TechviCast: Making AI Work in Fintech with Monica Millares

Get ready for a no-fluff, high-impact conversation on what it really takes to make AI deliver in fintech. In this TechviCast episode, Monica Millares — one of the most experienced product leaders in the game — shares hard-won lessons from building neobanks, payments, and credit products across three continents. From legacy system headaches to regulatory tightropes and actual ROI, Monica cuts through the hype and gives product teams the practical playbook they’ve been waiting for.

Our Guest - Monica Millares:

Monica Millares is a consumer fintech product leader with 20 years building payments, remittances, and neobanking products from zero to scale across the UK, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. She joined as founding product hire, building the product suite across Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Previously, Monica was the first product hire at Tandem Bank, building the UK challenger bank's credit card and savings products from pre-banking license to launch.

• Her career spans Barclays, Visa, and pioneering US-Mexico cross-border remittance products for underbanked communities
• Monica hosts the “Purpose Driven FinTech” podcast and the “AI FinTech Builders” community
• She sits on the Advisory Board of StartedPR
• She is recognized as one of Singapore’s #Fintech65 Product Leaders and UK Fintech Power 50
• She believes the future of FinTech is to make FinTech more human

Our Host - Ashley Bui:

Our very own Global BD Manager at Techvify, Ashley drives APAC growth in fintech and AI-powered digital transformation. With a global perspective and a passion for making AI adoption actionable, Ashley guides this conversation through the real-world challenges product leaders face today.

Episode Timeline & Detailed Breakdown

Dive deeper into the conversation with this super-granular timeline! Ashley & Monica take you on a lively, no-nonsense ride through the real-world world of AI in fintech. From tackling those pesky legacy headaches and smart strategic moves, all the way to hands-on AI wins, rock-solid risk defenses, and clear next steps to keep you ahead of the curve. Pick any section that sparks your interest and jump right in!

1:02 - Introduction

2:45 - How Fintech Products Have Evolved

6:00 - Where AI Is Adding Value in Fintech

8:57 - Can AI Shorten Time To Maraket?

12:07 - How Legacy Systems Constrained AI Adoption

17:22 - Is AI a Double-Edged Sword In Wealth Management?

23:25 - Main Regulatory Risks for AI

27:00 - Who Owns Accountability When AI Advice Goes Wrong?

32:15 - Key Trade-Offs When Adopting AI

41:26 - Practical Advice For Product Teams Using AI