ZA Tech Global Limited (“ZA Tech”), the technology venture founded by ZA International and backed by Softbank’s Vision Fund 1, has today announced the opening of its Asia Fintech Center (AFC) in Singapore, dedicated to exploring financial services innovation and helping industry partners in the region to build new products that will accelerate their digital ambitions.
The AFC is a global first for ZA Tech, as the business continues to build on the vision of creating a unified technology platform that powers the future of financial services and increases access for underserved population segments.
The Singapore-based Center will specialise in solving specific use-cases in insurance and financial services in collaboration with industry partners, with an initial focus on insurance use-cases by co-designing innovative propositions with insurers in ASEAN. It will also partner with local universities to develop further fintech expertise and talent.
Bill Song
Bill Song, CEO of ZA Tech, said:
“We partner with industry players to strive to boldly redefine financial services, and the AFC is an important pillar of making that happen. As we have entered 2021, the year the internet economy continues to rapidly reshape consumer expectations across Asia, digital transformation is becoming as crucial as ever for financial services firms. AFC will bring together technology, talent and partner network to build innovative propositions that fit closely with the evolving customer expectations across both online and O2O and to help financial services prepare for the next chapter of the digital revolution”.
George Kesselman
George Kesselman, Head of Commercial for ZA Tech and a recognised fintech leader in Asia, will take on the additional responsibility as a leader of the AFC.
“I am incredibly proud of the work that the team is doing with our partners in the region. AFC will allow us to bring collaboration to the next level by launching new innovative use-cases and enable rapid product-market fit testing and iteration. Southeast Asia is the major epicentre of financial services transformation. We strongly believe that Singapore, as the hub of innovation and talent in the region with its innovation friendly environment and forward oriented regulator Monetary Authority of Singapore, provides the perfect location to launch and scale fintech innovation across Southeast Asia,”
Kesselman said.
ZA Tech is the technology platform for ZA International to grow its international business by partnering with leading internet platforms and financial services companies in Southeast Asia, Japan and Europe and providing both technical solutions and professional services. ZA Tech is devoted to digitally transforming the insurance industry by partnering with multiple customer tech platforms to design and launch innovative insurance products, as well as providing the digital core system to insurers as the infrastructure for their digital distribution.
