Building the world's first AI Native Bank: Andrew Smith on how SPORTA is changing Banking and Sport

Andrew Smith has spent his career quietly rewiring the plumbing of modern finance - the stuff that keeps the financial world running even when nobody’s looking.As the Founding CTO of ClearBank, he helped architect and launch the UK’s first new clearing bank in more than 250 years. What started as a blank sheet of paper became the backbone of real-time payments for fintechs, banks, and entire ecosystems. If you’ve used a modern UK fintech product in the last decade, there’s a good chance Andrew’s work helped move your money.Now, with SPORTA, he’s taking everything he learned from core banking, real-time payments, and RTGS-grade resiliency and applying it to a completely new space: grassroots sport. SPORTA is building the world’s first AI-native bank for sport, bringing financial access, automation, and operational speed to clubs and communities that have been left behind by traditional banking.In this episode we get into:How ClearBank was engineered from scratch: the architecture, the early bets, the existential risks, and the breakthrough moments.The reality of regulated, always-on payments infrastructure: what it takes to build systems that simply cannot go down.Behind-the-scenes lessons from working with schemes, regulators, and big-bank partners: including how to survive complex approvals and multi-year integrations.Why “boring” beats “flashy” in financial services: and how reliability becomes a competitive weapon.What Andrew is building now at SPORTA: and why the timing matters, from embedded finance in sport to AI-driven operations and compliance.Hard-earned advice for today’s fintech founders and product leaders: choosing the right problems, surviving regulation, and building products that last.If you’re curious about how money really moves, what it takes to build critical national-level financial infrastructure, or you’re a founder thinking about your next fintech play, this conversation will give you a rare, behind-the-curtain look at the systems and decisions that power the industry.

In this episode, Jack sits down with Lee Provoost, the Chief Technology Officer at Flagstone, to explore what it really takes to scale a fintech engineering organisation — responsibly, rapidly, and without compromising on innovation or compliance.Over the past year, Flagstone has grown its headcount by 30%, all while operating within one of the most tightly regulated sectors in tech. Lee opens up about the frameworks, leadership principles, and mindset shifts that made that possible — and how his team has built a culture that stays true to Flagstone’s mission while continually pushing boundaries.Together, Jack and Lee dive deep into:- Why 2025 wasn’t the year for AI at Flagstone — and why saying no can be the most strategic leadership decision you make.- The art of balancing innovation and regulation — and how to stay compliant without killing creativity.- What aspiring tech leaders should be doing right now to future-proof their careers in an age of constant disruption.- How to build and scale engineering teams that deliver quality at pace — even as expectations and complexity grow.It’s an honest, practical, and thoughtful conversation about what real leadership looks like inside a high-performing fintech. Whether you’re a CTO, engineer, or future founder, this episode offers rare insight into the challenges and decisions shaping modern financial technology.Listen now and hear how Lee and the team at Flagstone are redefining what it means to build with integrity, innovation, and impact.

Kirsty Rutter has over 25 years of experience in financial services, holding various roles in finance, strategy, risk, data, technology, innovation, and strategic investment across six top-tier financial institutions. She is passionate about driving organisational growth through cultural change, challengingtraditional methods, and championing the opportunities presented by new tools and technologies.Currently, as the Group Fintech Investment Director, Kirsty leverages her diverse experience to support business growth objectives and delivery through strategic fintech investments. She focuses on creating value by actively managing the portfolio across all businesses.Kirsty is also a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace. She actively mentors young professionals and promotes initiatives that support the advancement of women in the financial services industry. Her commitment to fostering an inclusive culture has earned her recognition as a thought leader and role model in the industry.Outside of her professional life, Kirsty is married and a proud mother of two boys, who she says have taught her more than anything else she has ever done.

Darren is a seasoned sales and marketing channel specialist with a career spanning nearly three decades in the technology industry. Over that time, he has held a variety of senior leadership roles, shaping the strategies and cultures of the organisations he’s been part of. Since 2021, he has been serving as Chief Revenue Officer at Smartbox.ai, a multi-award-winning artificial intelligence company that is redefining how businesses leverage AI.Before joining Smartbox.ai, Darren founded and led Boost Performance, a consultancy dedicated to helping organisations unlock growth and overcome operational challenges. Earlier in his career, he was Managing Director at Bytes Document Solutions, where he steered a major business transformation, revitalising the organisation, reshaping its financial health, and building a strong foundation for future growth.Beyond his leadership roles, Darren is also a respected figure within the industry’s wider community. He is a long-standing judge of the CRN Sales & Marketing Awards, and he also contributes his expertise to the CRN Women in Channel Awards, championing recognition and representation in the sector.Darren’s career is marked by a combination of commercial acumen, people-first leadership, and a passion for driving meaningful change across the tech industry.

We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome Conrad Ford to the L&F podcast today — a genuine heavyweight in the UK fintech and banking space. Conrad is Chief Product & Strategy Officer at Allica Bank (⁠www.allica.bank⁠), which has been recognised as the UK’s fastest-growing company by The Sunday Times and as the fastest-growing financial technology firm in UK history by Deloitte. That’s no small feat.Allica is on a mission to transform the landscape of SME banking — bringing back the kind of expert, relationship-driven service that established businesses deserve, but with the power and scalability of cutting-edge technology.Before Allica, Conrad was the founder and driving force behind Funding Options, the online business lending marketplace that earned a spot on the Financial Times FT1000 list of Europe’s fastest-growing companies. Under his leadership, it became one of the UK’s most significant fintech success stories, culminating in its acquisition by neobank Tide.On top of that, Conrad is a Chartered Management Accountant with a career that began in major banks — giving him a rare mix of boardroom credibility, entrepreneurial grit, and a deep understanding of how technology can reinvent financial services.

In this episode, we welcome Beks Yelland — a seasoned digital product leader with a track record across Financial Services, Health, Energy, Utilities and many more, and founder of the not-for-profit community The Female Product Lead. With a mission to build inclusive spaces in the tech and product world, Beks is inspiring a fast-growing network of women to thrive, share knowledge, and step confidently into leadership.Host Adam Kinder dives deep with Beks into:Balancing motherhood and leadership in the fast-paced tech worldBreaking into — and excelling in — product as a woman in a male-dominated industryThe origin and growth of The Female Product Lead communityActionable steps everyone can take to empower women to succeed in leadership rolesWhat companies need to prioritise in 2025 & 2026 to attract and retain diverse talentPacked with personal stories, hard-earned lessons, and inspiring strategies, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone who wants to make their mark in product, leadership, or tech.Learn more about Beks on LinkedIn or discover The Female Product Lead at femaleproductlead.com.

In this episode, we sit down with Sergio Zavota , AI Architect and Lead MLOps Engineer at NewDay, and Co-Founder of NutriCoach. Together Jack and Sergio explore how AI is reshaping everything from consumer finance to personalised health. We get into the nitty gritty of Sergio’s work building responsible AI systems at NewDay, and the vision behind NutriCoach, his startup using AI to deliver tailored nutrition at scale. With experience across both enterprise and startup businesses, Sergio shares valuable insights on the future of machine learning, ethical deployment, and what it really means to operationalise AI in the current economy. We can’t wait to see the full launch of NutriCoach later this year!

This episode, we’re joined by David Ferguson, the visionary CEO of Seccl and founder of Nucleus Wealth. With a deep background in financial services and a drive to eliminate friction, David shares how he’s transforming investment platforms, and the industry itself.  We dive into:Uncovering hidden inefficiencies: Why David believes the wealth tech space has "a tech gap." Lessons from Nucleus: The highs and hurdles of scaling and exiting a fintech, and how those experiences shaped his leadership at Seccl.Building better platformsLeading with impactWhat comes next  If you’re building in fintech, leading high-growth teams, or simply want fresh insight into the future of investing platforms, don't miss another insightful conversation on Leaders & Founders.

In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with David Wascha, a seasoned product and technology leader whose career spans major names like Microsoft, Travelex, Moo and Zoopla. David opens up about the lessons he’s learned across industries, the evolving role of technology in shaping great products, and how his family life has profoundly influenced his leadership style and career decisions. It’s an honest conversation about ambition, balance, and what it really means to lead with purpose.

Jason Oakley is the CEO of Afin Bank, where he leads a dynamic and diverse team united by a clear purpose: to redefine value in financial services through innovation, agility, and purpose-driven leadership. With nearly 40 years of experience in banking and investment, Jason has a consistent track record of launching, scaling, and guiding businesses to success across a wide range of markets.At the core of Jason’s leadership is a deep passion for building high-performing teams creating the right conditions for people to thrive while bringing bold, entrepreneurial ideas to life. His latest venture, Afin Bank, reflects that vision and is currently poised to receive its full UK banking licence.Jason holds an MBA from Alliance Manchester Business School and a Fintech Disruption Certificate from Cambridge Judge Business School, among several other professional finance qualifications. He believes deeply in the power of innovation, trust, and people and his career reflects a unique blend of strategic vision, entrepreneurial drive, and a passion for transforming the future of finance.