PHILIP G. HICKEY B.A.I. M.A.I. M.A. C. Dip. A.F.
Philip is a leading expert in Fintech Innovation and Entrepreneurship and lectures as an associate faculty member at the Dublin Business School, Dublin, Ireland. He has over 30 years entrepreneurial experience in originating, founding, developing and running high growth companies in the Alternative Finance and FinTech sectors. A pioneer in the development of alternative and non-bank finance in Ireland since the early 1990s and a leading FinTech expert in alternative and non-bank finance for SMEs, he has extensive expertise in leading and managing start-ups. Currently involved in start-up projects in the payments, credit and edtech spaces, Philip works with entrepreneurs and concept originators to help them realize their business ambitions and establish sustainable, profitable businesses.
Philip developed a number of innovative working capital solutions while working as a senior corporate banking manager and in 1994 he co-founded Financial Tradeline Limited (“FTL”), the first significant alt-fin provider for SMEs in the Irish Market. Over a ten year period FTL went on the fund almost €500m of trade finance for medium to large Irish companies, enabling them to secure favourable arrangements with key suppliers and undertake and sustain significant domestic and international growth. The success of FTL was built on the highly innovative working capital product developed by Philip as well as the ethical and inclusive philosophy which Philip permeated through all interactions between FTL and its clients.
Cognisant of the nascent development in fintech markets in the mid 2000s and the opportunities for disintermediation in the SME funding sector, Philip originated the concept and developed the business model for an online invoice trading platform enabling companies with high quality receivables to auction their invoices to a community of sophisticated investors seeking to obtain enhanced yields on low risk short term assets. This unique approach provided a win-win scenario for both investors and companies. Despite the aftermath of the Great financial Crisis of 2008 on the Irish economy, Philip pursued the establishment of such a trading platform and this led to him being the concept originator and co-founder of InvoiceFair in 2014. InvoiceFair was acclaimed “Most Disruptive Fintech” in the Deloitte 'Innovation in Financial Services Awards' in 2019.
Philip is passionate about assisting start-ups to evolve their business model and to move leanly and rapidly from their early stage raw business concept to the “up-and-running” revenue generating phase. He now works primarily with fintech and edtech entrepreneurs in Ireland and internationally to achieve their business success and is always willing to discuss opportunities with concept originators and entrepreneurs. Underlying all of his work is a core belief in business ethics, BUSINESS WITH SOUL™, and the need to ensure that good governance and corporate ethics are woven in to the very fabric of a business from its inception.
Philip is a leading expert in Fintech Innovation and Entrepreneurship and lectures as an associate faculty member at the Dublin Business School, Dublin, Ireland. He has over 30 years entrepreneurial experience in originating, founding, developing and running high growth companies in the Alternative Finance and FinTech sectors. A pioneer in the development of alternative and non-bank finance in Ireland since the early 1990s and a leading FinTech expert in alternative and non-bank finance for SMEs, he has extensive expertise in leading and managing start-ups. Currently involved in start-up projects in the payments, credit and edtech spaces, Philip works with entrepreneurs and concept originators to help them realize their business ambitions and establish sustainable, profitable businesses.
Philip developed a number of innovative working capital solutions while working as a senior corporate banking manager and in 1994 he co-founded Financial Tradeline Limited (“FTL”), the first significant alt-fin provider for SMEs in the Irish Market. Over a ten year period FTL went on the fund almost €500m of trade finance for medium to large Irish companies, enabling them to secure favourable arrangements with key suppliers and undertake and sustain significant domestic and international growth. The success of FTL was built on the highly innovative working capital product developed by Philip as well as the ethical and inclusive philosophy which Philip permeated through all interactions between FTL and its clients.
Cognisant of the nascent development in fintech markets in the mid 2000s and the opportunities for disintermediation in the SME funding sector, Philip originated the concept and developed the business model for an online invoice trading platform enabling companies with high quality receivables to auction their invoices to a community of sophisticated investors seeking to obtain enhanced yields on low risk short term assets. This unique approach provided a win-win scenario for both investors and companies. Despite the aftermath of the Great financial Crisis of 2008 on the Irish economy, Philip pursued the establishment of such a trading platform and this led to him being the concept originator and co-founder of InvoiceFair in 2014. InvoiceFair was acclaimed “Most Disruptive Fintech” in the Deloitte 'Innovation in Financial Services Awards' in 2019.
Philip is passionate about assisting start-ups to evolve their business model and to move leanly and rapidly from their early stage raw business concept to the “up-and-running” revenue generating phase. He now works primarily with fintech and edtech entrepreneurs in Ireland and internationally to achieve their business success and is always willing to discuss opportunities with concept originators and entrepreneurs. Underlying all of his work is a core belief in business ethics, BUSINESS WITH SOUL™, and the need to ensure that good governance and corporate ethics are woven in to the very fabric of a business from its inception.