Behind The Scenes at Finsmart

Introducing Patrick Schartner, Board Advisor

At Finsmart, we are passionate about working with experts. As well as our core team, this means that our advisors are integral to our development – both when looking at product, sales, marketing, fundraising and the business as a whole. 

Over the coming weeks we will introduce you to our senior team. Today, we meet Patrick Schartner. 

What is your role with Finsmart? 

I am an investor, as well as being on the advisory board. 

Why do you think Finsmart is unique/special/one to watch?

Finsmart offers a unique product which addresses an area where the ways of working of banks and issuers have not materially changed in decades. This is an area which is very labour intensive, repetitive and where there can be many unnecessary iterations and operational errors. In addition, Finsmart brings useful data at your fingertips.

What will you personally bring to the table?

I bring experience in FX and Fixed Income sales and sales management, as well as an extensive network. 

What are the biggest challenges facing the industry? 

The industry is being challenged on several fronts:

  • A high cost base evidenced by cycles of restructuring are getting shorter. Legacy technology is expensive to maintain and upgrading it is a major long term project. 
  • Data – large banks should have a plethora of data at their disposal given their size and diversity of businesses. However, in talking with them we notice that many have an insatiable thirst for data and this is one of Finsmart’s strengths.

Where do you see Finsmart making a difference? 

DealPro can give banks a big productivity boost and help issuers by conveniently displaying relevant data in real time.

Where do you see Finsmart today, 5 years, 10 years? 

Hopefully on many people’s desktops and mobile devices! We are attacking the DCM market now and it is clear that DealPro can be relevant to other businesses with very little adaptation so it will be exciting to see our impact on primary markets and beyond!

Tell us a little about your background 

Until last summer, my entire career was in the city, in markets. I worked at Lehman Brothers, Morgan Stanley and HSBC for the last 16 years. I started in FX and my background is institutional sales. The last 10 years in sales management. I have now moved back to Switzerland for family reasons and I work for Safra Sarasin where I am building up corporate and institutional sales. 

The pinnacle for me is when my team works hard to provide a great service to clients, integrating with other teams. 

I am also on the supervisory board of Milltech FX Europe SAS. It is part of Millennium Global Investments and they are the EEA base for MilltechFX which is a FXaaS (FX as a service) enabling best execution to manage all fx activity for institutional investors and corporates.

And when you’re not working!

I’m a family man! I have three children growing up super fast. I like the outdoors and am a golf nut.

For more information about Finsmart or for a demo, please contact info@fin-smart.co

 

The Finsmart Team