In Episode 6 of FinTexcellent™, Katharina Lueth, VP Europe at Raisin (and Chairwoman of Raisin UK) discusses how she transitioned from a classical financial services consulting background from McKinsey and took the plunge in to what was a less well known Fintech world at the time, just 6 months in to Raisin's formation. 

As she knew there was a 1st class management team in place and because she was truly convinced of the idea of what Raisin was about, in making better savings and investment products accessible to people across Europe and beyond.

Katharina is an advocate of Resilience and a certain degree of internal optimism as key characteristics to her success. As in life, (and certainly in startup life) things rarely ever really go the way you plan them to. So you need to make the best of the things that are thrown at you.

Raisin means ("Raise Your Interest") which summaries exactly what Raisin are about, to provide savings and investment products to clients without barriers, and across borders. e.g. why would it be difficult (in a European Union) for a German saver to open a Savings account in Italy if that account offers you better interest rates. 

Making what is a legal possibility, much more practical and less difficult. (e.g., overcoming language barriers and difficulties of meeting in person). And now even extended to the US and across the world.

Two Big Customer Trends currently (Sep 2020):

1) due to covid/lockdown, has accelerated digital across the board to a whole new segment of new clients now banking online. And have continued to use this convenience even after restrictions have fallen. 

2. Extra Push in innovation - Willingness from Banks and Regulators to have fully online processes, getting rid of paperwork in a few short months, quicker than in the last 6 years before

Katharina's role so far:

Raisin VP Europe Katharina Lueth has overseen the deposit marketplace’s successful expansion beyond Germany into the rest of the European Union since 2014, with country platforms launched in Spain, France, Ireland, and the Netherlands along with a dot com platform covering all other EU markets. 

To date (September 2020) Raisin has brokered 25.5 billion euro for 275,000 customers all over Europe, to nearly 100 partner banks in 25+ EEA countries, earning those customers competitive yields despite sustained low interest rates in much of Europe. Katharina also directed Raisin’s distribution partnerships – with financial institutions and platforms that integrate the marketplace – as Raisin grew from a new startup through the end of 2018. For more visit: https://www.raisin.com/about-raisin/

Twitter: @raisin_en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/join-raisin/about/