FinTech Australia gets a new chair, with GM Rehan D’Almeida appointed CEO

Three years of hard work at Fintech Australia has paid off for general manager Rehan D’Almeida, who has been promoted to CEO amid a changing of the guard at board level.

Sarah Gorman has been elected as the industry advocacy group’s new chair, with Simone Joyce, who has relocated to the US to ramp up growth at her payments startup Paypa Plane, moving to an advisory role. Brian Collins from Audacity Ventures is deputy chair.

Gorman is a three-time founder and investor and founding team member of Melbourne-based DAS (Digital Agriculture Services), where she’s head of growth and marketing. She has more than two decades of experience spanning advisory, entrepreneurship, narrative and investment, both in Asia Pacific and globally.

“I am driven by a genuine desire to help shape the future of Australia’s fintech industry as it enters its next wave of evolution and growth, and fully echo the view that with the right support, these organisations can provide the foundation for Australia’s digital economy and continue to be a driver of growth and productivity in Australia,” Gorman said.

“We’re talking about a multi-billion industry in Australia alone. It’s hard to think of organisations that don’t interact with the Fintech ecosystem in some way, shape or form, and what’s more, today’s fintechs aren’t just solving local financial issues, they are leveraging their expertise to tackle global challenges such as climate change and inequality. All while grappling with a changing technology landscape that encompasses issues around data trust, privacy and crucially, artificial intelligence.”

Collins is a fintech founder, fund manager and executive who most recently oversaw AWS’s fintech work across the Oceania region. He now runs Audacity Ventures, which in addition to providing support services to fintech founders has also partnered with Dom Pym’s Euphemia to build one of the first dedicated fintech funds in the region.

D’Almeida stepped into the GM  role in 2021 and since then has build Fintech Australia to more than 400 members and corporate partners, delivering more than 30 submissions to the government on fintech-related policy in the last 12 months.

Flagship events, Intersekt Fintech Festival and The Finnies are attracting record numbers, while new initiatives such as The Banking Reverse Pitch, Fintech for Net Zero and CDR Summit have attracted a global audience.

D’Almeida said his career has grown alongside the industry.

“We’ve seen FinTech Australia reach new heights in terms of engagement with both members and policy-makers, all with a small dedicated team. Crucially, that’s translated into commercial success for the sector,” he said.

“According to the last FinTech Australia, EY Census, over 81% of fintechs have hit profitability and are growing revenue — up from 77% in 2019.

“We face new challenges ahead as the FinTech industry continues to navigate complex regulatory frameworks and steers towards helping society address larger challenges such as climate change. But it’s an exciting time for the sector, and it’s bigger and more vibrant than ever before.”

D’Almeida praised Joyce for her contributions over the past three years.

“Her work has helped steer FinTech Australia into the strongest position the organisation has been in since its formation in 2016,” he said.

“Sarah’s appointment yet again raises the bar in terms of the expertise and experience we have contained in our board.”