FNB hosts first ‘codefest’

Last week FNB hosted its first codeFest where IT experts from across the bank had 24 hours to build a solution that will improve the financial services and overall banking experience of customers.

Last week, ‚ÄòTeam Switch’ from FNB Merchant Services won first prize at the inaugural FNB codeFest, held at the Fairlands Campus. In a non-stop 24 hour coding marathon, IT experts from across the bank collaborated to build solutions that will improve the financial services and overall banking experience of customers.

The winning team’s innovation involved customers using virtual credit cards to make payment through secure online facilities. 150 FNB computer programmers and software engineers took part in the event, which carried the theme, ‚ÄòCollaborate, Create and Innovate’.

The event focused on IT solutions as part of the already world class FNB innovators programme. “Congratulations to the winning team for creating the FNB Virtual Credit Card. This event demonstrated true collaboration across our IT community who created new IT solutions that will benefit our customers. Real impact doesn¬¥t happen in isolation, but requires action, teamwork and truly innovative ideas and it’s great to see this happening through the FNB codeFest, says Mohammed Hassem, FNB Chief Information Officer.

Differentiated by accolades of innovation, FNB has been instrumental in creating and developing game-changing technologies that have changed the way banking has been done. “FNB has been involved in driving innovation within the banking industry in South Africa and Africa. This drive towards excellence in innovation also stems from our ongoing commitment to skills and infrastructure development within the IT industry,” explains Hassem.

Participants were judged on criteria of: excellence, efficiency, usefulness, usability, novelty, collaboration and relevance. After building their solutions during a 24 hour period, in teams of six, all attendees voted on each other’s prototypes and the top six teams were adjudicated by a panel of leading industry thinkers.

The winning team’s concept demonstrated not only the banks highly innovation culture but also its focus on combating Credit Card fraud. “We believe that innovation and technology are important drivers in this ever changing economy. Competitions like the FNB codeFest not only bridges the gap between technology and people but also creates eco-systems that are built around trust, innovation, efficiency and accountability,” concludes Hassem.

The panel that judged the top 6 and awarded the prizes included FNB CEO, Jacques Celliers, FNB Chief Information Officer, Mo Hassem, FNB Chief Risk Officer, Christoph Nieuwoudt, Microsoft Cloud Specialist, Jayesh Mowjee and well known technology and IT journalist, Arthur Goldstruck.

Innovators, entrants had to log their ideas on the innovators portal and follow the rules and regulations in the innovators competition to be eligible for entry in the innovators competition.

The winning team took home, 420 000 eBucks and tablets sponsored by Lenovo.