$480 - $4.7bn Australia's OG Peer to Peer Lender: Michelle Bagnall - Bank First

$480 - $4.7bn Australia's OG Peer to Peer Lender: Michelle Bagnall - Bank First

Author: Dexter Cousins | Founder, Tier One People May 31, 2026 Duration: 44:12
Looking to upscale your fintech leadership team? Start at tieronepeople.com Michelle Bagnall is the CEO of BankFirst, a mutual bank with 92,000 members and $4.7 billion in assets that exists to serve nurses and teachers in Australia. In this episode she tells Dexter the origin story of a bank that started with $480 in a shoebox, explains why nobody at BankFirst gets paid a bonus, and makes the case that mutuals were the original fintech startups. 00:00 Introduction 03:08 The Origins o...

With over 350 episodes and voices from more than 40 countries, Fintech Chatter: Conversations with Fintech CEOs and Founders has become a go-to resource for those building the future of finance. Hosted by Dexter Cousins, founder of Tier One People, each conversation moves beyond theory to uncover the practical realities of running a fintech company. You’ll hear founders, executives, and investors from ambitious global ventures discuss what's genuinely working-and what isn’t-as they navigate the complexities of this fast-moving sector. The discussions get into the nitty-gritty of raising capital, scaling into new markets, and assembling a leadership team that can handle rapid growth. Episodes regularly explore the specific challenges of building with transformative technologies, whether that's in payments, crypto, artificial intelligence, wealth management, or insurance. It’s this unfiltered access to real-world experience that makes this podcast a valuable listen for anyone in the business, from aspiring entrepreneurs to seasoned investors. If a topic is shaping the fintech landscape, you’ll find a detailed conversation about it here.
Author: Language: en-au Episodes: 50

Fintech Chatter: Conversations with Fintech Leaders
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