Zvonimir Filjak

Foresight Analytics releases its latest thematic research paper on - "Private Credit Megatrends - A Review of the Australian SME Lending Landscape." Here is a short overview of the same: SME lending – Supply and demand imbalance causing funding gap for non-bank lenders ▪ Australian banks have largely retreated from all types of lending bar residential mortgages due, in large part, to Basel III and risk-weighted asset impositions, leading to reduced supply from ADIs. ▪ To fill the void, a host of SME lending originators have emerged, many providing niche lending options with tech-enabled processes and non-traditional funding sources. ▪ Traditional mortgage brokers and originators have been diversifying their business models in record numbers, providing origination services in an increasingly multifaceted SME lending environment and thus expanding the whole SME lending ecosystem ex-ADIs. Notable growth runway for SME private credit lenders ▪ SME lending volumes continue to grow at a solid clip, notwithstanding sectoral idiosyncratic issues and macro headwinds. The mismatch of demand over supply is substantial, providing plenty of opportunities for SME lenders that have scalable deal sourcing and quality-focused underwriting. ▪ The non-bank SME lending segment is but a drop in the ocean, spelling strong growth opportunities moving forward given various tailwinds. Divergent lending structures for investors offer varying risk-reward propositions, but a focus on investment structure is key ▪ There are two very different ways to access the SME private debt sector: direct lending to medium enterprises or SME lending warehouse vehicles. We believe the emergence of divergent lending and funding models reflects the growing sophistication and scale of non-bank lenders. However, the risk-reward emanating from these are not homogenous. We believe warehouse-based SME funds will become an increasingly important source of funds for third-party SME originators. ▪ Warehouse structures remain our preferred exposure to the SME lending sector for a number of reasons that we explore in detail later in the report. Click below to read the entire article. https://lnkd.in/d8Sq5cWg Reach out to us on [email protected] if you have questions or comments. Jay Kumar Simon Ibbetson Shruti Ghosh Srimanti Bagchi #megatrends #privatecredit #thematicresearch #marketresearch #investmentadvisory #globalassetmarket #investmentstrategies

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A brilliant piece of thought leadership that hits home the fundamentals of #ResponsibleAI. Articles such as these epitomise the criticality of underpinning responsible AI practices as a fulcrum for any business aspiring to derive the full benefits of artificial intelligence. One of which entails the development of a responsible AI toolkit that provides a robust foundation for #trust-building practices. PwC's proprietary Responsible AI Toolkit has been @PwC South East Asia Consulting's source of truth as part of our engagements with clients and the business world on identifying and implementing strategies to drive AI-led digital transformation. This resource - which canvassed the views of global AI leaders - echo the clarion call for: 💡Building the AI foundation 💡Driving accountability 💡Putting principles to work for privacy, safety, and bias mitigation 💡Designing for trust While organisations are undoubtedly feeling the pressure not to be laggards in the AI race, doing so without proper guardrails in place can ultimately slow them down - or worse - result in significant societal harm. It is imperative for all stakeholders to instil a responsible-AI culture that can serve as a springboard for sustainable success. Get more insights from this article: https://lnkd.in/g68U6bgW #SustainedOutcomes #DigitalTransformation #SEAC #SGConsulting Marcus Lam | Kok Weng SAM | Patrick Yeo | Simon Gealy | Winston Nesfield | Andrew Taggart | Eugene Macey | Richard Chong | Veronica R. Bartolome | Shahrin Ismail | Vilaiporn Taweelappontong | Johnathan Ooi | Martijn Peeters 

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For your tech encyclopedia: agentic AI Artificial intelligence with some level of autonomy to execute specific goals. According to Andrew Ng agentic is "an umbrella term encompassing tech that wasn’t strictly an agent but that had agent-like qualities". More here 👇 https://lnkd.in/eW6TwXqY?

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In breaking news, smaller consultancies are responding to cheap AI offerings from the big end of town by offering "human based services to clients". Source: The Australian 6th January 2025.

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"Standard for AI transparency statements - Supporting the policy for responsible use of AI in government", published now in September 2024 by Digital Transformation Agency (Australian Government). 👇 This document outlines the Digital Transformation Agency's (DTA) policy requiring Australian Government agencies to publish #AI transparency statements. It provides a standardized format and expectations for these statements, aiming to enhance public trust and facilitate understanding of #AI adoption. The report emphasizes consistency in how agencies communicate their #AI usage. Link: https://lnkd.in/dMnq8W_y #ailaw #machinelearning #deeplearning #artificialera #web3 #web4 #web5 #fintech #digitalera #digitaltransformation #generativeAI #trustworthyAI #explainableAI #aiethics #artificialintelligence #explainableAI #responsibleAI #foundationmodels #GPAI #GAI #LLMs #NLPs #GenAI #frontierAI #narrowAI #AGI #ethicalAI #adversarialAI

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💥Debt Restructuring and the Role of Spartan Finance: The Current Banking Landscape Mainstream banks in New Zealand are increasingly becoming more conservative in their SME lending practices. This trend is characterized by: Limited Flexibility: Traditional banks often have rigid criteria and are slow to respond to business needs, making it difficult for companies to adapt quickly to changing circumstances. Property-Centric Collateral Requirements: Banks typically insist on property securities, preferring tangible assets like real estate over business assets. This can be limiting for businesses that don't have significant property holdings but possess valuable non-property assets. Slow Decision-Making: The lengthy approval processes and conservative risk assessments lead to delays, which can be detrimental to business operations and cash flow management. 👉 How Spartan Finance Can Help: As a Commercial Asset Finance broker house, Spartan Finance offers a range of solutions that cater to businesses looking to restructure their debt with more favorable terms: Diverse Lending Options: Spartan Finance works with a variety of Tier 1, 2, and 3 lenders in both New Zealand and Australia. This broad network allows for more tailored financial solutions that fit the specific needs of businesses. Improved Cash Flow: By restructuring debt, providing additional equity releases, and potentially extending terms, Spartan Finance can help improve your business’s cash flow, enabling you to reinvest in growth opportunities or manage expenses more effectively. Asset-Based Lending: Unlike traditional banks, Spartan Finance can leverage Business Assets as collateral, providing more flexible and accessible financing options WITHOUT the need for property security. Efficient Process: The firm prides itself on offering a one-stop-shop experience, facilitating a more streamlined and timely response to your financing needs, reducing the burden of navigating complex banking procedures. ➡️ Key Benefits of Partnering with Spartan Finance: - No Property Security Required - Customized Tailormade Solutions - Professional Expertise: The team at Spartan Finance has extensive experience in the financial sector, ensuring that you receive informed options and effective solutions. Conclusion: If your current Bank is causing difficulties and you're seeking a more flexible and responsive approach to managing your debt, consider reaching out to Spartan Finance. We provide comprehensive debt restructuring services that can help enhance your cash flow and secure financing without the need for property-based security. For more information, contact Spartan Finance today and explore how we can assist in transforming your financial strategy for better business outcomes. If you have any specific questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask! 📞0800 SPARTAN or online here www.spartanfinance.co.nz

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We’re proud to be launching consultation today on potential next generation digital payments infrastructure. Next generation digital payments could represent a step change for Aotearoa New Zealand, offering potential for safer and more resilient payments, data-rich user experiences, and fast, secure and innovative ways to send and receive money. We’ve developed a well-researched view on what a future payments system could look like for Aotearoa, which we have published today in our Consultation on payments for the next generation. Over the coming months we’ll be seeking views and perspectives from across the wider payments industry, as well as government, regulators and interested New Zealanders.  This public consultation will make sure we’re on common ground with our suggested design for a future payments ecosystem for Aotearoa, and help us to confirm priorities and preferences before moving forward. We’d like to acknowledge insights and support so far from industry, as well as the work of our next generation team, in reaching this milestone. Read our announcement at the link below - including further information and links to the full consultation paper and feedback tools.      https://lnkd.in/gGpt2NTQ    #PaymentsNZ #FuturePayments 

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Flutter is primed to seize even more global market share in the short-term, including in Brazil where Macquarie Group predicts it could grow its current share of 10% by 150% in the next 5 years. 📟 Senior gaming analyst Chad Beynon said Flutter's Brazil growth will be bolstered by its in-house Flutter Edge technology stack 🌎 Globally, it is expected to reach a ~20% market share by 2030 🇧🇷 Flutter's Brazil arm, which includes NSX Group, has a current estimated worth of approximately $1.3 billion according to Macquarie estimates.

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Financial Advice New Zealand acknowledges and welcomes the Financial Advice Provider Monitoring Insights report released by the Financial Markets Authority today. To echo the findings in the Financial Markets Authority report, there is a diverse range of financial advice businesses, delivery styles, and scope of advice, providing consumers with positive choice when seeking financial advice to help them achieve their financial future aspirations. “Great advice business, at their core, deliver great client experiences and we see that across the industry” says Nick Hakes. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gnMvBWFU

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One common question we get is: "Why are my client’s credit report numbers different from the lender's?" This often happens because credit reporting agencies in Australia like Equifax, Experian, and illion offer various reports, each with unique scoring models. 💡 Tip: Always confirm with the lender which specific report they use to ensure you’re reviewing the same data! 🔑 Key Takeaways: Understand the different credit scoring models (e.g., Equifax Apply One, Comprehensive, and Negative Scores). Regularly monitor credit reports to catch discrepancies early. Educate clients about how their credit scores are calculated and ways to improve them. For more insights, visit our website and check out our Credit Report Essentials Guide: https://lnkd.in/g7eW5j8 #CreditHealth #CreditScores #CreditRepair #FinancialTips #CreditFixSolutions Victoria Coster FCES, Zarko Jokic

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How to write better prompts Part 2 - Context, Context, Context! At Intelligence Prompted https://lnkd.in/g2hvb-tF we'll identify your #usecases and #train your staff to use #AI to maximise productivity and output. #aicontent #ai #aitraining #aicopywriting #aidesign #aicontentcreation #aichatbots #aicontent #ai #aitraining #aicopywriting #aidesign #aicontentcreation #aichatbots #aiapplications #usingai #aiagents #agents #chatbots #chatgpt #generativeai #genai Simon Wooldridge Rita Arrigo

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Australia has new national frameworks for managing AI risk, where the challenge is to strike the right balance between AI opportunity and maintain stakeholder trust. CTO Labs Mike Mengell (CTO) in his latest piece shares thoughts for investors and tech leaders, including starter questions to explore AI risk and governance within portfolio companies, and a downloadable resource for tech leaders to help operationalise AI risk management. Key points: 🔎 Australia has introduced a Voluntary AI Safety Standard and proposed mandatory guardrails for high-risk AI settings 🔎 The frameworks aim to ensure responsible AI adoption, focusing on testing, transparency, and accountability 🔎 For investors: use targeted questions to assess AI governance in portfolio companies - we offer a starting point 🔎 For tech leaders: Download our working tool to help translate help guidelines into actionable tasks correlated with NIST. Working with the national standards enhances governance and also positions businesses within responsible AI implementation in this country, something that is likely to become increasingly important. We'll include a link to the full piece in comments below. #ctolabs #AI #AIGovernance #Risk

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🎙️ The Weekly Update on The Growth Cartel: Exploring Major Fundraising Successes and #AI Job Growth in Australia! 🚀 Join 💼🧚‍♂️ Vinisha Rathod, Brandon Burns and me for an update on some of the most exciting developments in the tech landscape: 🖥 AI Job Boom: With #AI jobs rising in Australia, we discuss the "buy, borrow, build" model companies can adopt to meet this growing demand. 🍽 Culinary Innovation: ReciMe, a Melbourne-born and New York-based cooking app, has raised $1.5 million with backing from ex-Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer. 🙏 Supporting Accessibility: Caresquare in Sydney has secured $300,000, highlighting the role of tech in enhancing disability plan management. 🔐 Tech Advancements: Redactive AI from Melbourne nailed a $11.5 million seed round to develop permission dev tools tailored to enterprises. 💯 Ethical Research: Brisbane's Gelomics is making waves with a $2.2 million raise for pioneering animal-free pharmaceutical research. 🔗 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gcabveEr 🔗 Apple: https://lnkd.in/g3zKthPx Thanks to our sponsors: Patona, 4Phase Consulting and p3 studio - people, partnerships, purpose #AI #Startups #Fundraising #TechInnovation #TheGrowthCartel

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