3388: The Case for Digital IDs in Recruitment, Renting, and Beyond

Aug 17, 2025

Hamraj Gulamali, Head of Legal and Compliance at Zinc and a former barrister, dives into the transformative power of digital identities. He discusses how digital IDs could revolutionize recruitment and renting by making processes faster and more secure. Hamraj highlights the shift of data ownership back to individuals, enabling automation in background checks and compliance. However, he also addresses resistance in certain sectors and the critical role of regulators in building public trust. The future of digital identities could unlock significant changes across industries.

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ANECDOTE

Barrister Turned Startup Compliance Lead

Hamraj moved from being a barrister to startup legal roles after COVID disrupted his path to qualification.
He joined Zinc to build its legal and compliance function and scale automated background checks.

INSIGHT

Automate To Cut Errors And Time

Digital IDs reduce human handling of sensitive documents and lower error risk in background checks.
Centralized verified data enables faster, more accurate automated checks across sources.

ADVICE

Automate Low-Value Verification Tasks

Do automate repetitive ID and credential checks to free staff for strategic work.
Reduce operational costs by replacing manual verification with tech integrations.

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What if proving your right to work, rent, or even open a bank account didn’t require digging out your passport or waiting weeks for manual verification? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I’m joined by Hamraj Gulamali, Head of Legal and Compliance at Zinc, to talk about how digital identities are changing the way we think about employment, data ownership, and trust.

Hamraj brings a unique perspective to the conversation. A barrister-turned-startup leader, he now sits at the centre of one of the UK’s most forward-thinking background check platforms. Zinc’s mission is simple but ambitious: to make employment identity verification faster, safer, and fairer. But as Hamraj points out, this shift isn’t just about convenience. It’s about control.

We discuss how digital IDs are already helping automate background checks, reduce onboarding delays, and improve accuracy in high-volume hiring environments. Hamraj explains why placing ownership of work identity back in the hands of individuals has the potential to unlock wider applications—from renting a home to streamlining banking processes.

But there’s also friction. Some industries face structural and cultural resistance. Others fear the cost of digital transformation or worry about public trust. Hamraj unpacks why regulators have both helped and hindered progress. He shares his view on the UK’s Trust Framework, the Online Safety Act, and why transparency, retention policies, and robust cybersecurity are essential for building public confidence.

As we look ahead, Hamraj offers a clear vision for how verified digital IDs could simplify everyday tasks, slash manual admin, and reduce the compliance burden across multiple sectors. This episode cuts through the noise to offer a calm, informed, and practical take on one of the most overlooked shifts in how we live and work.

Whether you’re in HR, tech, compliance, or just tired of carrying your passport across town on your first day of work, this conversation will get you thinking about what needs to happen next.