Fredrik Rubin – the headbanging suit!

You know how some people can walk into a room, and just in an instant become the centre of everyone’s attention? Finshark’s new Head of Sales, Fredrik Rubin, is just that guy! With 15 years of start-up skills, a star-glazed aura and always cracking a smile, he will guide the commercial forces of Finshark. Subsequently bringing our market-leading products to a much bigger audience.

Oh boy, are we excited to have you on board as Head of Sales?! Can’t you start by telling us about your role at Finshark?

Simply put, I am off to set the strategy for the commercial organization, regarding sales and business development, and to re-shape it by combining my experience with the knowledge within the company. Together we will build the commercial organization on people with a creative, problem-solving mindset and a hunter mentality.

A hunter mentality you say. It sounds both exciting and slightly intimidating. Very sharklike… You will fit right in! Can you tell us anything about what you’re currently working on?

It’s still early and now is all about setting the Finshark puzzle, learning every aspect of the people, culture, and technology.

I understand you just started, but what do you like the most about your new job?

I have been working with sales all my life and there is nothing that beats the feeling when you create a “win-win” situation for both parties in a business dialogue.

Fintech, sales pipelines, conversions and so on can be confusing for most people. If you were to explain to a 5-year-old what you do, what would you say?

I work with the future.

Ok, Dr. Emmet Brown! How about the past? What were you doing before joining Finshark?

After graduating from the University of Lund with a focus on strategic management, I have been working with sales and business development in the tech sector. Started at IBM and went through their trainee program with Global Sales School. After a couple of years at IBM I realized that I wanted to focus on companies in the start-up environment. Since 2010 I have been in the start-up world working with companies that disrupted an industry.

I love to work in small, agile organizations, fast-movers and can adapt to new situations that always occur when you work with the latest technology.

So you’re a true Lundensare! Is that what made you join the team in Lund?

Yes and no. I am very glad that Finshark has the HQ in Lund. We are the only pure open banking company in the south of Sweden and Lund is a great location with Malmö and Copenhagen as neighbours. The city is filled with a lot of great well-educated people and that is good when you work with the latest technology.

Ultimately though, I joined Finshark because we have kickass open banking payment products and I want to be part of the future, not the past.

How do you feel about working in fintech, is it as exciting as they say?

I’ve always been interested in working with the latest technology and something that disrupts an industry. There is a big movement right now within payments. Card or cash is no longer the best payment method. We barely use cash in the Nordics today and cards have looked the same for over 60 years. Cards are not user-friendly, it is expensive, and they will lose more market share every day.

The world of fintech is moving super-fast, and I love it. In three years, our habits to complete a payment will be completely different and the solution that we will use in three years is not created yet.

What’s your ultimate work ambition?

What do you like to do when you’re not busy building the future of finance?

I love my family, friends and sports. I been very active in different sports, and I played soccer at the highest level in Sweden, and I am a happy amateur in golf.

Well, you caught my interest for sure. What teams have you played for? Let me guess, you’re a striker?

I played for SFIK (Skanör-Falsterbo) in the south of Sweden where I grew up. Then I joined Höllvikens GIF and played Pojk- and Juniorallsvenskan, which is the top tier in Sweden at that age. My position was winger, which means that I ran more than anyone else on the field.

We appreciate getting some time with you, in what must be a packed schedule of yours. I for one have learned something from this interview. That long fluffy hair is not just for good looks, it’s also for headbanging! Before you leave – have you got an inspiring quote to enlighten us?