Elifinty is the facilitator/a bridge, helping to alleviate the mistrust synonymous with banking – to bring people back into the black. That’s why pumping 20% of profits back into the community – to improve financial & technology education -- was the first commitment of Elifinty as the product and the vision took shape.
We believe there is a better way, where finance enables lifestyle choices effectively and seamlessly with new technology.
Elifinty works on a B2B2C business model - using partners like Credit Unions, Banks and Charities. Elifinty has been certified by Social Enterprise UK as a Social Enterprise for Good. We successfully graduated from StartupYard Accelerator and was a Financial Health Fellow 2017 run by the Financial Innovation Lab in partnership with Toynbee Hall.
Elifinty is run by experienced executives with over 75 years’ experience in the banking and financial sector.
With numerous roles leading enterprise teams and initiatives at some of the world’s biggest financial institutions, plus multiple award wins to boot, Elifinty Founder & CEO Maysam has consistently driven innovation and change throughout two decades in banking. His last role as Head of Change for Global Trade & Loans at J.P. Morgan, saw him tackle some of the biggest challenges in banking. Maysam’s career is defined by problem solving and tapping fruitful new areas of opportunity. He is a keen advocate for the fair use of technology in finance and is a thought leader on open banking and artificial intelligence.
Maysam is a Financial Health Fellow (2017) of the Financial Innovation Lab and holds an MBA. He is also Director of Aelm (a tech company specialising in AI and big data), Non-Exec Director of Harmoney (a charitable debt advice company) and Board Trustee of Toynbee Hall (a charity organisation fighting poverty in East London). He is passionate about technology for good and financial inclusion.
In his two decades in banking, Gari Spearpoint worked with a range of blue-chip financial organisations, including the likes of Chase Manhattan, Merrill Lynch and Bankers’ Trust. From administering large syndicated loans to creating new lending instruments in the capital markets industry, Gari was even, as part of Chase Manhattan, directly involved in the settlement of Iranian debt during the hostage crisis of 1980.
After calling time on banking in the mid 80s, Gari moved to FinTech and began working with leading technology firms in both sales and consultancy positions. During his time at IT multinational, Logica, he travelled across the US, Australia, and Europe evaluating and evangelising the potential of FinTech solutions and services in days to come.
With that, in 2017, Gari joined Elifinty and is responsible for directing the sales, the brand, and the general business development of a new kind of FinTech player. Day to day, Gari promotes Elifinty within banking: sticking close to partner KPIs that’s underpinned by the founders’ combined 75 years in banking, and technology which reveals crucial insights that boost the bottom line.
From starting in the finance department as a management trainee, Subodh Roche has been an advocate of using technology to automate and hasten financial processes. His background in finance and technology helped him develop and deliver many financial systems in the 10-year long stint at J.P. Morgan at various functional levels.
As a strong advocate of finance and technology, Subodh believes that a technological revolution in much needed in the old banking system to make it appropriate and effective for the masses. At Elifinty, Subodh is responsible for developing and delivering the products and projects.
In his spare time, Subodh helps charities with design work that helps them get their programs reach further.
With a recently completed MBA, Isabella did her dissertation on Financial Literacy and Behavioural Economics. Before that, she did a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with concentration in Accounting and Psychology; and worked for financial institutions for four years. She has been recognised for her dedication with merit-based awards.
Isabella is a strong advocate of financial inclusion and believes that we can all get our real financial situation closer to our ideal one by taking the right decisions. At Elifinty, Isabella works closely with all departments to best develop and position the product in the market.
Elifinty has a number of distinguished individuals in the advisory board, who bring diversity in expertise and perspective on the guiding strategy and policies for Elifinty’s products and services.
Nick has worked in personal finance for 13 years, including as Chief Officer at Stroud & District CAB, Associate Lecturer (Personal Finance) at the Open University, Trainer at the Institute of Money Advisers, and Tutor (Professionalism, Ethics and Regulation) at the Chartered Banker Institute. He is a 2017 Fellow of the Finance Innovation Lab and is a Fellow of the School for Social Entrepreneurs.
He holds the Certificate in Money Advice Practice, an MBA (banking), Postgraduate Certificate (financial inclusion) and is a Chartered Banker.
Aidene recently joined as Chief Executive Officer of The Fairbanking Foundation. Prior to this, she has spent over 25 years in senior executive leadership roles in a number of global and domestic banks including Citigroup, ABN Amro, RBS and Lloyds within Transaction Banking (Cash Management and Trade Finance) and Relationship Management Businesses. Her most recent banking role was MD of Cardnet and Commercial Cards for Lloyds Bank before leaving to undertake the FT Non-Executive Diploma.
She has a BSc Accounting and Financial Management (Loughborough University) and an MSc Master’s International Business (UMIST).
She is currently on the board of The Kite Multi Academy Trust.
Anu has 17-years’ experience advising on transactions having executed over £2bn encompassing Private Equity, Equity Capital Markets (Listings in London and institutional fundraisings), Private Fundraisings and M&A deals. Anu is currently a Director at Roffe Swayne, a leading professional services firm, prior to which he was a Director of Corporate Finance at Ernst & Young LLP and spent over 5 years in Investment Banking. In addition, Anu was Finance Director at a Surrey family owned business, where he was responsible for accounting and treasury management, giving him good insight and understanding into the challenges and outlook of growing enterprises.
Anu has a BSc (Hons) Economics and Accounting (Southampton University), is a Chartered Accountant and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants England and Wales.
Bryony is passionate about service and business development through relationship management.
Her career includes 30+ years of sales, marketing and business management for major multi-nationals including Black & Decker and Braun Ag/Gillette; business consultancy for leading international firms in durables, food & personal care and most recently as a Co-Founder, Board Director and Chief Customer Officer for the outsourcer and platform developer, Xchanging plc.
In 2007, following the float of the latter, Bryony retired from full-time work and started a new career of voluntary responsibilities in the world of academia; including the Association of MBAs, Brunel, Henley and Headington School, Oxford. Most recently she has become a business angel. She is an Associate of the Institute of Marketing and has an MBA from Brunel & Henley Business School.
Alex has worked in financial services over the past 15 years. He began his career working in financial markets at J.P. Morgan Chase and has worked extensively in Retail Banking (HBOS, LBG and Metro Bank) in a number of roles encompassing pricing, strategy, proposition development and Digital. He holds a degree in Biological Sciences and is also a Chartered Financial Analysts.
Founder of MakingVenturesWork, Ferrie brings 19 years of experience working across SMEs, Scale ups and Corporates giving him a unique set of skills, experiences and a highly diverse network.
Ferrie works in a hands-on way with early stage ventures to enable them building and growing their venture sustainably. He is a strong advocate of businesses and investment pursuing a wider social, economic and environmental impact.
Since 2000, he has made key contributions to a number of successful ventures in the fields of energy/home services, smart homes/IoT, sustainable transport, cyber security, and AI enabled tech ventures. Ferrie was part of Centrica's Ignite Impact investment team, working during 2014 at E-Car Club, the UK's first fully electric vehicle pay per use car club with a strong impact mission in reducing transport poverty and harmful emissions.