Rethinking Financial Inclusion with Alessandro Hatami

About this episode

Alessandro Hatami discusses the economic opportunities of financial inclusion and the barriers faced by the underbanked.

Inclusion isn't just a moral imperative; it's a huge economic opportunity. Alessandro Hatami from Pacemakers.io joins the hot seat to discuss how a large portion of the population remains outside the financial system despite advances in technology. Alessandro highlights how providers can gain new customers and fuel growth by removing outdated barriers and more actively serving the underbanked. Key Takeaways. [:01] Denise Johansson puts Alessandro Hatami, fintech advisor, thought leader, founder of Pacemakers.io, and co-author of the book Inclusive Finance, in the hot seat . [2:27] Why Alessandro chose to delve into the field of financial exclusion. [3:27] The three dimensions of ending financial exclusion: social, economic growth, and revenue. [4:56] While moral imperatives drive most individuals, corporations are moved by other factors entirely. [6:19] Who are the financially excluded? Alessandro breaks down the two large aspects of who is being kept at a distance and why. [8:00] Legacy issues remain the largest barrier to financial exclusion; Alessandro explains why. [9:31] Unbanked and underbanked are two categories of people dealing with unique sets of exclusionary issues…

People in this episode

Host: Denise Johansson

Guest: Alessandro Hatami

Topics covered

• financial inclusion
• economic opportunity
• underbanked
• financial exclusion
• technology
• social impact

Keywords

• financial inclusion
• underbanked
• economic growth
• legacy issues
• M-PESA
• New Bank Brazil
• HSBC
• government initiatives

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Pacemakers.io, New Bank Brazil, HSBC, M-PESA

Places: Kenya, Tanzania

More episodes of In the Hot Seat

• Loyalty Reimagined with Starling Bank: Closing the Gap Between Payments and Customer Experience · April 9, 2026 · 23 min
• Embedded Finance, The Real Impact: How Embedded Finance is Redefining Financial Services From The Inside Out · December 18, 2025 · 24 min
• Charged Up: How Octopus Electroverse is Powering the EV Revolution · October 16, 2025 · 27 min
• Mobility Unlocked with Shuttel: How We'll Work, Move, and Live in the Future · August 14, 2025 · 21 min
• Beyond Resilience: What it Really Takes to Build, Lead, and Last · July 24, 2025 · 29 min
• The Winning Perspective for Business from an Olympic Perspective · June 11, 2025 · 34 min