Chris Skinner

Chris Skinner is best known as an independent commentator on the financial markets through his blog the Finanser. Here he regularly discusses key issues and opportunities in banking and financial services, summarizing research, white papers, and other analyses that are topical for the day.

When he’s not traveling and delivering keynote speeches, Chris chairs the Financial Services Club, which he founded in 2004. The Financial Services Club is a network for financial professionals, and focuses on the future of financial services through the delivery of high-quality and in-depth research, analysis, commentary, and debate. The Club has regular meetings in London, Edinburgh, Dublin, and Vienna, providing a critically independent platform for practitioners, regulators, and industry leaders to meet, network, and discuss the future of the industry. Chris is also Chief Executive of Balatro Ltd, and a co-founder of the website Shaping Tomorrow. He has served as a judge with the Card Awards and the Asian Banker's Retail Excellence Awards, and has been a contributor to the World Economic Forum.

He is the author of several books including "The Future of Banking", "The Future of Finance after SEPA", and "The Future of Investing after MiFID"; and regularly appears on news media including the BBC, Sky, Bloomberg, and print media such as the Banker with his informed views. Chris is known for his regular speaking and keynote presentations at leading industry forums. Through these keynotes, he has presented alongside many other leading world figures including Gary Hamel, Michael Porter, Richard Branson, Lou Gerstner, Meg Whitman, and Bill Gates.

Prior to founding Balatro, Chris was Vice President of Marketing and Strategy for Unisys Global Financial Services and Strategy Director with NCR Financial Services. These roles sparked Chris’s specialization in the future of financial services after he created the Global Future Forum in Unisys and the Knowledge Lab in NCR. He studied at Loughborough University in the UK, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Management Sciences alongside a Diploma in Industrial Studies. He is a Fellow of the British Computer Society, a Fellow of the Institute of Management Services, an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute, and a Chartered Insurance Practitioner.