The honest view from inside technical leadership
Podcast episode

From the CTO chair

Long-form conversations with the people running technical organisations.

Episode 001 · Strategy & Business

Why Fintech Engineering Fails Without Domain Expertise

Varun BhanotEngineering Leader, Tata Digital (ex-BlackRock, Fidelity, Grip)

Varun Bhanot has worked across BlackRock, Fidelity International, Grip, and now Tata Digital. He makes the case that technical skills alone are not enough in fintech — engineers who understand finance build fundamentally better products. He also breaks down what AI actually means for the future of financial services.

What we covered

  • fintech engineering
  • domain expertise
  • AI in finance

What I took away

  • Domain expertise in fintech is a technical requirement, not a nice-to-have
  • Engineers who understand regulation ship faster because they don't hit surprises late
  • AI in financial services is most valuable where it augments compliance and risk, not just UX
  • Career growth in fintech accelerates when engineers speak the language of the business

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