This week's Fintech Focus podcast takes us across the pond to interview Frederic Nze of digital micro-lending platform Oakam.

Oakam is a digital micro-lender that is expanding credit access for the UK’s 12 million financially-excluded consumers. Oakam has captured the opportunity presented by the rapid democratization of smartphone technology to disrupt micro-lending by making borrowing more affordable and accessible for the working class. Prior to founding Oakam, Frederic spent his career in credit risk management and consumer finance at firms including American Express, Barclays and GE Capital. He first came across the UK’s micro-lending opportunity while working on a pilot project at Barclays to evaluate product offerings for lower-income customers, and realizing the potential of this market, decided to found Oakam in 2006\. Raised in Central Africa, Frederic saw firsthand how informal community lending helped to jumpstart entrepreneurs and fledgling businesses. With global ambitions for Oakam, Frederic’s ultimate goal is to bring the concept back to the developing world. (via Crunchbase)

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**Links:**

Oakam: [https://www.oakam.com/](https://www.oakam.com/)

Benzinga Fintech Focus Newsletter: [https://www.benzinga.com/fintech-focus/newsletter/](https://www.benzinga.com/fintech-focus/newsletter/)

Benzinga Pro: [http://try.benzingapro.com/](http://try.benzingapro.com/)