Ep. 42 Building Revolut in Japan: where tradition meets transformation

Launching a global financial platform in Japan comes with its own set of rules.Yoko Makiguchi, Revolut’s CEO in Japan, shares the challenges of adapting Revolut to a local customer base and the big opportunities that lie ahead.After 30 years in finance, she talks openly about joining as the country’s CEO and what it takes to scale a fast-growing team in a demanding labour market.In this episode, host Alex Carril and Yoko discuss:Why joining Revolut was Yoko’s best career decision after 30 years in the industryGrowing a team by 10x in Japan that represents 20+ nationalitiesHow the team’s diversity shapes how they workThe difficulties that go into hiring in a challenging labour market like JapanBalancing career aspirations and family life, and how it’s changed over the yearsLaunching Revolut in Japan in 2020 with only 5 RevolutersThe two main opportunities for Revolut’s next phase in JapanHow to adapt a global platform to break into a local, unique marketStandout experiences that have shaped Yoko’s leadership strategy as a CEO3 pieces of advice Yoko would give to other teammates as she reflects on her careerFollow Revolut Insider on Instagram: ⁠revolut.la/RevolutInsider⁠View open career opportunities at Revolut: revolut.la/48UUhUA

As a Business Development Manager, Patricia knows what it takes to apply a never-settle mindset and turn complex challenges into results.From BLIK in Poland to Multibanco in Portugal, she's been an advocate for customers by negotiating with partners and pushing for features that make a difference in local markets.Hear how she moves past a “no” in high-stakes deals and why Multibanco is such a personal milestone for her.In this season 3 premiere, host Alex Carril and Patricia discuss:What it means to be on the Alternative Payment Methods team, why it matters for customers, and the team’s mission of finding new ways to use RevolutHow Patricia’s consulting background laid the foundation for success in fintechWhat it's like to face complex problems new to Revolut and the industry, and still deliver resultsBreaking down BLIK and what it took to bring the feature to customers in PolandWhy partner institutions are willing to challenge the status quo and collaborate with RevolutThe case for local payment methods, like BLIK and Multibanco, even when Revolut already offers person-to-person transfersHow Patricia gave customers in Poland easier access to public transport by enabling in-app ticket purchasesThe personal motivation behind bringing Multibanco to customers in PortugalCreating high-stakes partnerships, getting past a “no,” and applying those lessons outside of workAvoiding burnout without losing the drive that comes with a never-settle mindsetFollow Revolut Insider on Instagram: ⁠revolut.la/RevolutInsider⁠View open career opportunities at Revolut: revolut.la/49sbpTz

How do you build something that lasts a decade and still feel like it’s just getting started?Tom Hambrett, Partner and General Counsel, reflects on 10 years of Revolut. From bold decisions in the early days to raising billions in capital, he looks back at the strategy and momentum that’s helped us endure — and what it takes to keep going.In our season 2 finale, host Alex Carril sits down with Tom to discuss:- The early days of Revolut and what we were doing right- Co-founders Nik and Vlad’s focus on long-term vision- How Tom first discovered Revolut while hiking in the Guatemalan jungle- What we might’ve done differently, in hindsight- The legal and strategic decisions Tom took that helped shape our trajectory- How the company’s culture has evolved over the years- Raising billions in capital [in the beginning] and the fintech arms race- What sets Revolut apart from other players in the market- The biggest responsibility we carry as we continue moving forward- What Tom hopes we’ll be talking about 10 years from nowFollow Revolut Insider on Instagram: ⁠revolut.la/RevolutInsider⁠View open career opportunities at Revolut: revolut.la/3IQWCXo

What goes into creating moments that leave a lasting impression?From engineering to consultancy, and now leading partnerships for the Growth team at Revolut, Deborah Wajsbrot shares her experience and how she’s been driving impact.She also provides an exclusive look into Revolut’s approach to partnerships and how to measure a successful collaboration. In this episode, Alex and Deborah discuss:- Her role on the Growth team that overlaps with Business Development- Revolut’s approach to creating partnerships- What Deborah loves about striving to create impact while testing and learning- From the NBA to multiple airports in Europe, what goes into selecting the right partners- How to measure success after forming partnerships- The importance of adapting a global perspective to a local level- Challenges when negotiating deals for high-stakes collaborations- Why Revolut has leaned into sports and entertainment activations- How partnerships will uplift the Revolut brand to reach the next goal of 100 million global customers- Deborah’s biggest learnings and career advice for those looking to join a similar fieldFollow Revolut Insider on Instagram: ⁠revolut.la/RevolutInsider⁠View open career opportunities at Revolut: revolut.la/44Y72vN

What does it take to design financial features that make sense to people, especially when millions rely on them every day?Lead Product Designers Margarida Botelho and Lorenzo Mengolini talk about the process, collaboration, and creative decisions behind building for scale in a fast-moving, design-led fintech environment.In this episode, Lorenzo and Margarida discuss with host Alex Carril:- What being a Product Designer at Revolut looks like in practice- How Margarida and Lorenzo found their way into this field- The design philosophy at Revolut that shapes product development- Big wins and standout projects they've led- A walk-through of a typical design process- What makes collaboration at Revolut different from other companies- The number one question to ask before starting any new design project- Designing with the impact on millions of customers in mind- Common misconceptions about product designers in fintech- What new trends they’re excited about and advice to future designersFollow Revolut Insider on Instagram: ⁠https://⁠⁠⁠revolut.la/RevolutInsider⁠⁠View open career opportunities at Revolut: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://revolut.la/44z8EMd

Pierre Cahuzac leads product for Revolut Business, overseeing the team behind its latest redesign and rebuild.He shares how past roles shaped his leadership and the thinking behind building features and tools that help businesses thrive.In this episode, host Alex Carril and Pierre discuss:- Lessons from a varied career and how they shape his work as Head of Product- What winning a Revolut 10x Award for embodying ‘Get It Done’ means to him- The goal and vision behind the latest version of Revolut Business — RB5- Key innovations helping businesses manage and streamline their finances- How Revolut Business is positioned to compete and lead in today’s market- Pierre’s interesting career journey and why he decided to join Revolut 5+ years ago- Incorporating yesterday’s learnings into effective leadership today- Balancing a career in product with family and personal passions- The trait that makes Revolut employees unique- His advice for new leaders who have to make high-stakes decisionsFollow Revolut Insider on Instagram: ⁠revolut.la/RevolutInsider⁠View open career opportunities at Revolut: revolut.la/Careers⁠

What does it take to lead support for a company that serves millions of customers every day?Kheng Zhun Yeoh, General Manager for Customer Operations & Support, oversees the teams who make that possible. He shares what keeps things running smoothly behind the scenes, and what he looks for in the next wave of talent.In this episode, host Alex Carril and Kheng discuss:- What goes into providing exceptional support for 55+ million customers worldwide- The 3 key pillars that keep service consistent at scale- Why problem solving matters, both on the front lines and behind the scenes- How tech and AI are used to provide better customer experiences- Career lessons from Kheng’s years in operations leadership- How he applied his experience in the automotive industry to fintech- Valuable skills that are transferable to any industry- Advice for support professionals who want to deliver a wow experience- Tips for future support team members on how to stand out in interviews- What Kheng looks for when hiring into his teamFollow Revolut Insider on Instagram: ⁠revolut.la/RevolutInsider⁠View open career opportunities at Revolut: revolut.la/Careers⁠

Landing your first job in tech is competitive. Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do to stand out.Karolina Kubala, Employer Branding Manager, shares practical advice learned from years of developing Revolut’s Talent Programmes, plus what she wishes more applicants knew.In this episode, host Alex Carril and Karo discuss:- How she got started in employer branding through an internship- What makes a standout candidate, and tips for applying to competitive programmes- Karo’s perspective on changing careers and exploring different fields- How her role has evolved since starting at Revolut- A breakdown of Revolut’s internship and graduate programmes- What interns and grads can expect when they start at Revolut- Why building new skills is key to career growth- The balance of technical vs. soft skills when hiring new talent- The biggest mistake Karo sees interns and grads make- What to know about working at Revolut before joiningJoin the Rev-celerator Community to be the first to hear about  our internship and graduate programmes, events, and opportunities: https://revolut.la/3GD22nXView open career opportunities at Revolut: ⁠revolut.la/Careers⁠Follow Revolut Insider on Instagram: ⁠revolut.la/RevolutInsider

What’s the secret to a successful career pivot?Dmytro Vozniuk started his journey at Revolut as a Customer Support Specialist. He made a complete career transition into engineering thanks to Revolut’s Spires programme, which offers employees a pathway to transition into tech.Now a front-end engineer, Dima talks about what it took to balance full-time work with learning to code, and how his experience in support gives him an edge in his latest role. In this episode, Alex and Dima discuss:- Making a change from the Support to Tech team through Revolut’s internal Spires programme- The reality of balancing full-time work with studying for a new career- His latest role and the satisfaction of becoming a front-end engineer- Takeaways from his time in Support that help him in his new role- A typical day as a front-end engineer at Revolut- What made Dima decide to pursue this new career path- Advice to those considering exploring a career in tech- Dima’s experience relocating to start a career at Revolut- Overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome in a new role - The skills that have been critical to Dima’s successFollow Revolut Insider on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠revolut.la/RevolutInsider⁠⁠View open career opportunities at Revolut: ⁠⁠⁠revolut.la/Careers⁠⁠

What makes a company stand out to top talent?Employer branding isn’t just about flashy career pages. It’s about telling the real story of what it’s like to work somewhere.Svetlana Kochkina, Head of Employer Branding, joins the conversation with host Alex Carril to talk about what goes into shaping a company’s reputation as a great place to work.In this episode, Alex and Sveta discuss:- An overview of employer branding and why it’s important for companies- How Sveta found herself in this field- Her decision to move from a Big 4 to Revolut- What goes into being the Head of Employer Branding- Challenges faced when scaling global hiring efforts- Tips for jobseekers when looking into a potential employer- The impact of showcasing authentic employee experiences- Sveta’s #1 question for applicants to ask during interviews-- A common mistake she sees people make when applying for jobs- Why Sveta enjoys working at Revolut and her advice to her younger selfFollow Revolut Insider on Instagram: ⁠revolut.la/RevolutInsider⁠View open career opportunities at Revolut: ⁠revolut.la/Careers⁠