Interview with FinReach Co-Founder Roman Leicht

Roman Leicht became the CTO of FinReach in the beginning of 2015. He manages everything that is technology related-in his words if it has a current and power, he works with it. Backed by his studies at the University of Potsdam, Roman brings with him a large range of experience from the retail- to the telecommunications industry. Before joining FinReach, Roman Leicht held the position of Head of Backend where he led the development and expansion of payment provider Payleven.

Today, we will interview him on his experience at FinReach, his role in the development of the technological aspects in the venture, and his thoughts on the future challenges the company will have to face.

FinLeap.com: Roman, you have been at FinReach for a while now. What is your favorite part about working in the FinLeap family?

Roman Leicht: I love the atmosphere in the office. I have always wanted to work with people who know what they are doing. In other words, working with dedicated professionals that understand both the technological and business side of FinReach is the most important thing for me every day, because it drives us forward.

FinLeap.com: What triggered the creation of FinReach?

Roman Leicht: We started this venture, because the financial industry has to be a part of this new Internet age. Banks have a long history, but have difficulties keeping up with the on-going innovation, especially when it comes to state of the art UX. We saw a gap in the market and we filled it by creating our venture.

FinLeap.com: How do you bring business and technology together to work successfully?

Roman Leicht: Business-wise, we want to be new and innovative, but at the same time a reliable partner for banks.With our expertise and strong network, we are able to move quickly and ensure financial mobility. The technological part of the venture enables us to bring the concept of changing bank accounts into the new Internet century. Thus, the two aspects of FinReach cooperate to create the optimal product.

FinLeap.com: How has FinReach changed in its technological developments since the beginning?

Roman Leicht: The biggest difference is that, now, we have many more customers which means more account switching. Our technology has to be as optimized as possible to be able to support the customer flow.

FinLeap.com: Do you cooperate with other FinTechs?

Roman Leicht: Of course, we do. Our biggest FinTech partner is figo which provides us with access to banks.

FinLeap.com: What is coming up in 2016 for FinReach?

Roman Leicht: We will have to develop a smarter way of analyzing the financial history of our customers, so we can keep with the fintech trends.

FinLeap.com: Finally, what is some advice you can offer for other FinTechs?

Roman Leicht: Be patient! The FinTech industry moves quickly, but sometimes it is difficult to move from point A to point B.