Responsible Credit, Open Banking, and Fintech Growth with Samantha Fogerty, COO Payl8r

Payl8r Co-founder and COO Samantha Fogerty discusses building a profitable, regulated UK fintech that expands ethical access to credit. She explains how adopting open banking early enabled underwriting underserved demographics, the role of AI and machine learning in decisioning and fraud mitigation, and why compliance and risk discipline drive sustainable growth. Samantha also covers team structure across the UK and South Africa, strategic bank partnerships, industry trends like open finance, and practical advice for founders on focus, profitability, and hiring.Key topics:- Founding journey and operating in regulated retail finance (UK-only)- Using open banking to underwrite thin-file and younger customers- AI and machine learning for credit decisioning and risk management- Fraud reduction through open banking and KYC improvements- Compliance focus and the impact on innovation- Team scaling, overseas hiring in South Africa, and operational efficiency- Awards: Best Retail Finance Provider (2019, 2024)- Future strategy: second-line lending and partnerships with banks- Industry outlook: open banking to open finance- Founder advice: MOAT framework, profitability first, disciplined hiringConnect with Samantha Fogertyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/directorpayl8r/https://www.payl8r.com/