EY launches South West Innovation Hub as part of regional FinTech investment

• The new Hub is part of EY’s ambitious investment plan for growth, and will be located at EY’s Bristol office

• The hub will be led by directors Dan Harris, Oana Beattie and Liam Snelling

EY has today announced plans to establish a new Business Research Innovation Technology and Engineering (BRiTE) Hub in Bristol, as it looks to increase capabilities in financial services design, data analytics and engineering to create practical and tangible solutions to some of the major challenges. towards businesses.

The hub, led by directors Dan Harris, Oana Beattie and Liam Snelling, will work closely with FinTech companies based in the South West, the University of Bristol and Fintech West to help serve clients locally, across the UK and internationally.

The team

Dan Harris is the UK Director of EY’s research and design consultancy, EY Seren, having joined the firm in August 2022. Prior to this role, Dan was UK Financial Services Lead at Accenture, and was Principal Director at Fjord.

Oana Beattie is data and analytics director at EY. Over the past 20 years she has worked with some of the largest Financial Services brands in the UK insurance and banking sector, driving business value acceleration through data and innovation.

Liam Snelling is Digital Engineering and Emerging Tech Director at EY, with a career spanning 20 years focused on cost and carbon efficient digital transformation.

Anita Kimber, Partner and FinTech Strategy Leader at EY, comments: “The launch of the BRiTE Hub is the latest in a series of investments that EY has made in the FinTech sector in response to growing market demand. The hub will bring new, innovative thinking and experience to the region, focusing on user-centered design that helps tackle real business problems. We have a strong leadership team in Dan, Oana and Liam and I look forward to welcoming more team members over the coming months.”

Andy Blackmore, head of financial services at EY in South West and Wales, comments: “Bristol has built a name for itself as the UK’s ‘home for science, media and innovation’, and has both a wealth of locally grown talent and the power to to attract new skilled workers to the region. This new hub will bring together actuarial and financial SMEs to develop and innovate in financial services data analysis, design and engineering.”

Tom Ellson, Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Bristol, said: “Bristol and the South West region are recognized for their creative and innovative culture. This has led to high-profile international investment in a range of sectors from cyber security and technology to financial services and engineering . BRiTE Hub’s arrival in Bristol will form part of a fast-moving ecosystem.”