Welsh Fintech leader travels to Ukraine to deliver aid
Welsh Fintech leader travels to Ukraine to deliver aid
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Sarah Williams Gardner wears many hats in the fintech world. As chair of Fintech Wales, a fintech founder, investor, and advisor, her professional life revolves around innovation and disruption in finance. But recently, she embarked on a very different mission—one that combined her passions for doing good and mentoring the next generation.
“I joined an organisation called Driving Ukraine. We were their 47th convoy, and they have now taken 250 pre-loved vehicles for a second life serving as emergency evacuation vehicles on the frontline in Ukraine,” she explained. The convoy travelled 1,300 miles over three days through nine countries, delivering the vehicles to Lviv, where they were refurbished by injured servicemen and sent to support the ongoing war effort.
For Gardner, the experience was both moving and enlightening. She highlighted the resilience and capability of the young people who joined the trip, including several students from Cathedral School and one about to start at Cardiff University. “These types of activities help individuals to develop competencies and skills which are needed later in life and, more to the point, in the workplace,” she said..
Williams Gardner also used the opportunity to promote Wales’ fintech sector to the next generation. “They had no idea [what sector they wanted to go into], they thought they’d have to leave Wales. It was a great opportunity to be able to say to them, look, let me tell you about the fintech sector in Wales,” she said.
She shared examples of innovation that illustrate Wales’ growing global influence in financial technology like Burbank, who developed online confirmation-of-payee technology, reducing fraud by verifying card ownership during online purchases, Credus, a leading digital identity verification provider, launched its first digital wallet in Singapore and London, improving identity verification in property transactions and reducing errors and Starling Bank, a Cardiff-based digital bank, became the first UK bank to integrate AI tools directly into customer-facing applications, putting advanced technology in the hands of everyday users.
Williams Gardner highlighted how initiatives like Driving Ukraine offer a unique platform to connect her passions for fintech, mentoring and social impact. “When you’re driving for a long time, it’s a great opportunity to share all of those things. FinTech Wales is objective, and something I’m unbelievably passionate about is being globally recognised for the excellence we have in Wales,” she said.
Reflecting on her experience in Lviv, she was impressed by the city’s resilience despite the conflict. “We were welcomed by the mayor of Lviv, the teams we saw there on the ground were amazingly resilient. Life in Lviv continues.”
Above all, Williams Gardner sees a clear link between doing good and building talent: inspiring young people, showcasing Welsh fintech innovation, and fostering skills that will shape future leaders.
“There’s life outside London. There’s a thriving fintech ecosystem in Cardiff. this is an enormous opportunity to promote Wales, promote fintech, and encourage Welsh talent to stay in Wales,” she said.
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