Damu Winston is an International Digital Advisor & Founder, serial entrepreneur, founder of Finteachable.com and lead Fintech trainer for all of the Banks within the United Arab Emirates. Damu is an Amazon best selling author of I Don’t Trust You, But Blockchain and Bitcoin Will Help. Having led globally distributed teams in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, India, Mexico, and US domestically, Damu is an expert at building innovative solutions that empower organizations, harness diversity, and leverage cutting-edge technology to exceed expectations.
Damu Winston Interview Focus
1. An introduction from you – background, overview, education… from US to middle East, culture and multi dimensional things part of your personality
2. Perspective of your education in US and west Africa – different cultures – diversity when it comes to the present challenges – growth mindset
3. Can you give us some of your career highlights – special the platforms Finteachable.com, Covid19Funding.us?
4. How does Finteachable.com work and some insights of the work in fintech and financial empowerment?
5. Can you tell us some of your highlights on education and difference techniques and ways to get people to learn and get expertise – certifications?
6. Can you tell us about your book: I Don’t Trust You: But Blockchain and Bitcoin Will Help?
7. How do you see fintech multiple areas and future proof banking?
8. We are getting into Society 5.0 – 4IR and all areas of digital transformation. What are your views on our society, technology and all 360 degrees areas of digital transformations?
9. What are your goals and how do you see the society challenges with Covid-19?
10. What ways do you envision to redesign our work ecosystems, the lack of energy, integration in an increasingly collaborative society, and banks with technology and social impact?
11. What are your visions for the present and future and a positive message for people listening to us?
Damu Winston Interview Notes
About Damu Winston’s background. We are limited by what we are surrounded ourselves by and that is what makes us who we are. The more we can broaden that the richer we become as individuals. I was born in the US but I grew up in West Africa. I had a photographic memory so I was able to recall almost everything I have seen. At a young age I was kind of forced to be really good at maths and science. I did my undergraduate in North Carolina and started my career in Nuclear energy. In my career I have been involved in different projects, including fintech -the sector I am more focused on right now- in different places from Dubai to San Francisco through Davos and the World Economic Forum.
About career highlights. Finteachable is an ecommerce marketplace for industry-leading Fintech experts that are now teachers. We offer hands-on experiences covering a wide range of topics such as Artificial Intelligence, blockchain & bitcoin, Design Thinking, Open Banking, Project Management, Big Data & Analytics, Cybersecurity, Full Stack Development and so much more.
I am also an EIBFS Lead Fintech Lecture, where I’ve personally trained over 400 banking professionals in the UAE with over 500+ classroom hours since Dec 2018.
Because of COVID-19, I have other projects based on that in the US. One of them is based on the economic injury we saw in the beginning of the pandemic, we saw that SMEs and entrepreneurs were struggling to get funding so we created this platform to precisely sort that need for capital. Introducing Covid19Funding.us, a platform to help businesses gain access to much needed financial capital during the Covid-19 (coronavirus) economic injury. The platform’s roadmap is to offer a pathway to fast cash and access to a full range of products and services (including basic consulting, compliance reporting capabilities, and digital solutions for managing and streamlining organizational and operational small business needs.
Finteachable educational approach. We offer webinars and different educational solutions to entrepreneurs and businesses how to implement cutting-edge technologies and fintech solutions into their businesses. Our approach to the learning process is through very tailored solutions to every one of our users’ needs. One of the things we teach is to start locally and then scale once they are ready. Another important aspect in our world today, something we also share is the importance of collaboration.
About financial inclusion and fintech trends. The whole financial system is being transformed. Technology and new processes, including a new mindset, are creating an opportunity to disrupt the entire financial system. And that means that financial inclusion is more real than it has ever been.
I see a big trend coming in the form of Central Bank Digital Currencies. We will see different national institutions embracing CBDCs in the next few years.
Another trend is regarding value and currencies. What is happening today with our FIAT currencies is that the concept of value is being broken. Hyperinflation, the role of central banks, the economic crisis, etc is making the currency’s value to change. On the other hand we have emerging cryptocurrencies, which are based on other rules, are more distributed, are borderless and worldwide which value is created differently.
And that is because -or highly fueled by- technology: technology allows us to be more efficient and therefore drive more profit, while also improving the ROI, which is key too in our current financing system. And that not only applies to business growth but also healthcare, governments departments, etc.
About 4IR technologies and governments. As I understand it, governments see these technologies as highly disruptive but others see their advantages and try to harness them. For example, Apple is using a technology for their payment system that is used in the dark web, but Estonia does that too. There are some governments and businesses that make use of technologies that are highly disruptive for good. And even if they harness these technologies for good, their impact on society are of great importance. That is why open conversations, tests and not leaving anyone behind is so important right now.
As an author. I feel there is a lack of trust today towards our financial system, technology, among peers, etc. When I think about blockchain, I see a solution for that lack of trust. Blockchain is an infrastructure that actually leverages trust in existing systems. In my book, I try to explain how blockchain works and use cases where blockchain is already implemented and working.
We are now shifting to what I call intellectual service. However, our academic system teaches us to just do and repeat. Now, the world is forcing people to become entrepreneurs and change a system that has been in place for years and years. But becoming an entrepreneur is hard and can drive to many challenges. In this aspect, we need to learn to fail and see it as an opportunity to learn and improve in the future. And to collaborate with each other as the only way to be stronger and successful.
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Damu Winston Biography
Over the years, Damu Winston has learned a person’s name is so much more than just an identifier. Most parent(s) spend countless hours deciding, fighting, and praying over the name of their soon to be child. Damu Winston says that “So, even before the child is born, he or she has begun an internal journey to learn what it means to become that name. It’s no coincidence we ask ourselves, “Who am I?”, “Who am I supposed to be?”, “Why am I here?”, “What is my purpose”… I truly believe that when your name has meaning, you go through life learning what it means to embody that name; to own it, to make it just as memorable as you are.”
Damu Winston is a digital strategy, products and services expert. Damu Winston is a serious entrepreneur and innovator that likes to make complex problems simple.
Damu Winston expertise includes digital strategy, enterprise digital transformations, blockchain and artificial intelligence.
Damu Winston knows his purpose, and he looks forward to helping others find theirs.
Damu Winston Career Highlights
Fintechable, the marketplace for Fintech trainers.
The Advisory, Digital Delivery, and Marketplace of Financial Services Technology (Fintech) related solutions/products.
EIBFS Lead Fintech Lecture:
Damu has personally trained over 500 banking professionals in the UAE since 2018. Courses range between:
– Future Proof Banker / Next Generation Banker
– Future of Banking: Embracing Technology Disruption
– Blockchain 101 and Blockchain Applications
– FinTech 101
– AI 101
The Amazon Besting Selling book, I Don’t Trust You, But Blockchain and Bitcoin Will Help, explores the whys and hows of Blockchain from a business perspective, cutting through the technical jargon, and making this emerging technology easy to understand for anyone who reads it.
Covid19Funding.us is a platform to help businesses gain access to much needed financial capital during the Covid-19 (coronavirus) economic injury. The platform’s roadmap is to offer a pathway to fast cash and access to a full range of products and services (including basic consulting, compliance reporting capabilities, and digital solutions for managing and streamlining organizational and operational small business needs.
Damu Winston Links and Sources
https://www.DamuWinston.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/damuwinston/
https://www.Finteachable.com
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dont-Trust-You-Blockchain-Bitcoin-ebook/dp/B0815YPDYN
https://twitter.com/arabemtechconf/
https://talent.hubstaff.com/profiles/damu-winston
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