Fintech Insider Podcast by 11:FS 1041. Insights: How to build a high-performing product team
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Feb 26, 2026 Nicole Bianchi, Senior VP of Product at Chip, leads savings and investments products. Alex Rivas, Director of Product at LHV, builds retail and SME banking offerings. Melissa Stringer, Fractional CPO at 11:FS Ventures, shapes product strategy for banks and fintechs. They discuss defining product roles, structuring high-performing teams, balancing regulation and speed, cross-functional collaboration, and how AI speeds discovery.
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Product Is The Organisation's Lead Duck
- Product leaders act as the organisation's 'lead duck' or conductor, setting direction and taking the brunt of uncertainty so others can follow.
- Melissa Stringer and Alex Rivas emphasised that product both defines strategy and jumps into execution when gaps appear, enabling outcomes across teams.
Map Stable Atoms Before You Experiment
- Balance speed and safety by mapping 'stable atoms' versus mutable parts of your product landscape before proposing experiments.
- Use that atomised view to negotiate with compliance and show where innovation can safely occur.
Shift Team Structure As You Scale
- Structure teams to match stage: start generalist zero-to-one squads, then shift to hybrid/value-stream aligned teams as interdependencies grow.
- Prioritise ownership, strong product leadership and OKRs to manage trade-offs across teams.