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Couchonomics with Arjun
Decoding the New World Order of Finance - Unfiltered, global, weekly
As tectonic shifts reshape the financial world, Couchonomics continues to explore the trends transforming commerce, capital, and culture. This season, we expand our lens - building on our deep focus in the MENA region while bringing in voices, stories, and innovations from around the globe.
Why? Because the future of finance is no longer regional - it’s interconnected.
Whether it’s AI in Asia, tokenization in Europe, or fintech policy experiments in Africa, today’s financial shifts cross borders, industries, and disciplines.
Whether you’re in the industry or just fintech-curious, tune in weekly as we decode the big moves, bold ideas, and brilliant minds shaping tomorrow’s economy.
Episodes drop weekly. Arabic subtitles available on YouTube: youtube.com/@couchonomicswitharjunsingh438
Learn more: www.couchonomics.com
Season 4 supported by:
Adyen | Mastercard | SC Ventures | Thunes | Hala | e& | Digit 9
About the host:
Arjun's expertise covers a broad range of areas including Fintech, Payments, Digital Assets, Embedded Finance, Application of Emerging Technologies, and the Emergence of New Business Models within the Financial Services Sector in the MEA region and globally.
Arjun is deeply engaged in the Tech Start-Up ecosystem. He serves as a passive investor, advisory board member, and a notable commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.
In recognition of his impactful contributions, Arjun was honored as a Top Voice of the region by LinkedIn in 2020.
Learn more at www.couchonomics.com.
Couchonomics with Arjun
Why Most Digital Banks Fail - And How Engine by Starling Is Flipping the Script
The next banking stack won’t just be fast — it has to be human.
In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Nick Drewett, Chief Commercial Officer at Engine by Starling, joins the conversation to share what it actually takes to launch and scale a digital bank — not in theory, but in practice.
Engine is the tech spinout from Starling Bank - one of the world’s first profitable digital banks - and it’s now powering next-gen banking infrastructure globally.
We cover:
- How Salt Bank launched in under 12 months
- Why most “modern” stacks still act like legacy
- Where AI adds real value in banking
- Why cost-to-serve is the new frontline
- What it means to localise for the GCC
Engine isn’t theory — it’s the tech behind Starling Bank’s success.
📍🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube & Apple Podcasts.
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by our partners:
Adyen https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes https://thunes.com/
Mastercard https://mastercard.com/
E& https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures https://scventures.io/
Hala https://hala.com/
Chapters:
00:00 Episode Highlights
01:07Introduction
01:15 Meet Nick Drewett and Engine
01:53 The Story of Starling Bank
02:23 Starling Bank's Success and Customer Service
05:50 Introduction to Engine
08:12 Engine's Global Expansion
13:40 Case Study: Salt Bank in Romania
20:15 Case Study: AMP Bank in Australia
21:55 The Value of Banking Relationships
22:52 Competition and Mobile App Strategy
24:16 Global Banking Challenges and Localization
26:40 Trust and Managed Services
30:15 Technology and Banking as a Service
38:34 Growth and Expansion Plans
41:36 Final Thoughts and Future of Banking
Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
Find us on our social media platforms:
- Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
- CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
- Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
- Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20
- TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
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