All posts by Brian Cassin

We welcome this week’s response by the UK Government in relation to its work on the new UK Data Strategy, and the commitment to creating a new UK Data Act.  Innovative data use has a crucial role to play as Britain takes its place on the global stage. Data has the ability to change people’s lives for the better. It can help build a stronger, smarter future, whether that is through existing products and services or by enabling new and innovative solutions to the problems people and society face today. We share the Government’s goal of using data to deliver better outcomes for people across the UK, and to supercharge its economic success.  Already today we see data doing great good in the world: it is enabling the deployment of resources from charities and Government where they are most needed; reducing the number of credit-invisible people and combatting loan sharks; preventing fraud and supporting those who fall victim to fraudsters; and delivering unique new insights that set creators and entrepreneurs on the path to their next success. Data played a transformative, positive role in people’s lives during the pandemic, and has the potential to do so much more as we look to the future.  It is crucial that data is used and managed within a trusted, privacy centric framework, and that we as industry and Government together continue to educate and empower people to understand how their data is used, and to be confident in its security. Properly-consented, properly-secured data can empower people; it can support the vulnerable; it can help expand and accelerate our economy.  We have the talent, the drive and the ambition in Britain to do all of these things. The new framework sets a foundation to enable and empower, making Britain a desirable hub for investment; a great place to work and build a career; an ideal place to begin new ventures or find funding for existing ones. With the right foundations in place, the opportunity ahead will be limited only by our imaginations. For all of these reasons, Experian welcomes the Government’s goal of making this leap forward for the UK, and we look forward to seeing the detail of the new Data Act as it is released in the coming months. 

This morning, we announced our year-end earnings. Once again, we have demonstrated our resilience in the most difficult of circumstances. With this set of results, I am pleased to report that Experian has now grown through two major global economic downturns. None of this would have been possible without the incredible hard work and commitment of everyone in the company. The coronavirus pandemic is the gravest crisis faced by the world for a generation. From the beginning, Experian moved quickly to make our data insights available to governments, health services, communities, businesses and charities around the world. We also worked rapidly with lenders and governments to support financial accommodation programmes. This has proven to be crucial in making sure financial assistance reached those who needed it, helping people to manage their financial health and ensuring that our economies kept moving through these turbulent times. Looking ahead to the next financial year, our vision for Experian is to continue to bring the benefits of our world class data and analytics capabilities directly to consumers and wider society. Data-led decision making, and technology have been critical in helping humanity to take on the biggest challenge in a generation. It will be a crucial driver of the global economic recovery, helping us all to bounce back stronger and providing the foundations to flourish in the years ahead. I am tremendously proud of our employees around the world. Our people’s professional and personal responses to the pandemic, and the results we have delivered, have been remarkable. We have worked from our kitchen tables, while home-schooling our children, and caring for our family members. We have pulled together and gone above and beyond during one of the most turbulent times in a generation. There can be no greater testament to the character and the strength of our team. I think it’s no overstatement to say that we have delivered one of our most remarkable performances ever. We have made important strategic progress. We have pressed ahead with new product innovation, with our technology transformation, and we have extended our presence across many new markets and segments. As we enter our next year, we do so with strong foundations for further growth and the uplifting confidence that even through the most challenging of times, we can and will continue to create a better tomorrow for everyone.

Today, I’m pleased to share another strong set of Half Year results for our FY20 fiscal year. We have achieved 7% organic revenue growth, with total H1 growth of 8% when you include acquisitions. The performance reflects the continued success of our core business new product introductions, as well as rollout of our innovation agenda and the investments we have made in globally scalable products. At Experian we are helping our clients get better at acquiring, onboarding and managing their customers’ needs in the digital world. To do this, they are increasingly relying on data, combined with sophisticated analytics and decisioning capabilities, areas in which we excel. In addition, to helping businesses, we are continuing to expand our direct relationships with consumers. Over 70 million people across our three major markets now benefit from free Experian memberships, accessing information and tools to enable them to take control of their finances. A great example of this is Experian Boost in North America, where we enable consumers to voluntarily add payment histories for things like their mobile phone and utility bills to their credit profile. It’s been a successful year to date, but there is plenty more to come. With a continued focus on people, technology and innovation, we are revolutionising the way our industry operates - using the power of data, software and analytics to improve outcomes for everyone. To find out more, click here.

It’s an exciting time for all of us at Experian. When I became CEO, just over four years ago, we set a clear path to put an even greater focus on our relationship with consumers and how we can help them in their financial journey. Today, as we prepare to launch Experian Boost, we are marking a major milestone in that commitment. There are more than 100 million Americans who don't have fair access to credit today. These consumers are often overlooked by lenders and forced to rely on high interest credit cards and loans. Too often they find themselves stuck in a never-ending cycle in which the best of intentions and the desire for a better financial future clash with reality. At Experian, we know that a credit score is the gatekeeper to better financial opportunities. It can make or break people’s access to the very things that help them thrive in today’s economy like getting a loan for a family car or access to a credit card with a lower interest rate. Unfortunately, many consumers have credit files that are considered too “thin”. And while they may be paying their utility, mobile phone and cable TV bills on time month after month, this responsible behavior hasn’t been acknowledged or rewarded with a higher credit score. Experian Boost changes this scenario and give consumers the credit they deserve. As a business, we want to ensure that as many people as possible can access and participate in the financial system and we believe everyone deserves a fair shot at achieving their financial dreams. Today’s Experian Boost announcement drives our mission forward by giving consumers more control over their credit score. This industry-first online platform will give consumers an opportunity to instantly improve their credit scores by adding positive telecom and utility payment information directly into their credit profile. Experian Boost is free and will be accessible to every credit-active adult in America. We recently briefed Experian’s Consumer Council, a group of 12 leaders from organizations committed to helping consumers on their financial journey, on Experian Boost with great feedback. Here’s what one of the organizations, the Credit Builders Alliance, had to say: “Limited credit activity and history are key barriers for consumers to achieve their financial goals,” said Dara Duguay, executive director, Credit Builders Alliance. “We fully support initiatives that promote financial inclusion and think Experian Boost could play an important role in overcoming that barrier. We look forward to seeing how Experian’s new platform impacts consumers.” Innovations like this and the modernization of an industry don’t happen easily. I couldn't be prouder of our employees who have been working for past three years to make this platform a reality. We are pioneering a bright future for the world of credit with Experian Boost, a product which is emblematic of the innovation culture we foster at Experian. Experian has a fundamental purpose that is shared by colleagues around the world: to strive to be a champion for the consumer. With Experian Boost, we're bringing our purpose to life and we can’t wait to share it with you. To find out more about Experian Boost, please visit: experian.com/boost.

Today we announced our results for the last financial year. The results and the business growth are strong, and a reflection of the actions we have taken to build our success. While we posted some very good results – 8% total revenue growth for the year is great – but it is the people, the strategy and the execution behind those numbers that we are most proud of. In recent years, we intentionally set a course that started with a brand promise to power new opportunities for our clients while creating a better tomorrow for consumers and society. In the last year, towards our quest to achieve that promise, we have made significant progress: We have invested in technologies like API and analytical sandboxes to help us better serve clients worldwide and effectively and safely manage the data and decisioning tools that help our clients succeed; We have made key investments to add new sources of data – including the acquisition of Clarity Services in North America and our continued strategy to look at mobile phone data in EMEA and Asia Pacific to help those who are excluded from the traditional financial system; We have introduced new products for consumers that help them better protect their identities and help them effectively manage their financial profile and credit standings to help ensure financial access in today’s credit economy; and We have created innovations such as our “Text for Credit” offering, which not only makes it easier for consumers to have a seamless credit application process, but it also enables lenders to have a more productive relationship with consumers who are looking for loans. Those are just some of the efforts that underscore our financial results. But more important than the positive results is the fact that we achieved this growth while also staying true to our brand promise. We are doing great things around the world – for businesses, for people and for society. The possibilities and potential of data have never been more exciting or life-enhancing – and our belief remains that data is central to how we all live and has the potential to transform all our lives for the better. The work our nearly 17,000 employees are doing – and have been doing – is indeed transformational. And that is one result for which we couldn’t be prouder.