Forging FinTech Futures
4 July 2025
The School of Business at Monash University Malaysia has formalised a strategic partnership with the FinTech Association of Malaysia (FAOM) through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This collaboration marks a significant step forward in advancing Malaysia’s fintech landscape through industry-aligned initiatives in education, research, and innovation.
The MoU was signed by Professor Nafis Alam, Head of School, and Professor (Practice) Andreas Deppeler, Director of the FinTech Lab at Monash University Malaysia. Representing the association were its President, Mr Anil Gill, and Committee Member Mr Izwan Zakaria.
Established in 2016, FAOM is a key industry body that represents Malaysia’s fintech community. It serves as a platform to support and grow the local fintech ecosystem by facilitating engagement between stakeholders from the public and private sectors, including regulators, startups, financial institutions, and academia.
The newly formalised partnership outlines a broad scope of collaboration. Both parties will work together to organise industry-focused events such as seminars, webinars, workshops, and roundtables exploring current fintech developments. Opportunities for joint research will also be explored, particularly in areas aligned with the FinTech Lab’s key themes, including financial inclusion, regulatory technology, and digital innovation.
In addition, the partnership will support the co-creation of digital content and other publications, contributing to policy discussions and thought leadership in the fintech space for members and partners of FAOM. Plans are also underway to host policy-driven forums that connect academia, industry, and government stakeholders.
Speaking at the signing, Professor Nafis Alam emphasised the value of establishing purpose-driven “Impact Labs” at Monash. He added that the FinTech Impact Lab at the Malaysian campus represents an exciting opportunity to explore not just the finance dimension, but also the technological underpinnings of the fintech sector. “This collaboration gives us a platform to drive talent development, thought leadership, and innovation that matters,” he said.
Echoing this sentiment, Mr Anil Gill shared that FAOM’s regional alliance, which comprises over 40 fintech organisations across ASEAN, will provide additional avenues for collaboration through shared resources and wider industry reach.
Professor Andreas Deppeler, who oversees the FinTech Lab, highlighted his hopes for the partnership. “We’re looking to create real impact within the fintech ecosystem, whether through student internships, research into the influence of AI on digital finance, or broader engagement with the entrepreneurial community.”
Through this partnership, Monash University Malaysia and FAOM aim to co-create initiatives that shape the future of fintech education, innovation, and policy in the region. The collaboration reflects a shared vision of building a more inclusive and technology-driven financial ecosystem.
