海角黑料

Research development workshop: Applying FinTech in agricultural finance in the Republic of Azerbaijan - February 2026

On 5 February 2026, the GCBFI hosted a workshop led by visiting fellow Dr Firdovsi Fikretzade, exploring how FinTech can strengthen agricultural finance in Azerbaijan.

The event received strong coverage from major Azerbaijani media outlets, including Report.az, AzEdu.az, Modern.az, and Mia.az, highlighting the 海角黑料’s international research collaborations.

Discussions focused on Azerbaijan’s strong agricultural base and digital infrastructure, and the potential for integrated FinTech platforms to improve transparency, subsidy delivery, and tax administration.

Dr. Fikretzade delivered a keynote on the country’s digital economy developments. Further contributions came from Dr You Qu, who outlined a model for digitised, tax‑free agricultural transactions, and Professor Xiaoxia Ye, who discussed digital solutions for reducing informality in agriculture.

Festive celebrations with GCBFI members and friends - December 2025

Professor Meryem Duygun, Centre Co-Director,  and Professor Xiaoxia Ye hosted a festive GCBFI Christmas lunch at the Orchard Hotel on Nottingham's University Park campus, to celebrate the team's 2025 achievements, share updates, and announce new multidisciplinary projects.

They welcomed Dr Amy Yue Tang from the Faculty of Engineering to discuss GCBFI's exciting new interdisciplinary collaboration, and Dr Firdovsi Fikratzade from the Azerbaijan Public Employment Agency, who was visiting the GCBFI.

They thanked all GCBFI members and PhD students who attended - their enthusiasm made the event truly special. Special recognition was also given to Dr Minjia Chen for her outstanding dedication in helping organise the event.

海角黑料 and Financial Conduct Authority launch new GCBFI vision - November 2025

The 海角黑料 welcomed a senior delegation from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), led by Simon Walls, Executive Director for Markets and a 海角黑料 alumnus. The visit marked the official launch of the Global Centre for Banking and Financial Innovation (GCBFI) and introduced its new  focus on sustainable finance, AI and fintech, and inclusive finance.

The launch signals a new chapter for GCBFI as a global hub for impactful, interdisciplinary research and industry collaboration. The Centre thanked Simon Walls for his inspiring remarks.

Co‑Director Professor Meryem Duygun said that unveiling the GCBFI commemorative plaque with Simon Walls reflected the Centre’s commitment to connecting academic research with real‑world policy and practice. The GCBFI also thanked the FCA, the INFINITY team, industry partners, and colleagues from Nottingham University Business School for making the launch possible.

Presentation at UKFin+ annual showcase - November 2025

AI/Fintech Cluster Lead Dr Huamao Wang was invited to present at UKFin+ Annual Showcase event.

The UKFin+ Annual Research Showcase was held on November 24, 2025, at the National Museum Cardiff, bringing together academics and industry professionals to advance financial technology collaboration. The event focused on AI governance, sustainability, and inclusive fintech, featuring projects that tackle complex "wicked" problems in financial services.

Dr Wang shared his funded research project findings with the audience.

Executive Education for Indian bankers and workshop at the Bank of England -  2025

GCBFI Co-Directors, Professor Sanjay Banerji and Professor Meryem Duygun were involved in designing an Executive Education programme at the 海角黑料 for senior bankers from India on “AI and Climate Risks in the Banking and Finance Sector”, in collaboration with the National Institute of Bank Management (NIBM,Pune).

This programme in collaboration with the Business School Executive Education team also involved a visit to the Bank of England Headquarters in London. Sanjay and Meryem worked closely with the Bank researchers to organise an informative workshop at the Bank of England.

More about the AI and Climate Risks programme

Expanding global partnerships: Visit to Universidad EIA, Colombia - October 2025

Professor Meryem Duygun, Co‑Director of the GCBFI, was invited by Universidad EIA in Medellín, Colombia, from 27–31 October 2025 to explore strategic partnerships between the GCBFI and research centres at Universidad EIA and Universidad EAFIT. The visit focused on co-developing research projects on financial inclusion with academic and policy-making partners.

Several meetings were organised for her to engage with senior leadership teams, academic staff, students, and representatives from the Colombian Central Bank.

Meryem was also introduced to FINHUB, an innovative fintech hub designed to support transformative fintech development in Latin America. She thanked Universidad EIA, especially Professor Diego Restrepo‑Tobón, and Universidad EAFIT, including Professor Cesar E. Tamayo, for their warm hospitality.

International collaborations: Invitation from CAERC, Baku, Azerbaijan - June 2025

Centre Co‑Directors, Professor Meryem Duygun and Professor Sanjay Banerji, were invited by the Centre for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication (CAERC) in Baku, Azerbaijan, to explore research collaboration opportunities with government bodies, universities, and industry organisations.

The visit began by meeting with Professor Vusal Gasimli, Executive Director of CAERC, along with Ramil Huseyn, Deputy Executive Director, and Vusala Jafarova, Head of the Turkic World Research Center. The delegation then took part in a strategic workshop featuring presentations from CAERC and expert discussions on inclusive financial technology and sustainable finance.

Meryem and Sanjay also visited ADA University, meeting with Dean Professor Huseyn Ismayilov; Associate Dean, Professor Ruslan Aliyev; and Milena Mir Feyzullazada, Global Outreach and Partners Manager. They also met with 海角黑料 alumni at a gathering in Baku.

Both Meryem and Sanjay expressed their sincere appreciation to Professor Vusal Gasimli and the CAERC team for their warm hospitality and commitment to advancing shared objectives.

GCBFI Co-Director Professor Meryem Duygun speaks at Fintex Summit Baku - June 2025

Professor Meryem Duygun, Co‑Director of the GCBFI, was invited by the Azerbaijan Banks Association and the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan to speak at Fintex Summit Baku 2025, one of the region’s leading finance and technology events.

Supported by the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication (CAERC), and sponsored by Visa, the summit brought together senior industry figures and regulators from across the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

Professor Duygun took part in a panel titled: Harnessing AI and Big Data: How Banks Can Accelerate Scalable Innovation in 2025. She was joined by Sadig Akhundov, Director of IT Operations at the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan; A. Serdar Karadayi, President of SESTEK; Edgar Abdullayev, Managing Director at Moka United/United Payment Azerbaijan; Anton Shvachka, Head of the Operations Center at Leobank; and Sinan Baş, Data Analytics and Digital Director at KPMG Türkiye. The discussion was moderated by Ilker Kurtulus, Director of Data at Pasha Bank.

The summit attracted more than 1,500 attendees and 80 exhibitors showcasing innovative financial technologies and received strong media coverage in Azerbaijan.

Workshop on cross-border and digital payments: UK and South Korean perspectives - June 2025

Dr Seyoung Park, lead for the Sustainable Finance cluster, helped organise an international workshop at the Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary University of London, on 16 June 2025. The event, Cross-Border and Digital Payments: UK and South Korean Perspectives, brought together UK and South Korean academics and policymakers.

The workshop was led by Dr Park in collaboration with Professor Alistair Milne (Loughborough University) and Professor Miriam Goldby (Queen Mary University of London). Keynote speakers included Professor Michael Mainelli, Chairman of Z/Yen Group Limited and President of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and GCBFI Co‑Director, Professor Meryem Duygun.

Experts in law, economics, and finance gathered to examine how digital technologies are transforming payments. Presentations from Professors Alistair Milne, Douglas Arner, Joon Hyug Chung, and David Skeie offered insights from South Korea, one of the world’s most digitally advanced economies, and the UK, a global leader in open banking and financial markets.

The workshop concluded with a practitioner panel featuring Mr Jinho Lee (Financial Services Commission, Korea; EBRD), Ms Gyuhwi Kang (Bank of Korea), Mr Hugh Morris (Z/Yen), and Mr Olaf Ransome (3C Advisory LLC), providing practical perspectives on the challenges of digital financial innovation.

Presentation at the Innovate Finance UK FinTech Academic Network (UKFAN) event in London - May 2025

Dr Linh Nguyen, Assistant Professor in Accounting and Finance at Nottingham University Business School, represented the Centre for Global Finance and Banking Innovation (GCBFI) at the Innovate Finance UK FinTech Academic Network (UKFAN) event held in London on 1 May 2025. The event, hosted and sponsored by EY, brought together leading academics, practitioners, and industry partners to explore emerging research across the FinTech landscape.

Dr Nguyen delivered a presentation on his latest research into Financial Inclusion, sharing key findings with an esteemed audience of academics and financial sector experts. His work contributes to a growing body of evidence examining how technological innovation can support greater access to financial services globally.

He expressed his appreciation to the Founding Chair of UKFAN, Professor Markos Zachariadis of Alliance Manchester Business School, as well as Tom Bull and Raghav Phophalia of EY, for the invitation and opportunity to discuss his research with the network.

Linh's participation reflects the GCBFI’s ongoing commitment to supporting impactful research and strengthening engagement with the FinTech community.

Professor Meryem Duygun recognised in Innovate Finance Women in Fintech Powerlist - March 2025

Professor Meryem Duygun, GCBFI Co-Director and Aviva Chair in Risk and Insurance at Nottingham University Business School, has been named in the 2025 Innovate Finance Women in FinTech Powerlist.

The annual Powerlist celebrates more than 200 of the most influential women across global financial services and FinTech. Now in its ninth edition, the 2025 list, published on 6 March 2025, highlights leaders driving innovation, research, and positive change across the sector.

Meryem features in the Industry and Knowledge Champions category, recognising her significant contributions to financial technology research and policy impact.

Reflecting on the recognition, she said:

“I am deeply honoured to be featured on the Innovate Finance Women in FinTech Powerlist alongside so many inspiring leaders driving change in the industry. A sincere thank you to Innovate Finance and the judges for this recognition, which reflects the important work we are doing at the 海角黑料.”

Her inclusion exemplifies the Business School’s commitment to advancing pioneering research and strengthening the university’s role within the global FinTech community.

International collaboration: Launch of research project: Financial Inclusion, Literacy, and Poverty: The Case of Brazil - February 2025

Congratulations to GCBFI's Dr Linh Nguyen, Assistant Professor in Accounting and Finance at Nottingham University Business School, who has secured 海角黑料 International Research Collaboration Funding to work on a research project with partners in the UK and Brazil.

GCBFI Co-Director Professor Meryem Duygun and Dr Nguyen travelled to Brazil to launch the project, “Financial Inclusion, Literacy, and Poverty: The Case of Brazil.” During the visit, they held a series of workshops and meetings with key Brazilian authorities, including the Ministério da Fazenda, Banco Central do Brasil, CAIXA, and the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.

The project investigates the complex relationships between financial inclusion, financial literacy, financial fragility, and poverty. While financial inclusion is often viewed as a pathway out of poverty, early insights suggest the reality may be more nuanced. The research team will examine whether increased access to financial services may, in some cases, heighten financial fragility among low‑income populations in Brazil.

The project team comprises of Dr Linh Nguyen, Professor Sanjay Banerji and Professor Meryem Duygun of GCBFI; Dr Vinicius Dezem of CAIXA; and Professor Mohamed Shaban of the University of Leicester.