On this podcast episode, we sit down with John Januszczak, the former President and Chief Executive Officer of UBX Philippines, the fintech arm of UnionBank. John has been at the forefront of digital transformation in the Philippines, leading UBX from its inception in 2018 to becoming one of the country’s premier open finance and technology companies. Under his leadership, UBX built platforms that empowered small businesses, expanded digital lending and payments, and championed financial inclusion across communities. Today, we’ll explore his journey, his vision for open finance, and the legacy he leaves behind as he transitions to new chapters beyond UBX. Join us as we uncover the story of a leader who reimagined finance for the digital age.

LinkedIn: John Januszczak

Twitter / X: @johnjanuszczak

Website: https://januszczak.org

Advisor to the Board: 1882 Energy Ventures

Board of Director: Voltai and Solviva Energy

Welcome to today’s episode. Our guest is Jim Love—an extraordinary figure whose career spans technology, music, writing, and podcasting. From his early days as a Juno-nominated musician to his leadership as a seasoned technology executive, Jim has always embraced reinvention. He’s also an author of novels that blend science and imagination, and the host of podcasts that have reached millions of listeners worldwide. Today, we’ll explore how creativity and technology intersect in his journey, and what lessons we can all take from a life lived across so many disciplines.

Jim shared his remarkable experiences as a musician, technologist, author, and storyteller. His journey reminds us that careers don’t have to be linear, and passions don’t have to be left behind. Whether through a guitar, a boardroom, or a podcast mic, Jim shows us that curiosity and creativity can fuel reinvention at any stage of life.

LinkedIn: Jim Love, FCMC

Twitter / X: @therealjimlove

Youtube: Cybersecurity Today with Jim Love

Corporate Website: https://www.technewsday.com

In today’s hyperconnected world, cybersecurity isn’t just about protecting data—it’s about safeguarding trust, privacy, and the very fabric of our digital lives. Every click, every transaction, every message leaves a footprint, and malicious actors are constantly evolving to exploit vulnerabilities. This particular episode will cut through the noise to reveal why cybersecurity is no longer optional—it’s essential. We’ll explore real-world breaches, the human stories behind them, and practical steps individuals and organizations can take to stay ahead of threats. Listeners will walk away not only informed but empowered, with a deeper understanding of how to protect themselves and their communities in the digital age.

In view of these, we've invited Robert Siciliano, best selling author, cybersecurity expert based from Boston, USA as well as the Chief Executive Officer of Safr.me and Co-Founder at Protect Now LLC. Moreover, he is also the architect of the CSI Protection certification and specializes in transforming employees into a Strategic Human Firewall™ by overcoming the Human Blindspot.

Robert is committed to empowering people to protect themselves and their loved ones from violence and crime in both their physical and virtual interactions as he explains to us the critical importance of cybersecurity to our digital economy.

LinkedIn: Robert Siciliano

Corporate Website: https://safr.me

Email: robert@robertsiciliano.com

The landscape of financial markets has undergone a transformative evolution over the past few decades, significantly influenced by the advent and integration of algorithmic trading. This transformation is marked by a shift from traditional trading methods to sophisticated, algorithm-driven strategies that leverage computational power to execute trades at unprecedented speeds and volumes. The principles of algorithmic trading are rooted in the application of mathematical models and automated procedures to facilitate trading decisions and execution, aiming to achieve optimal performance in terms of speed, cost, and risk management.

The regulatory landscape for algorithmic trading has evolved in response to some challenges, aiming to ensure market integrity and protect investors. Regulatory frameworks have been developed to address issues such as market manipulation, information asymmetry, and systemic risk among other concerns. These frameworks require transparency in algorithmic trading practices, robust risk management procedures, and compliance with market conduct rules.

The evolution and principles of algorithmic trading reflect a significant shift in the dynamics of financial markets, driven by technological advancements and computational innovations. While algorithmic trading offers numerous benefits in terms of efficiency, speed, and precision, it also necessitates careful consideration of the associated risks and regulatory implications. As the field continues to evolve, the ongoing development of algorithmic trading strategies and regulatory approaches will play a crucial role in shaping the future of financial markets.

In view of these, we've invited Sharath Kumar, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at "5 Swans", a notable quantitative trading and consulting firm, based from Pune, India, as he explains to us the value proposition of quant models and algorithmic trading to our digital economy.

LinkedIn: Sharath Kumar R N

Corporate Website: https://www.5-swans.com

Corporate Email: sharath@5-swans.com

Presently, 88% of US consumers use fintech services to better manage their financial lives, but many can’t access secure APIs to share data from their financial services providers. When consumers try to share financial data without APIs, they can experience connection delays or failures or access out-of-date information, which severely impedes their ability to access and benefit from the fintech tools they want to use.

Data exchange in finance has undergone significant transformation, evolving from early practices of credit information sharing to contemporary frameworks such as open banking, open finance, and open data initiatives. Today, approximately 68 countries, representing about 35% of the world's nations, are either implementing or developing these frameworks. Key implementation barriers that has been identified in the recent studies by Deloitte include incentivizing incumbent banks to actively participate in data exchange, fostering a competitive ecosystem for third-party providers, ensuring interoperability across digital infrastructure layers, preventing the formation of data silos, and building trust through transparency and robust governance.

In view of these, we've invited Keith Raphael, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer from Straddle, a very promising open-banking payments platform, that enables organizations to build simpler, faster and more efficient payment flows, based in Denver, Colorado, USA, as he explains to us the value proposition, of the financial data exchange and its significant relevance to our digital economy.

Corporate Website: https://straddle.com

LinkedIn: Keith Raphael

Corporate Email: keith@straddle.com

Cybersecurity in 2025 is defined by AI-driven threats, geopolitical tensions, and resilience-focused strategies. Organizations are navigating a landscape where generative AI, supply chain risks, and regulatory pressures converge, making cybersecurity not just a technical issue but a societal narrative about trust, resilience, and digital sovereignty. Malware attacks, phishing scams, and AI-driven threats are increasing day by day. Hackers now intelligently use advanced technologies to exploit security gaps and gain unauthorized access to organizational data. Together with the rise of generative AI, and advanced tools used by attackers is making it necessary for organizations to invest in stronger defenses. According to McKinsey recent report, the global cybersecurity spending will grow 12.2% in 2025 and cross $377 billion by 2028. Relatively, the US and Western Europe will lead, accounting for over 70% of global security spending, while Latin America, Asia Pacific, Central & Eastern Europe, and the Middle East & Africa as well as the other regions will experience strong growth.

Therefore, cybersecurity at this point in time, is no longer just about protecting systems—it’s about safeguarding trust in digital society. The narrative is shifting toward resilience, collaboration, and ethical technology use.

In view of these, we've invited Branden Wagner, former US Navy CyberSecurity Expert based in New York and presently the Head of Information Security at Mercury, a notable financial technology company with headquarters in San Francisco, California, as he explains to us the critical importance of cybersecurity to our digital economy.

Corporate Website: https://mercury.com

LinkedIn: Branden Wagner

Email: branden@mercury.com

Generative AI has exploded into boardroom agendas. Nearly 80% of companies report using it, but many still see limited bottom-line impact. Agentic AI promises to change that. The way humans interact and collaborate with AI is taking a dramatic leap forward with agentic AI. Think: AI-powered agents that can plan your next trip overseas and make all the travel arrangements; humanlike bots that act as virtual caregivers for the elderly; or AI-powered supply-chain specialists that can optimize inventories on the fly, in response to fluctuations in real-time demand. These are just some of the possibilities opened up by the coming era of agentic AI.

In relation to these, we've invited Manuel Ho, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at IntentAI, an Enterprise scale AI platform for AI agent orchestration, based from Singapore as he explains to us the value proposition of the agentic systems to our digital economy.

LinkedIn: Manuel Ho

Email: manuel.ho@intnt.ai

Corporate website: https://intentai.com

Last May 2025, the United States of America made significant strides in stablecoin regulation, by advancing, the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins, or most widely known as the GENIUS Act. As the first comprehensive federal framework for stablecoins, the GENIUS Act aims to provide regulatory clarity, retain innovation within the U.S., protect consumers and reaffirm the dominance of the U.S. dollar in global finance. This landmark move comes amid a surge in the use of stablecoins, which represent the majority of on-chain transaction volume.

In view of these, we've invited Dipendra Jain, Co-Founder of TCX, as he explains to us the critical importance of the GENIUS Act as well as the value proposition of TCX, an AI powered crypto exchange and its significant relevance to our digital economy.

LinkedIn: Dipendra Jain

Corporate Website: https://www.thecryptoexchange.ai