O TYM ODCINKU
Fintech is changing again. This time, AI is accelerating what is possible, but technology only matters if it solves a real customer problem.
In this episode of From Code to C-Suite, Liam sits down with Chris Hartley, Chief Product and Operating Officer at Kasheesh, to discuss more than 25 years in fintech, the evolution of product leadership, and how AI could reshape payments and financial decision-making.
Chris began his career on the front lines of a credit union before moving into fintech and spending more than a decade across eBay and PayPal. Today, he is helping build Kasheesh, a fintech platform that enables consumers to split purchases across multiple debit and credit cards, giving them more flexibility over cash flow and credit utilisation.
Throughout the conversation, Chris shares why staying close to the customer has shaped his entire approach to product, what he learned from building financial products at scale, and why product readiness and launch readiness are two very different things.
He also explores what happens as AI agents begin making purchasing decisions on behalf of consumers, the new problems that creates when transactions go wrong, and why product teams need to think beyond automation to trust, control and the overall customer experience.
In this episode, we cover:
• Chris’s journey through more than 25 years in fintech
• Building financial products at Fiserv, eBay and PayPal
• Why staying close to the customer matters at every stage of your career
• The difference between product readiness and launch readiness
• What a failed PayPal experiment taught Chris about testing and iteration
• Moving from individual performance to becoming a multiplier as a leader
• Why customer empathy matters when building financial products
• How AI agents could change payments and purchasing decisions
• What happens when an AI-controlled transaction goes wrong
• Why technology should always be tied to a real customer problem
• Building teams that are confident enough to make decisions and learn from mistakes
AI will change how financial products are built and used. The challenge is making sure the customer remains at the centre of every decision.
