First National Bank (FNB) has scooped the title as “Most Innovative Bank in Africa” at the 2016 African FinTech awards, part of the annual Finance Indaba, which recognise and reward innovative and disruptive fintech companies that have originated in or are primarily focused on Africa.
The bank says that innovation is an ongoing process and forms part of its culture that revolves around creating and growing meaningful innovations.
“This prestigious award is a great feat for the bank and demonstrates our ongoing commitment in ensuring that our customers are at the centre of all of our innovations,” says Jacques Celliers, CEO of FNB. “We would like to thank all our customers who adopt our innovations and our staff members who have contributed to making FNB the most innovative bank in Africa.”
The FinTech Africa Awards celebrate innovators that shape the future of finance and acknowledges the work they do to transform the industry.
“FNB recently launched version 5.0 of its award winning banking app that offers enhanced features such as fingerprint verification, tap and pay, secure chat with a private banker as well as a watch app. With over 2-million connected devices this innovation has enabled and transformed the bank’s digital journey,” says Celliers.
“We find that more than ever before, the financial services industry is being disrupted with new entrants and fintech start-ups,” he adds. “Extending our digital ecosystem beyond banking creates value for our customers who have higher expectations for mobility and convenience. What makes us unique is that we don’t chase trends or fads but rather ensure that our products and systems are truly innovative and enduring for our customers.”
The bank’s list of innovations has grown since 2004, when the FNB Innovators programme was launched. With over 9 000 implemented innovations to date, FNB has not only transformed the financial services landscape, but also changed the way banking is seen and done in Africa.
“Leveraging and focusing on new age technologies, engineering and analytical tools in support of our timeless purpose of ‘helpfulness’ and putting customers first (business and personal), is at the centre of everything we do and stand for,” says Celliers. “It’s incredible to be part of an innovative organisation where people continuously look for new and creative ways of doing things. I believe that creating a culture of continuous learning, encouraging people to think out of the box and driving a culture of innovations benefits our customers, our brand and contributes to the industry as a whole. This mindset of collaboration, integration and innovation is one that will continue driving us forward into the future.”
