In this episode of Cards Against Complexity, Jan speaks with Bianca Zwart, Chief Strategy Officer at bunq, the international mobile-first bank. Bianca shares how bunq develops products based on real user needs, and how her journey—from building the support team in the early days to now shaping company strategy—gives her a unique perspective on aligning long-term direction with frontline insights.

Key Takeaways:

• User-Centric Innovation in Financial Services:
bunq designs products to solve real, clearly defined user problems—whether it’s simplifying international banking, enabling easy investing, or building AI tools like their in-house assistant Finn. Every product proposal must answer a single question first: What’s in it for the user?

• From Customer Support to Chief Strategy Officer:
Bianca began her career at bunq in CS, helping define how users are supported. Now, as CSO, she draws directly on those early operational experiences—and today, the support team even reports into strategy. Her approach reinforces that user conversations are not just service moments, but strategic inputs.

• Scaling Globally While Staying Focused:
With operations across multiple countries and a push into the U.S., bunq faces growing regulatory and market complexity. Bianca shares how bunq maintains strategic focus by running its own race—staying independent in thinking, prioritizing user impact, and avoiding distractions from trends or competitors.

This episode is essential listening for anyone in financial services working to connect product, operations, and strategy in a fast-moving, user-driven environment.