067 James Wallis
Head of Content Marketing & Distribution, NatWest Group
James Wallis is Head of Content Marketing & Distribution at NatWest Group. He was a scholar at The Marketing Academy in 2025. Outside of work, he’s built a community of more than 120,000 followers across TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Substack as a personal brand strategist, writer, and podcaster.
“We’re expected to be god‑like magicians, and most humans aren’t god‑like magicians.”
The interview
What’s your coffee ritual?
I have absolutely no consistency. It’s something I’m strangely embarrassed about, so I usually order whatever the person next to me is having.
What was your first marketing job?
Assistant Marketing Manager, Everyday Banking at NatWest.
What finance apps do you have on your home screen?
Who has finance apps on their home screen?!
Which newsletter, podcast, or book do you recommend most?
Mine :) Hey Gay Boy. Although I appreciate it’s not for everyone.
What’s an underrated growth channel in fintech?
Social media. Obviously.
What keeps you up at night?
Police sirens, mostly.
What are the most useful measurement tools you use in your work?
Platform data. And the algorithm, which very quickly tells me whether I’ve understood it.
What’s one fintech brand (other than your own) that’s getting marketing right?
Financial services marketing has come a long way, and there’s interesting work coming from lots of places. I can’t pick just one, but I’m enjoying what Monzo, Revolut, and Wise are doing.
Why is marketing so hard?
Because we’re expected to be god-like magicians, and most humans aren’t god-like magicians.
Whose answers to the above questions would you most like to read?
I’ll pass the buck to Chris Davis-Coward.