FinTech NI announces the appointment of Chris Jessup as Chairman

FinTech NI, the not-for-profit trade association representing the £392 million fintech sector in Northern Ireland, has announced the appointment of Chris Jessup as Chair.

Chris comes to the helm after serving three years on the board of the FinTech NI Association, succeeding outgoing chairman and NI FinTech Envoy Andrew Jenkins.

He is a partner in the leading corporate law firm A&L Goodbody, and has a background in financial services and many years of experience advising fintech companies and financial institutions on regulatory issues in the UK and EU.

The appointment will strengthen the organisation’s work in showing NI’s excellence in fintech on the world stage.

FinTech NI represents the workforce of over 7,000 individuals and 75 companies and exists to champion the ecosystem at a local, national and international level.

Chris’ term as Chairman will drive the implementation of the three-year NI FinTech Strategy and Roadmap. Published last year, it validated the Treasury’s identification of NI as one of 10 leading UK fintech clusters and estimated the creation of 25 fintech companies, the attraction of £25m in additional foreign direct investment and the generation of thousands of new jobs over the next three the years .

In working to implement the strategy, FinTech NI is focused on attracting young people into the sector, connecting SMEs to investors and large institutions and promoting NI on the world stage.

Chris said: “I am delighted to take up the role of Chair of FinTech NI at such an important time for the sector. The opportunity for growth in NI is clear, yet strong leadership is required from all stakeholders to ensure that the companies that make up our dynamic ecosystem is represented on the local and international stage.

– We are facing turbulent times on several fronts. It has never been more important for the NI economy to support our SMEs, build a sustainable talent pipeline and encourage scaling among entrepreneurs so we can reach our full potential.

“These are the areas I intend to focus on as I embark on my term as Chairman. I would like to thank my Board members for their ongoing cooperation and support, and pay tribute to outgoing Chairman Andrew Jenkins for leading us through another hugely successful year at FinTech NI.”