Mikhail Matveev, the Chief Technology & Data Officer at B9, has played an instrumental role in shaping the company's data and technology strategy. With over a decade of experience in business analysis, project management, engineering and data strategy, Mikhail has leveraged his deep expertise to drive B9’s rapid growth in the fintech space. His hands-on leadership approach has been crucial in developing a comprehensive data infrastructure that aligns with B9’s mission of revolutionizing the banking experience in the U.S. cash advance (Earned Wage Access) sector.
Mikhail’s journey into fintech leadership has been marked by significant milestones in data management, technology integration, and project execution. He started his career by developing and overseeing data strategy in a variety of industries, including risk management, operations, and finance, where he honed his skills in building data architecture from the ground up. His ability to design, implement, and govern complex data systems has made him a sought-after expert in fintech.
Prior to joining B9, Mikhail held leadership roles at Cashwagon, a fintech company operating in five South East countries, and Infinto, a Finstar Financial Group project focused on providing financial services to the underserved in Asia. At Cashwagon, Mikhail was responsible for building a comprehensive data warehouse and implementing company-wide reporting systems that supported various functions like risk management and sales. He introduced real-time reporting and data quality management processes, ensuring that the company could make effective, data-driven decisions.
These roles highlighted the importance of building scalable, secure data infrastructure and agile technology strategies to serve underbanked populations effectively.
Mikhail’s early career was not without challenges. When reflecting on his growth, he recalls the difficulty of rapidly adapting to emerging technologies while managing the day-to-day demands of a fast-paced business environment. In his earlier roles, he had to learn to balance operational efficiency with the adoption of new tools and systems, ensuring that his teams could continue to deliver while integrating cutting-edge technologies.
One of his significant challenges was managing the sheer volume of data generated by the companies he worked with, particularly in terms of finding meaningful and actionable insights. However, Mikhail's deep technical expertise and leadership acumen allowed him to navigate these complexities and deliver transformative data solutions that aligned with business goals.
At B9, these skills have been further tested and refined, particularly as the company continues to scale its operations and offer increasingly sophisticated financial services. Under his leadership, B9 has implemented systems that provide real-time financial offers to customers, enhancing user experience and delivering tangible business outcomes.
B9 has established itself as a leader in the U.S. fintech sector, specializing in revolutionizing cash advance services through Earned Wage Access. As Chief Technology & Data Officer, Mikhail Matveev is at the helm of B9’s data strategy, ensuring that the company remains a leader in providing secure, user-friendly financial services.
In 2024, B9 launched its groundbreaking face recognition AI algorithm, a major step forward in fintech security. This AI-powered solution detects, recognizes, and analyzes human faces in images, ensuring that user identities are accurately verified during transactions. Mikhail explains, “Using this newest evolution of face recognition technology, we can more accurately verify identities, ensuring secure access to B9 accounts and transactions on our mobile app.”
The system also features "liveness" detection, which confirms that the facial image originates from a real person, enhancing fraud prevention. This advanced technology has significantly improved B9's KYC (Know Your Customer) processes, helping the company reduce costs while improving security. As Mikhail highlights, “Our addition of the latest AI algorithms to an already established technology improves fraud detection accuracy and operational efficiency within the fintech industry.”
Under Mikhail’s leadership, B9 has integrated various advanced technologies to enhance the user experience while maintaining top-tier security. In addition to the AI-powered face recognition system, B9 has introduced real-time device verification, enabling proactive identification of security threats. This combination of advanced technology and robust data architecture has positioned B9 as a trusted provider of personalized financial solutions.
Mikhail's extensive experience in data integration has been key to developing a system that calculates individual financial offers in real time, offering users tailored solutions based on their unique financial profiles. This level of personalization, combined with AI-driven fraud prevention, sets B9 apart in the fintech landscape. As Mikhail notes, “Our goal at B9 is to democratize financial access through technology, ensuring that everyone has the tools to achieve financial stability.”
Looking to the future, Mikhail envisions B9 continuing to enhance its fintech offerings, adapting to the evolving needs of its customer base. The company plans to focus on providing secure, efficient, and personalized financial solutions that cater to a wide range of users. As fintech continues to grow, so does the importance of security, and B9 is committed to leveraging cutting-edge technologies to safeguard customer data and assets.
Beyond security, B9 aims to expand its offerings in the realm of earned wage access and other financial services, ensuring that the platform remains flexible and user-friendly. Mikhail’s vision includes refining B9’s services to deliver faster, more personalized financial tools that help users achieve their financial goals. The company's future growth will be driven by its continued investment in data and technology infrastructure, positioning B9 as a leader in the fintech industry.
Mikhail's data-driven approach ensures that B9 stays ahead of industry trends, continually refining its solutions to meet new challenges and opportunities. This forward-thinking strategy will enable B9 to provide even more value to its customers while maintaining its position as a fintech innovator.
For emerging leaders in the fintech space, Mikhail stresses the importance of developing both technical expertise and business acumen. He believes that successful leaders in data and technology must possess a strong understanding of data architecture, analytics, and integration, while also being able to align these technical solutions with broader business objectives.
Mikhail advises future leaders to stay adaptable, continuously refining their skills as technology evolves. “Data analytics leaders should not only have deep technical expertise but also the strategic vision to leverage data to drive business outcomes,” he says. His own journey is a testament to the power of combining technical excellence with effective leadership, driving both innovation and operational success in the fintech space.
Mikhail Matveev’s leadership at B9 showcases the impact of aligning data strategy with business growth, highlighting the potential for data-driven innovation to revolutionize fintech services. His experience and vision position B9 to remain at the cutting edge of the industry for years to come.