Tanya Thomas, EVP for EMEA at Q4 chats about the latest innovations in fintech that are impacting modern financial services in this catch-up with Global Fintech Series:
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Hi Tanya, tell us about yourself and your new role at Q4.
Thanks! I’ve recently taken on the role of EVP for EMEA at Q4, where I’m focused on driving our business’s growth across EMEA and the rest of the world. I’ve spent my career helping companies tap into technology to drive real change and make things happen. With its comprehensive IR Ops Platform, Q4 is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the investor relations (IR) space, and this role allows me to bring together my experiences with a clear goal: to help companies optimize their IR workflows and make better decisions through secure, AI-driven insights. It’s such an exciting opportunity.
How have you been seeing the global fintech market evolve, and more specifically, how are you seeing it evolve in the EMEA region?
Globally, fintech has shifted from being a disruptor to becoming a central player in financial services. What’s most notable is how fintech solutions are now seen as essential infrastructure for everything from payments to investment management. The conversation has shifted from exploring “what’s new” to focusing on “what’s crucial” — particularly when it comes to harnessing data and integrating AI to drive smarter moves.
In EMEA, we’re seeing a major shift toward innovation driven by the need for greater efficiency, deeper insights and risk reduction. Investor relations teams are increasingly under pressure to do more with less, and technology is stepping in to optimize workflows and automate routine tasks. AI is at the center of this transformation, helping quickly analyze large volumes of data and generate personalized actions. At the same time, security remains a top priority — there’s a growing demand for solutions that eliminate the risks inherent in traditional processes, ensuring information is protected throughout the IR lifecycle. With Q4 at the helm, the brand new category of IR Ops has emerged, and businesses in EMEA are already capitalizing on it.
Can you talk about a few top fintech / IR platforms that have piqued your interest from the global fintech market and why they have caught your attention?
Yes, the scale of all-in-one finance app Revolut really stands out to me, both as a user and from a business angle. On the user side, they nail quick time-to-value and offer a slick, trusted SaaS experience. From a growth perspective, their expansion into major markets like the U.S., India and Japan is impressive — they seem to have cracked global scale while still delivering an epic user experience.
From a business perspective, platforms that really stand out are those that focus on solving real operational pain points and liberating users. What’s really piquing my interest are solutions that integrate AI to optimize workflows and create efficiencies. In our business at Q4, for example, we employ AI in our platform to automate routine tasks — saving investor relations officers (IROs) time, while freeing them up to focus on more of the strategic parts of their work — things that actually move the needle on company valuation.
Finally, data security has become a top priority for companies and their customers today. Fintech solutions that eliminate security risks by keeping sensitive financial data within closed systems, and not exposing it to external AI models or third parties, will be the winners in the IR space.
For fintechs looking to expand in specific regions, what top tips come to mind?
Expanding into new regions requires a combination of understanding local markets and ensuring scalability. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that success in new regions starts with a laser focus on identifying the right ideal customer profile (ICP). For fintech platforms, expanding into new markets is not about broad strokes — it’s about starting where there’s a clear, evidence-based demand for your solutions. In EMEA, for instance, we focus on regions where companies are already showing the need for increased operational efficiency, deeper insights and secure data handling. By focusing on markets with the strongest ICP fit, we ensure that geographic expansion is both strategic and sustainable — maximizing returns and achieving the fastest time-to-value for customers, so it’s a win-win.
Finally, don’t underestimate scalability. Building a platform that can flex and adapt to regional differences without losing efficiency is critical. It’s not just about replicating what works in one region — it’s about adapting the offering to meet local nuances while maintaining a consistent user experience and incredible customer outcomes.
When it comes to AI in fintech, what features are you most excited about?
I’m currently obsessed with functionality that taps into unique data pools to deliver compounding value to the user. Having AI analyze vast, blended public-and-proprietary datasets that aren’t available anywhere in the public domain provides a material edge in all environments. By combining these elements, AI can deliver tailored, real-time insights that are totally unique and impossible to replicate — transforming how we make informed decisions. It has infinite potential.
AI is already being used to make complex processes simpler and more secure. Specifically, in investor relations, the potential for AI to optimize workflows and free up time for strategic thinking is a game-changer. IROs spend a lot of time preparing earnings scripts, tracking shareholder sentiment and pulling together reports. AI now handles much of this, allowing IR teams to focus on higher-value tasks, such as investor engagement and strategy.
And of course, we can’t talk about AI without addressing security. With the growing reliance on AI, the need to protect sensitive financial data is greater than ever. I’m encouraged by how fintechs are building secure environments for AI to operate within, ensuring that data remains private and isn’t shared with third parties or used to train external models.
That balance of innovation and security is where I see AI making the biggest impact in fintech over the next few years.
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Headquartered in Toronto, with offices worldwide, Q4 is the first IR Ops Platform — giving investor relations (IR) leaders and their teams the tools to attract, manage and understand investors: all in one place. Q4’s AI-enabled platform includes a simple-yet-powerful IR website management system, events software, robust analytics, an investor CRM, and shareholder intelligence to elevate investor-targeting strategies. With Q4, IR teams are empowered to focus on strategy, relationships and driving premium valuations for their companies. Q4 serves 2,600+ public companies and maintains an award-winning culture where team members grow and thrive.
Tanya Thomas is EVP for EMEA at Q4, the leading IR Ops Platform. In her role, Tanya focuses on driving the company’s strategic growth in EMEA and additional international markets. She has held C-level and executive roles at other global B2B tech companies — leading their rapid and successful geographic expansions, and helping build scalable revenue streams.
