VOL. 38  NO. 6

Is there a link between freelancing or outsourcing and the world of innovation? This question came to mind after reviewing the two key topics in this month’s issue. And the answer is definitively “Yes.”

Freelancing and talent outsourcing—the topic of this month’s cover story—are growing, becoming increasingly global, affecting different sectors, occupations, and ranks. The growth of freelancing is happening in advanced and developing economies, small and large countries, and new and traditional jobs, and has attracted increasing attention from regulators. This trend, which is not new but has expanded enormously in the last few years, has been made possible by multiple innovations. It applies to traditional and nontraditional companies, even virtual ones, so much so that many of us will be surprised by some of the details and statistics offered in the story by Bill Hinchberger.

Our annual Innovation Awards, which we present in this issue, offer a preview of financial services’ present and future. We celebrate banks and fintech companies for their specific innovations, but also their comprehensive effort on innovation, and we also recognize the best in these areas region by region. Artificial intelligence (AI) is now and, for the time being, the dominating theme for all involved. However, the offerings presented here are all focused on solving specific problems, not potential ones. As a result, our awards selection presents some applications for AI in the supply chain, logistics, data science, machine learning, marketing and talent outsourcing. And solve specific issues related to cash flow, liquidity management, and supply chain efficiency.

Again, as in the case of freelancing, innovation is global in scope, but the winning solutions come from very different regions of the world and financial institutions or fintech companies of all sizes. It is worth repeating: innovation is key to growth.

Andrea Fiano | Editor at Large
afiano@gfmag.com