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FINTECH is a popular topic many speak, shares views express hope for its potential benefits. Although they speak about the same subject each one has a different opinion and understanding.  Moreover, FINTECHS as of today covers a wide range, starting from crowdfunding, phone banking to digital currency; hence it can be described as a financial Octopus. Yet FINTECHs introduce new tools, and applications to widen financial inclusion in the economy. Said; Mr. Noritaka Akamatsu, Senior Advisor in Asian Development Bank [ADB] in his opening remarks at the ADB/UNI Apro Finance Symposium on Navigating the Digital Landscape held on 6th May 2017 in Yokohama, Japan.

The Symposium was organized by the UNI Liason Council Japan and UNI Apro Finance in conjunction with the ADB’s 50th Annual Governors Meetings held in Yokohama, Japan from 4-7 May 2017. 

Atsushi Miyai President of the UNI Apro Finance welcomed all the participants to the symposium. In his fraternal greetings, Christopher Ng UNI Apro Regional secretary welcomed the ADB’s support and cooperation in developing the concept for this symposium and in the implementation with the presence of Mr. Noritaka Akamatsu, Senior Advisor ADB and Mr. Satoru Yamadera, Principal Financial Sector Specialist, ADB to assisting in deliberations.

Dr. Atiur Rahman Professor, former Governor of Bangladesh Bank shared his hands-on experiences of using mobile banking to widen financial inclusions in Bangladesh. Angelo Di Cristo Head of Department of UNI Finance shared his insights about future work and challenges in the finance industry. In the knowledge sharing session, Morten Clausen Policy Officer from UNI Europa highlighted the social effects of digitalization from a European context. Ippei Oshima Vice President of National Federation of Trust Bank Employees’ unions in Japan shared the new development’s taking place in the finance industry. Following the deliberations, the symposium participants engaged in lively discussions.

Mr. John West Executive Director of Asian Century Institute moderated the session on navigating the Digital Landscape session. Mr. Yamadera Principal Financial Sector Specialist stressed for joint strategies to take advantage of the FINTECHS to widen financial inclusions in the region while maintaining stability in the industry.

In summarizing the proceedings of the symposium, Jayasri Priyalal Regional Director of UNI Apro Finance stressed that the outcome of the symposium will be used as a guide to initiate a joint study with ADB and disseminate with all stakeholders in the finance industry in Asia.   Priyalal assured UNI Apro Finance support and cooperation and expressed hope for ADB to take the lead in making good use of their accumulated and extensive experience to provide guidance to regulate the finance sector in the context of the fast and evolutionary global economy.

There were over sixty participants who joined the symposium, the majority of them from finance industry trade unions in Japan.

Refer related files for presentations and speakers profiles of the Symposium