Part of popular startup mythology that lack of experience is a competitive advantage. Approaching an
industry with a fresh set of eyes, unbound by the perceived limitations of “this is how it works,” can indeed yield brilliant insights. Challenging assumptions and industry norms is essential to driving change. However, knowing why those norms exist and the downstream implications of change while still forging ahead to carve a new path is what separates quixotic endeavors from real change drivers.
That balance of deep insights with a relentless drive for change has been a foundation of our long-held respect for Santo Cannone. We are pleased to announce this technology industry veteran is joining the advisory board for Alloy Labs.
Santo was formerly a Chief Product Officer at Fiserv, which he joined as a result of their acquisition of Open Solutions. His previous experience in financial technology also includes roles as Senior Vice President of Real Time Systems for FIS, and Managing Director at EDS.
Data access and the ability to integrate into legacy systems are critical issues for financial institutions, and Santo’s name came to mind immediately as we were looking to add relevant experience and expertise to the Advisory Board. My partner Trish North and I worked directly with Santo when we were implementing DNA as our core system, and Trish later worked with him at Fiserv. “Santo immediately impressed me with his vision that cores needed to become more nimble, and he has always been at the forefront of driving change” added Trish.
“Legacy systems and compliance are two of the most common excuses given why incumbents can’t innovate,” Santo commented on the vision of FinTech Forge and Alloy Labs, “Working as a consortium to address these challenges will create more powerful solutions for customers and builds the competitive advantage of those banks.”
Santo will be deeply involved in Alloy’s peer Workgroups addressing data and integration issues. We’re excited to have him share his wisdom and first hand experience working at the technological edge in this industry.