Our expert host David Brear is joined by some great guests in the first of our two part special, 'How to Buy a Bank'.

We have already seen headlines on both sides of the pond this year; in the UK, Nationwide have bid £2.9 billion to take over Virgin Money, while in the US, Capital One hope to acquire Discover in a deal worth over $35 billion.

Fintech funding may be going down, but big money M&A is here to stay. So in this episode, we want to take a closer look at why and how banks do it.

What reasons do banks have to buy or sell?

What’s the process, and how long does it take?

And after all is said and done, how does this impact the customer?

To have this conversation I am joined by an amazing panel of experts, who have themselves been through a merger or reported on them!

This week's guests include:

• Polo Rocha, Reporter at American Banker
• Virginia Varela, community bank CEO and former federal regulator

Highlights from this episode:

• Why do banks buy banks? (06:10)
• A different type of M&A dynamic (14:10)
• Bank partnerships is like dating... is this marriage material? (20:20)
• Dealing with two sets of parents (26:50)
• Do banks lose purpose and focus with M&A (30:15)
• How to protect the consumer from a merger (35:00)
• When M&A goes wrong (40:40)
• Measuring the success of a merger (46:00)

Integrating tech, combining cultures, streamlining products - acquisitions have plenty of moving parts but here at 11:FS, we've got the in-house expertise to help make that process as smooth as possible. Whether you're laying the foundations for a big move or trying to break free of ongoing legacy tech issues, 11:FS Ventures is here to help. Get in touch at 11fs.com/ventures and let's chat.

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Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast dedicated to all things finance, banking, technology, and financial services. 

Our expert hosts, with real industry experience, are joined by the biggest decision-makers, VCs, and reporters from across financial services including guests from Visa, Nubank, M-Pesa, Starling, and JP Morgan Chase to discuss the latest news, developments, and trends within the industry.

Our weekly news show drops every Monday and tackles the biggest news stories, from acquisitions and launches, to regulatory changes and innovation. Then, every Friday our Insights show dives deeper into the hottest topics shaping the industry like web3 and BNPL.

Whether you’re already immersed in the world of financial services, or just keen to learn more, this is the #1 podcast for you.

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