Wise exec: London tech scene already at ‘critical mass’ despite Brexit
A senior exec at London fintech darling Wise has said Brexit “won’t get in the way” of the capital’s tech ecosystem continuing to thrive.
Speaking on City PM’s podcast, the firm’s Chief Financial Officer Matt Briers said that while many elements including recruiting have become “harder,” the tech climate is “already at critical mass.”
Read more: The City View, with Wise’s Matt Briers
Wise are set to list in the capital on Wednesday.
There remain fears that Brexit may make life more challenging for tech firms, particularly with regards to finding the right people.
But Briers remains bullish on the capital’s prospects.
“You have to step back and look at fundamentals. Is London going to be a great place for people to come and work? I think so.
“Is it going to be harder than it used to be? Probably.
“But we’re still able as a tech firm to attract, and we are successfully hiring in London, and we haven’t seen that slowdown yet.”
Data on how many Londoners have left the capital over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic remains unclear.
“With all the great tech firms we’ve now got in London, tech firms are coming out of those tech firms. People move on, they start their own companiess, they create capital, I think there’s an eco-system with technology that Brexit (isn’t) going to get in the way of that.
“I think it’s already at critical mass, which is good.”
Read more: Fintech firm Wise to directly list on the London Stock Exchange in early July