Release 124 Regression Test

Alternative data opens up doors to financial access for consumers – and Experian has been at the forefront of collecting, using and advocating for the use of alternative data for many years. This topic was explored and analyzed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in a hearing today in Charleston, West Virginia.

Working in partnership with British charity, the National Literacy Trust, Experian has helped to analyze literacy levels across England. The study reveals that 86% of English parliamentary constituencies contain at least one area with serious literacy issues. By using our socio-demographic classification system, Mosaic, and harnessing The National Literacy Trust’s expertise, we have been able to create a literacy vulnerability score to measure the reading abilities of each region. The data illustrates the need to move away from nation-wide strategies to tackle literacy problems and move to more targeted local solutions. Although there are clear hot spots, the report found that literacy vulnerability is not restricted to regions with low income or social deprivation. The National Literacy Trust has shared the report with British Members of Parliament with an aim to help them better understand and respond to the specific literacy challenges in their constituency. Key highlights from the report: The constituency with the greatest literacy problems is Middlesbrough, closely followed by Barking in London Literacy issues are intensely localised Inner cities and their surrounding areas dominate the list of locations with a need for the greatest literacy support Continue to read more details from the report.  

During the National Football League’s biggest weekend, it’s often the commercials that take center stage. It’s every advertiser’s dream. The world as your audience. But how do advertisers capitalize on the opportunity and connect with viewers?

  I’m the Head of Utilities in Experian’s Energy and Water Sector. I handle a very specialized form of fraud called “energy theft,” where an individual or business steals electricity by tapping a line or bypassing the energy meter. Back in 2010, the process for handling this type of fraud was broken. Few companies bothered investigating instances of theft; they just accepted the pervasive issue as a cost of sale. This fraudulent activity was costing energy consumers approximately £30 per year, while putting countless homes and offices at risk, since faulty wiring for gas and electricity often leads to house fires or even explosions. Energy regulators decided the time had come for energy providers to crack down on the practice. My team and I at Experian were invited to a consultation to discuss how to use data and innovative techniques to end energy theft. The model we suggested was adopted as the preferred approach, and in the last year the project has been implemented across the entire industry in the UK. Our model combines data from the big energy companies with Experian’s own database to identify which residential or business properties may be stealing energy from the network. We can determine this by comparing energy consumption trends with information on how many people actually occupy the property. With both data sets, we can determine the amount of energy we believe the property should be consuming. If the energy consumption is lower than it should be on a particular piece of property, we look at fraud and credit data sets to see if the case qualifies as a genuine instance of low consumption (such as an older woman living alone), or if someone is perpetrating theft. We send that information back to the supplier so they can prioritize it for investigation. Through this program, I’ve helped protect countless homes and saved consumers from having to pay for energy they’re not using. I love that what I do not only gives me the opportunity to be creative in how I use data, but also helps protect businesses and everyday people. Read more #ExperianStories from our colleagues around the world.    

Today we are living in a world of data. It is everywhere, affecting many aspects of not only how our businesses are run, but our individual lives. It is growing in value and becoming more significant with each year. When used correctly, it has the potential to make positive changes. The challenge is that while data is everywhere, we don’t always trust it. While many businesses today say that data is driving new opportunities around increasing revenue and better serving their clients, the level of accuracy within their data is lacking. According to new Experian Data Quality research, less than half of organizations globally trust their data to make important business decisions. That level of doubt is causing 52% of organizations to rely on educated guesses or gut feelings to make decisions based on their data. That lack of clarity is causing businesses to not only operate with less efficiency, but 73% of c-level executives indicate that inaccurate data is undermining their ability to provide an excellent customer experience. While many are making strides to try to improve the quality of data and the trust level, they are often hindered by departmental silos and a lack of consistency across data sources. Much of that comes down to basic communication and an ability to talk about data. Departments lack understanding of how information is used across an organization or what the true impact is of poor data. In my discussions across the industry, it is clear that data lacks a consistent, meaningful language. We tend to focus on the level of pure accuracy levels, rather than the effect to the business or the customer. Data strategies need to more closely relate to defined business goals, outcomes and use cases, rather than just a data policy that sits within a vacuum. In the year ahead, we expect that many businesses will make strides within their data management programs and improve the quality of data. However, for those programs to be successful, they need to tie to broader business objectives. In those instances, developing more trusted data will certainly pay off. To learn more, check out the new global data management benchmark report.

I’m the Product Manager of Brazil’s Limpa Nome Online Recovery Portal, which was developed to help people manage and clear their debts. In Brazil, if you have debts, you are said to have a “nome sujo.” Literally translated, this means a “dirty name” — and that means good financial standing and access to credit are nearly impossible. My colleague and I met a Brazilian named Fabio who had a “nome sujo.” We sat down with him one afternoon to learn more about his situation. He told us he had built up debt with a national bank over six months. The debt was so unmanageable, he said, he was almost to the point where he could no longer pay it back. Fabio also told us how he spent at least four hours commuting to and from work each day, which limited his time outside of work. The thought of spending the limited time he had at a bank or collection agency trying to convince them to negotiate with the lender on his behalf seemed impossible. Understandingly, Fabio was enduring many sleepless nights. He tried searching on Google for help and came across Limpa Nome from Serasa Experian. He enrolled on our website, where he could view the debt he owed to the lender as well as proposals to make a settlement of dispute with the bank. Because Fabio had made a settlement proposal through Experian’s Limpa Nome website, the bank made an exception for him, allowing him to pay R$70 instead of R$1,000 each month until his debt was paid off. Within 10 minutes, Fabio’s problems were solved and his name was once again a “limpa nome” — a clear name. Our tool helped remove his financial burden and enabled him to have good credit to now be able to buy a house or a car. Using Experian’s Limpa Nome Online Recovery Portal, my team and I are using data to help give people like Fabio the tools to re-establish a good financial standing so they can pursue their dreams. Read more #ExperianStories from our colleagues around the world.

Most people who tune into the Super Bowl fall into one of three buckets – Those who watch for the love of the game Those who want to check out the halftime show entertainment And those of us, typically advertising and pop-culture geeks like myself, who tune in just for the commercials. But let’s not kid ourselves, you don’t have to be in advertising to love the commercials. After all, whether these ads make us laugh, cry or tweet, they often  have a way of weaving themselves into the Monday morning water cooler talk and even our cultural fabric. As a marketer myself who is responsible for maximizing an advertising budget, I watch these $5 million dollar, 30-second spots and have a tendency to ask myself: How effective are Super Bowl campaign ads? Given that the automotive industry is a staple within the Super Bowl advertising universe, we recently leveraged our Social Media Analysis to dig a bit deeper into a handful of auto brands (Audi, Buick, Hyundai, Jeep and Toyota), all of whom had a social media component to their Super Bowl 50 campaigns. We wanted to answer the question, “Did these TV ads actually drive social media following and engagement?” Our latest findings showed all five of these brands gained more “high influencer” and active followers on their social media channels within the month after the “Big Game.” On average, the percentage of influential followers (consumers with more than 1,000 followers) increased 14.8 percent during the month after the Super Bowl, while the average number of posts for each follower increased by 35.4 percent. Successful brand marketers create campaigns that work harmoniously together across different channels to reach their intended audience. These automotive brands were able to deliver messages across television that extended into social media channels ultimately driving the benefit of the “word-of-mouth” effect. Our data and analytics capabilities help marketers identify and connectd with audiences who will spread their messages to fans and potential customers. The result: these Super Bowl advertisers saw higher engagement and increased brand awareness. The automotive Super Bowl commerical enthusiast is … Developing a cross-channel campaign is only half the battle. Marketers still need to understand who is engaging with their brand after they’ve clicked the ‘Follow’ button. Our anlaysis revealed  consumers who interacted with these automotive campaigns were 1.3 times more likely to be male, and nearly 60 percent fell between the ages of 26 and 50. Moreover, 13.3 percent had children between the ages of 16 and 18. Not surprisingly, these consumers were more likely to follow particular brand categories than the general population. 60 times more likely to follow Auto Brands 04 times more likely to follow Auto Service Providers 56 times more likely to follow Consumer Electronics Stores This tech-saavy, car enthusiast audience was also more likely to follow these types of social media handles than the average user. 10 times more likely to follow Sports Organizations 64 times more likely to follow Sports Media Companies 52 times more likely to follow Magazine Brands  Other findings that popped in our recent analysis included: Consumers who engaged with these automotive brands on social media the month after the Super Bowl were 1.56 times more likely to reside in Michigan. More than 37 percent of these consumers had an average income between $50,000 and $99,999. The social media handles for the television shows these consumers were more likely to follow, included Top Gear, 60 Minutes and Baseball Tonight. Perhaps these programs would be great places for the auto brands to continue the conversation with current fans and potential customers. Marketers plan for the future Just as each consumer is unique, so is the trail of social media data they leave behind. Social media provides many consumers the venue to freely express their opinions and preferences. We help marketers tap into this data, and gain a remarkable view into who their customers are, the things they care about and how they behave. It’s that level of insight that enables marketers to optimize their content, plan better targeted campaigns in the future, and reach customers in a meaningful way. Much like any marketing effort, the current blue print to a successful Super Bowl campaign has been set. Create and deliver highly personalized messaging that resonates with consumers across a number of channels and encourages them to take an action, whether it’s purchase a product or share on social media. And finally, measure the results. It’s a lot easier to make that multi-million dollar advertising investment when you know the ROI is there. The brand marketers who follow the “game plan” can position themselves for their own Super Bowl win. To view the full press release, visit https://www.experianplc.com/media/news/2017/super-bowl-social-media/.

I’m an Experian Health Training Manager. I get to meet with healthcare organizations and teach them how to use our Financial Assistance Screening tool, which helps them easily and cost-effectively determine which patients qualify for financial assistance. I didn’t expect to interact directly with patients as part of my job, but I did – and the experience moved me. Recently, a client started using our automated tool, so I went to Colorado to train their financial counselors on how the product worked and help them understand the data so they could begin to use the tool with their patients. But then I was asked if I wanted to see the tool in action. Nothing could have prepared me for the experience of interacting directly with a patient who benefited from this tool –  a woman who seemed visibly shaken when the financial counselor and I first met her in one of our client’s medical centers. After the financial counselor explained why we were there, she began to work her way down a list of questions prompted by Experian’s tool, asking about the patient’s annual income, household size and disabilities. After two minutes of questioning, the counselor hit “save” on the responses, and immediately the results came up on the screen. “Good news – you qualify for a 100 percent discount through our Medical Financial Assistance program,” the counselor said. “Your medications, stay and follow-up visits will all be covered.” The patient had trouble processing this information at first. “Are you telling me that now I can focus on getting better, and I don’t have to think about my medical bills?” This realization brought her to tears of relief. Her time in the waiting room had been plagued with thoughts of how she couldn’t afford her hospital stay, despite how much she needed medical attention. With our help, those thoughts were put to rest. With Experian’s tool, patients like this woman no longer need documents to prove their annual income. And healthcare providers don’t need to manually calculate whether and how they can provide financial support. After our meeting with this patient, the financial counselor told me she was so moved she was shaking. “It is inspiring to so tangibly be able to help our patients,” she said. I agree. I’m glad that through data, I’m helping healthcare organizations give patients financial peace of mind when they need it most. Read more #ExperianStories from our colleagues around the world.

I lead Experian’s EMEA Procurement team, where I work with Experian’s offices around the world when they begin implementing new projects or product ideas. I was recently asked to work alongside Experian’s Consumer Business in the United Kingdom as they prepared to launch Experian’s CreditExpert companion app. They wanted to enable consumers to access their credit reports on a mobile device, while also being able to access personalized tips on how to improve credit scores. The part of this project that I found most critical, however, was the app’s built-in web monitoring tool that proactively protects consumers’ online identities from fraud. Protection of personal data is a hot topic in the big data industry. As my team and I worked through the challenges associated with protecting our customers from identity theft and fraud, we brought in experts from other Experian functions — like our security team — to assess the tools we were using and help us put proper measures and protocols in place that would enable us to protect consumers using the app. With the launch of this new app, we can catch cases of fraud the moment they occur. So, if someone steals an individual’s information to take out a loan or a mortgage in their name, we send out an alert right away to the affected individual, encouraging them to log on to the application to review their account activities. If fraud has occurred, the app takes the hassle out of the equation for consumers. Our team will investigate the incident on their behalf. I am proud to work for a company that continuously develops new products and services to help consumers better understand their credit and to keep their financial futures and identities safe. Read more #ExperianStories from our colleagues around the world.

Consumers are constantly on the go, and expect and deserve highly personalized communications. But how do marketers adapt to this new reality?

Portuguese Translation I’m a Marketing Analyst in Serasa Experian’s Data Strategy and Management department. While my day job is to help businesses create user-friendly digital experiences online, the role I’m most passionate about is a project I’m implementing that will use interactive games to help people take better control of their finances. Earlier this year, I learned about One Young World – a summit in Ottawa, Canada where delegates from around the world share solutions for pressing global issues, including financial education. To be selected as one of five ambassadors to this event from Experian, I had to pitch a project idea that would provide financial education to Brazilian citizens. My idea was to transform Experian’s existing educational website and mobile app into a game, to make financial education more interactive and engaging. I envisioned incentivizing customers to better understand their finances by offering them product discounts in exchange for high scores in games. Each game would teach people different skills on how to control their finances – like budgeting – or improve their credit score. Experian loved the idea so much that they not only selected me as one of their ambassadors for One Young World, but also chose to implement the idea for our customers. Within the next 12 months, my project will be implemented, providing financial education to countless Brazilian men and women who are struggling to clear their debts and manage their budgets. I attended the One Young World summit in the fall, which furthered my desire to continuously provide better financial education for the people in my country. I want everyone to feel empowered when they think about their finances. It’s important for people to be able to recover their dignity and clear their name if they had a poor credit background. And I’m happy to do my part to give people better access to the credit they need to improve their lives and the lives of their families. Read more #ExperianStories from our colleagues around the world.

I’m an Account Executive in Experian’s Consumer Information Services department. I’m also a millennial. So I know firsthand that millennials’ way of thinking — and spending — typically goes against the grain of traditional lending, especially given today’s focus on a sharing economy. Most millennials don’t have a traditional credit history to prove we can be trusted to pay back loans or lines of credit from lenders. Using data, I’m working to change that while also helping small businesses by enabling them to do business with my generation. At Experian, we look at alternative data sets — like paying rent and utilities — that show how a millennial is actually a low-risk candidate for credit, even if his or her credit score doesn’t reflect that. Through our data, we’re providing opportunities for people who wouldn’t ordinarily have access so they can buy their first house, get a car or start that business they’ve always dreamed about. I see my role as a bridge between millennials and an older generation, connecting young consumers with the resources experienced lenders can provide. A lot of my clients are small-business lenders with strict underwriting criteria. My lenders need to improve their underwriting to win lifelong customers, but they’re understandably afraid of risk. With pinpoint accuracy, we can help them identify their best opportunities using data, including information like rent payments, they may have overlooked. In my work, I get to take a hands-on approach of adapting to an emerging market and an ever-evolving technology landscape. I’m proud to be helping to create a new generation of customers for small businesses while giving my fellow millennials the financial access they need. Read more #ExperianStories from our colleagues around the world.  

Experian’s groundbreaking generative AI-powered tool, Experian Assistant, has earned the prestigious 2025 BIG Innovation Award in the Products for Financial Services category. This recognition underscores Experian’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation by helping businesses achieve success and enhancing consumer experiences. The BIG Innovation Awards, celebrated since 2011, honor organizations and solutions that redefine excellence through creativity and measurable impact. Experian Assistant was recognized for transforming how financial institutions approach data and analytics, enabling faster, smarter decision-making that enhances customer experiences and operational efficiency. Redefining Financial Services Integrated with the Experian Ascend Platform™, Experian Assistant functions as a 24/7 data expert, enabling financial institutions to optimize their credit and fraud models with ease. Using natural language processing (NLP), the virtual assistant guides users providing insights, recommendations and coding assistance. The impact is transformative: Experian Assistant cuts model-development timelines from months to just days— and even hours in some cases. By helping users analyze credit and fraud data, adjust model attributes and streamline workflows, it empowers organizations to innovate faster and make data-driven decisions with confidence. Powered by agentic AI technology, Experian Assistant reimagines how data scientists and analysts approach their work. It accelerates insights, fosters collaboration and empowers businesses to deliver exceptional customer experiences while reducing the time and resources needed to bring new initiatives to market. Driving Results Across Industries While tailored for financial services, Experian Assistant’s capabilities extend across industries. Businesses can leverage its tools for data exploration, model deployment, performance monitoring and faster time-to-market for new offerings. With Experian Assistant, users gain a powerful edge in scoring more consumers, optimizing processes and enhancing overall customer satisfaction. Recognized Excellence The 2025 BIG Innovation Awards spotlight trailblazers evaluated on creativity, impact and results by seasoned business leaders. This accolade solidifies Experian Assistant’s position as a game-changing solution in financial services and beyond.

We are thrilled that for the sixth consecutive year, Experian has earned a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s (HRCF) 2025 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). This recognition underscores our commitment to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. We are honored to join the ranks of 765 U.S. businesses that have been awarded the HRCF’s Equality 100 Award, celebrating our leadership in fostering an inclusive workplace. Experian’s dedication to supporting the LGBTQ+ community is reflected in several key initiatives: Name Change Process: We have a process for transgender and non-binary consumers to update their names on credit reports, ensuring their identities are accurately represented. LGBTQ+ Allyship 101 Training: This new training program is available to all Experian employees, promoting allyship and understanding within our workforce. Pride ERG Parenting Committee: Launched to support parents, grandparents and guardians of LGBTQ+ individuals, this committee provides valuable resources and community. Transgender Resource Guide: This guide supports employees who are transitioning at work, offering education and resources for colleagues and managers. Partnerships: We collaborate with organizations such as Out & Equal, GenderCool, The Trevor Project and Born This Way Foundation’s Channel Kindness to provide financial health, mental health and other resources to empower both our internal and external communities. At Experian, we are proud to be part of this movement towards greater equality and inclusion. We remain dedicated to fostering a workplace where every employee feels respected, valued and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. Learn more about how we drive social impact in English, Portuguese and Spanish.

Achieving Top Workplace recognition for 12 consecutive years is no small feat, yet Experian North America has done just that. Named a Top Workplace by the Orange County Register once again, this milestone reflects not just policies or benefits but what truly makes Experian exceptional: our people. As Hiq Lee, Chief People Officer at Experian North America, notes, this honor is a testament to the remarkable contributions of our team. Experian’s employees shape an environment where innovation, inclusivity, and purpose thrive. More Than Work What sets Experian apart is our engagement with the world and community. Through initiatives like the Experian Volunteer Leadership Network and partnerships with organizations such as the Octane Foundation for Innovation and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Orange County Education Foundation, our impact extends beyond the workplace. In 2024, we earned additional recognitions, including being named one of the World’s Best Workplaces™ by Fortune and Great Place to Work®. We were also recognized as one of the Best Workplaces for Parents, Millennials, and in Technology. The Secret to Success Our success lies in focusing on people. Experian is a place where careers are built, ideas are encouraged, and employees feel valued. Initiatives such as, Employee Resource Groups foster belonging, Mental Health First Aiders provide support, and technology hackathons inspire creativity. Innovation at the Core Innovation continues to drive our success. By leveraging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning, we are redefining decision-making and fraud prevention. This commitment to innovation empowers businesses and consumers worldwide, aligning with our mission to promote financial inclusivity. Looking Ahead For Experian, being a Top Workplace for more than a decade isn’t a finish line—it’s a springboard. With an ongoing commitment to our employees and communities, we continue to evolve, creating better experiences for our team, clients, and the world.

The rise of Generative AI (GenAI) is fueling a new wave of sophisticated fraud, transforming the financial services landscape. Experian’s 2024 Global Identity & Fraud Report highlights the challenges businesses face, and the strategies needed to protect consumers while maintaining seamless digital experiences. Based on insights from more than 1,000 business and fraud leaders, and 4,000 consumers worldwide, the report identifies three key forces shaping fraud prevention: GenAI-Powered Fraud: Fraudsters use AI to craft highly personalized attacks, exploiting vulnerabilities across the customer journey. Evolving Regulations: Stricter government requirements demand rapid adaptation of fraud prevention strategies. Customer Expectations: Consumers prioritize secure, efficient services. Many abandon brands after poor account-opening or transactional experiences. A Multi-Layered Defense The report emphasizes the need for a multi-layered approach to combat fraud effectively. Businesses are increasing investments in AI, machine learning, and data-sharing networks to detect and prevent fraud in real-time. “Fraud operates across borders and targets various points in the customer journey,” said Greg Wright, Experian’s Executive Vice President of Identity and Fraud. “Businesses must leverage advanced analytics and alternative data to stay ahead of these evolving threats.” Balancing Security and Experience Consumers value security, but demand convenience. Striking the right balance is critical, as many switch providers after experiencing delays or cumbersome processes. Businesses can succeed by: Using Advanced Analytics: Leveraging AI-driven insights to prevent fraud while maintaining smooth customer experiences. Orchestrating Fraud Prevention: Integrating tools to provide a 360-degree view of customers, ensuring fraud detection is seamless and comprehensive. The Path Forward The rise of GenAI fraud underscores the need for global collaboration and innovation. By adopting advanced technologies and prioritizing customer-centric solutions, businesses can protect consumers while fostering trust. Experian’s 2024 report offers actionable insights for navigating these challenges. Download the full report to learn how to outpace fraudsters while delivering secure, seamless experiences.

The advertising ecosystem has seen significant transformation over the past few years, with increased privacy regulation, changes in available signals, and the rise of channels like connected TV and retail media. These changes are impacting the way that consumers interact with brands and how brands understand and continue to deliver relevant messages to consumers with precision.   Experian has been helping marketers navigate these changes, and as a result, our marketing data and identity solutions underpin much of today’s advertising industry. We’re committed to empowering marketers and agencies to understand and reach their target audiences, across all channels. Today, we are excited to announce our acquisition of Audigent—a leading data and activation platform in the advertising industry.   With Audigent’s combination of first-party publisher data, inventory and deep supply-side distribution relationships, publishers, big and small, can empower marketers to better understand their customers, expand the reach of their target audiences and activate those audiences across the most impactful inventory.      I am excited to bring together Audigent’s supply-side network as a natural extension to our existing demand-side capabilities. Audigent’s ability to combine inventory with targeted audiences using first-party, third-party and contextual signals provides the best of all worlds, allowing marketers to deliver campaigns centered on consumer choices, preferences, and behaviors.    The addition of Audigent further strengthens our strategy to be the premier independent provider of marketing data and identity, ultimately creating more relevant experiences for consumers.   To learn more about Experian and Audigent, visit https://www.experian.com/marketing/ and https://audigent.com/.  

Modernizing the conversation around credit and financial literacy is a key commitment for Experian, especially for young adults. That’s why we partner with organizations like the Singleton Foundation to produce “Your World on Money,” to meet young people where they are, with engaging, easy-to-understand video shorts about credit, budgeting, and saving and more.   We’re thrilled this commitment and creativity has earned both Gold and Bronze Anthem Awards, which recognize excellence in social good, celebrate the impactful work of organizations and initiatives that are driving positive change. Financial literacy is often not taught in schools, and the language around credit and personal finance can be intimidating. By normalizing these conversations, we hope to inspire confidence and action, helping young adults make informed financial decisions as they navigate life’s milestones. Our United for Financial Health partnership with the Singleton Foundation continues with our new series, the Finance Couch, where college students join our experts on a coach in the middle of a Los Angeles campus to answer their money questions. And our Anthem Award-winning series, HeartBroke, helps couples whose relationships are tested with financial issues to determine if they can work through it or end up HeartBroke(n).

Great Place to Work and Fortune have named Experian as one of the 25 World’s Best Workplaces™ 2024. This recognition highlights more than an award—it shows a commitment to our strong People First culture. Experian Chief People Officer Jacky Simmonds shares insights on how our people across the globe cultivate this culture, staying ahead of the curve through a unique blend of inclusivity, empathy, and a shared purpose. What does it mean to you, and to Experian, to be named among Fortune’s World’s Best Places to Work? At Experian, we have long aspired to be one of the best companies in the world to work for, and over the past few years, we have made this a priority. Our journey has been marked by a commitment to putting our people first and fostering the collaborative and inclusive culture that sets us apart. This recognition reflects the common values that we share across our many countries and cultures and the dedication of our colleagues across our business.  We spend so much of our time at work, so I think it’s important that every interaction – from the interview process to joining and every daily interaction – is a positive one where people are welcoming, supportive and generally just really nice people to work with. Reaching this milestone gives all of us at Experian some recognition, but also it is inspiring as we continue to strive to attract top talent who share our values, share our purpose and make every day an enjoyable one. How does Experian create an environment where employees feel empowered to innovate and contribute ideas that drive real impact?  To fulfill our mission of bringing Financial Power to All™, we need as many voices, experiences and backgrounds as possible, so we can represent our clients’ differing needs. This culture of inclusion drives our innovations. We have employee-led initiatives, such as internal Hackathons that bring together these diverse perspectives to develop products and services like Experian Boost, Experian Go, Experian Smart Money Digital Checking Account, Experian Support Hub, and Transforme-se so we can serve the communities in which we live and work. How has Experian adapted to changing employee expectations since the pandemic, and what steps has the company taken to support employee well-being and work-life balance?  We know that our people really value the ability to have flexible work model, so they can work to fulfill their role in a way that works for them. For some this is fully remote, for others it is hybrid so a balance of remote and in office, and for others in office, where their role requires it fully. We know from the feedback that we get that our people appreciate that we trust them and they have flexibility to deal with varying commitments that we all have outside of work. We also know that since the pandemic there has been an increased focused on wellbeing. Sponsored by our Chief Financial Officer, we embarked upon an initiative to invest in how we support people who may need additional support. We are very proud of our Mental Health First Aiders programme, which has trained around 400 colleagues across the world representing 23 countries and 28 languages and helping their teammates access resources. These volunteers receive consistent, ongoing and updated training. What specific initiatives or programmes at Experian do you believe set the company apart in terms of supporting professional growth and career development?  We have invested in a number of things that we believe really make the difference. The first is developing great leaders at every level. Today’s leaders have many more challenges, many different age groups, a balance of remote and in person working, together with teams based in many different locations. Great leaders build great teams, so we think it’s important to invest in their development. That’s we built a leadership development portal – The Leadership Exchange – that has a wide range of resources to support them, including development programmes tailored to their needs. We also want to ensure that everyone at every level can develop their skills and progress their careers. So we launched our annual Global Careers Week, Experian University, and built a world-class digital curriculum so everyone can access the form of development they need based on their role or aspirations. There really is something for everyone. This way, we help our teams stay ahead of trends and ensure our business is equipped with the skills needed for the future. Looking forward, what are key goals or priorities for further enhancing Experian’s culture and employee experience?  We’re truly proud of this amazing recognition, but we always strive to get better and acknowledge there’s always more to be done. We see an opportunity to make things easier in the way we leverage advanced technologies like AI to further enhance employee experience. For example, more personalised learning pathways, improved tools for productivity and collaboration. We make sure we don’t lose the human touch, but we also want to make the most of these innovations so we stay relevant with our largely tech populations. Being named one of the world’s best workplaces reflects Experian’s unwavering commitment to be recognized for having a great culture where people can do their best work with people they enjoy working with. Learn more about what makes Experian a World’s Best Workplace in the People section of our Annual Report and the Experian Power of YOU Report 2024: Driving social impact and diversity, equity and inclusion, available in English, Portuguese and Spanish. 

While the credit reporting industry is designed to help lenders and creditors minimize risk and assess consumers’ ability and willingness to repay outstanding debt, let’s be clear: the consumer is our main priority. Every lending decision and action is made with the consumers’ best interest in mind. Because consumers rely on credit and other loan products to purchase homes and cars, pay for college, afford goods and services, and even bridge the gap during emergencies, the credit reporting industry has been at the forefront of broadening access to fair and affordable financial resources.   Risk-based pricing has made it possible for more consumers to access credit, particularly those with limited-to-no credit history or subprime credit profiles. Previously, lenders may have opted not to extend credit to consumers considered higher risk; but more and more, lenders are empowered to tailor borrowing terms based on a consumer’s credit history. In addition, because lenders don’t have to absorb unforeseen risk, lower borrowing costs can be maintained for all consumers. Experian has long advocated for expanded data sources, such as rent and utilities payments, to be incorporated onto consumer credit reports and considered in lending decisions. In 2019, we launched a product  that empowers consumers to add positive payment history for utilities, telecoms and video streaming services—and eventually residential rent—directly into their Experian credit report. Our efforts coincide with legislation, such as S.2417 – the Credit Access and Inclusion Act, introduced by Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) in 2021, which encourages the reporting of consumer payment history, including rent, utilities, and telecom services, to the nationwide credit reporting agencies. This is key to broadening access to fair and affordable credit for underserved consumers.  The industry needs to continue to explore other avenues that can help consumers improve their financial health, such as the role that buy now, pay later information can play in increasing financial inclusion. Empowering consumers to take control Beyond legislation or the use of expanded data, many non-profit and community based organizations are championing initiatives that drive greater financial inclusion. Organizations such as Inclusiv, Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, HomeFree-USA, National Urban League and the Society for Financial Education & Personal Development, among others, are helping individuals and households from underserved communities navigate the mainstream financial system and take control of their financial lives. Experian and other financial institutions are partnering with non-profit organizations with deep roots in communities, allowing them to connect with community leaders and individuals on a more personal level. Every individual enters the credit ecosystem at a different stage so it’s important that banks and financial institutions listen to the specific challenges they’re experiencing. For example, individuals may be searching for credit monitoring and alerts, budgeting tools or ways to put more money back into their wallets, such as finding cost-efficient options for auto insurance. Providing individuals and households with the financial knowledge and access to tools better positions them to become financially independent. The credit reporting industry continues to provide more resources and transparency to help improve consumers’ financial health. All individuals deserve the opportunity to establish and build their credit so they are able to elevate and maintain their financial status.

Today at Money 20/20 in Las Vegas, Experian unveiled Experian Assistant, a groundbreaking toolset that transforms analytics and modeling for financial institutions. By leveraging Generative AI (GenAI), this revolutionary solution slashes model development turning months-long processes into days—or even hours. Positioned as a game-changer, Experian Assistant offers businesses the equivalent of a seasoned expert, guiding them through complex use cases with ease and redefining how financial organizations approach data-driven insights. Revolutionizing Modeling with Generative AI Experian Assistant marks a significant leap forward in how businesses handle the modeling lifecycle. Integrated into the Experian Ascend Technology Platform™, Experian Assistant is designed to streamline data analytics processes, enhance accuracy, and promote efficiency. This debut underscores Experian’s commitment to responsible AI innovation, ensuring that organizations benefit from advanced analytics without compromising on privacy or ethical standards. “Many financial institutions are looking to invest in new generative AI use cases, often focused on banker specific support,” said Craig Focardi, Principal Analyst at Celent. “Experian Assistant focuses on developer support to accelerate the development lifecycle by having a digital model building consultant available to users.” Empowering Data Scientists and Analysts With its powerful natural language processing (NLP) capabilities, Experian Assistant is reshaping how data scientists and analysts approach complex tasks. Traditionally, navigating large datasets and building models required extensive technical expertise. But now, Experian Assistant allows users to query data, write code, and build models in plain language—democratizing access to sophisticated analytics. The tool not only boosts productivity but also fosters collaboration and accessibility. This innovation will drive financial inclusion by broadening access to data-driven insights and responsible use of data across organizations. Developed in Collaboration with Leading Financial Institutions A standout feature of Experian Assistant is its development in close partnership with the world’s largest financial institutions. This collaboration ensures that the tool is finely tuned to real-world challenges, delivering deep insights into Experian’s data assets. By optimizing analytics processes, businesses can achieve proven cost savings, enhanced data visibility, and faster product deployment. Continental Finance Company, for example, reduced data-building time by a remarkable 75% after adopting Experian Assistant. This kind of impact highlights the tool’s ability to accelerate model development while maintaining strict data privacy standards—a vital consideration for financial institutions. Advanced Compliance and Transparency In today’s highly regulated environment, businesses must not only meet compliance standards but also provide transparency into their processes. Experian Assistant is designed with these needs in mind, offering advanced features that support regulatory reporting, identity management, risk assessments, and transaction monitoring. A Competitive Edge through GenAI With more than a decade of AI expertise, Experian is leading the charge in responsible AI development. At Money 20/20, Experian Assistant stood out as a testament to this leadership. The tool is positioned to offer financial institutions a competitive edge, improving risk assessment, enhancing customer experiences, and promoting financial inclusion. As the financial services industry continues to evolve, businesses that embrace GenAI solutions like Experian Assistant will be better positioned to succeed. This groundbreaking tool is not just an enhancement—it’s a fundamental shift in how analytics and modeling are conducted, offering the speed, accuracy, and transparency that today’s market demands.

People rely on credit cards, personal loans, mortgages and auto loans, among other financial products to buy homes, fund college educations, weather temporary income disruptions and finance billions of daily transactions for goods and services. Credit is the cornerstone of the pursuit of our financial ambitions. That’s why the credit reporting industry is deeply committed to broadening access to fair and affordable financial resources for all consumers, particularly for individuals and households from underserved communities. The commitment is underscored by the continual effort to evolve the credit reporting system and incorporate new data sets to provide lenders a more comprehensive view of consumers’ ability and capacity to repay outstanding debt. Although progress has been made to extend credit to more prospective borrowers across the risk spectrum, if we want to continue to broaden the scope, we need to encourage the consistent reporting of additional predictive data sources to help lenders assess consumers’ creditworthiness. A proven track record but there’s more work to do Over the past century, the credit reporting industry transitioned from an opaque system founded on relationships to one rooted in data. Lenders lean on past payment history on similar loans (i.e., auto loans, mortgages, credit cards, etc.) as a reliable predictor of a borrower’s future loan payment performance—it’s a way for them to mitigate risk and say “yes” to more borrowers.   And it works. The comprehensive reporting of past loan performance, coupled with increasingly sophisticated statistical prediction models, as well as the adoption of risk-based pricing, accelerated the extension of credit to more consumers. Yet, according to research from Experian and Oliver Wyman, millions of Americans lack access to mainstream credit because they are credit invisible, unscorable or have a subprime credit score. It’s particularly challenging for younger individuals, newly arrived immigrants and historically underserved communities, such as racial and ethnic minorities. At times it can be a catch-22; in order to get credit, you have to have credit. More predictive data is key At Experian, we’ve long understood that expanding the universe of creditworthy borrowers requires more data. In addition to some of the more conventional tradelines, such as mortgages, auto loans and credit cards, we have to explore expanded data sources that are predictive of a prospective borrower’s credit risk. For instance, more consumers are using buy now, pay later (BNPL) products, and nearly every consumer makes recurring monthly payments for rent, utilities, cell phones and even video streaming services, yet oftentimes, these data points are not consistently reported to the credit reporting agencies nor considered during lending decisions. Collectively, the industry and regulators, need to do more to encourage the consistent reporting and inclusion of expanded data onto consumers’ credit reports.    In fact, based on our research, we’ve found that some of the aforementioned expanded data sources can empower lenders to assess the credit risk of a significantly larger pool of consumers. These expanded data sources have been shown to be highly accurate predictors of future loan payment behavior. And, when expanded data is combined with advanced analytics, up to 96% of the population can be scored, including an estimated 65% of credit invisibles.1 Broadening access to fair and affordable credit for more consumers means leaning into combining conventional tradelines with expanded Fair Credit Report Act-regulated data sources. The more information lenders have available to them about prospective borrowers’ past payment performance the more empowered they are to minimize risk and more confidently extend credit. Pushing for more data is the best path forward.

In an era where financial transactions occur at the click of a button, the significance of accurately verifying and authenticating consumers’ identities cannot be overstated. From online purchases to mobile banking, ensuring secure and reliable digital connections and safeguarding consumers’ information are table stakes for any business operating in the digital ecosystem. Unfortunately, some advocacy groups are calling for stricter regulatory guidelines that may impede business’ ability to effectively and efficiently protect a consumer’s financial information and identity. We’re, of course, referring to the push to classify credit header data— identifying information, such as name, current and former addresses, phone number and Social Security number, found at the top of credit reports—as a consumer report under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Subjecting credit header information to the FCRA will unnecessarily limit its permitted use, and effectively make it more difficult—and potentially impossible—for banks and other businesses to use the information to authenticate and verify consumers’ identities. It’s an unintended consequence that will surely compromise the security of our digital identities.  Foundational to fraud prevention Credit header data plays a pivotal role in helping businesses detect suspicious activity and stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes. With credit header information, banks and other financial institutions cross-reference loan applications against transactions from hundreds of thousands of contributors to spot anomalies and thwart fraudsters before they inflict harm. In fact, many of the industry’s most advanced fraud prevention tools and signals rely on credit header data to verify the legitimacy of any given transaction. Keep in mind, the transactions we’re referring to are transactions of consequence. For instance, opening a new bank account, applying for a loan or transferring money. This level of activity carries inherent risk, and without proper vigilance, could result in significant financial or reputational harm to consumers and businesses. But it’s not only lenders that leverage credit header data, the use cases for credit header data are broad. Government agencies and businesses in the public sector, law enforcement, and some pharmacies use the information to issue one-time passcodes for identification purposes, find missing persons, or verify consumers’ identities prior to prescriptions being filled. Credit header data is already regulated Some of the concern surrounding credit header data centers on consumer privacy, and rightfully so. Protecting consumers’ privacy should be central to the use of sensitive information; however, credit header data is already regulated by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. In fact, for more than 25 years, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act specifically provides that the permissible use of credit header data includes fraud prevention, while also mandating consumer privacy and data protection. Subjecting credit header data to additional FCRA regulation, which does not clearly allow for fraud prevention, could make it impractical or impossible for many businesses to use it for that purpose.  Not only is additional regulation unnecessary, but it potentially creates a contradictory web of regulations that increases the compliance burden and confusion for many businesses. This ultimately thwarts the purpose of GLBA by delaying fraud prevention efforts and potentially raising costs for consumers. Credit header data is far more than information included at the top of consumers’ credit reports, it is a linchpin that powers many of the most advanced fraud prevention and identify verification tools in the market. Before any further regulation is considered, we have to acknowledge the role that credit header data plays in keeping consumers’ information safe and how any changes may impact the safety and soundness of our digital economy.

Experian continues to affirm its leadership in financial technology, earning the 7th spot on the 2024 IDC FinTech Rankings. This is the third consecutive year that the company has ranked among the top 10 providers, reinforcing its position as a key player in the FinTech space. The IDC FinTech Rankings assess the top 100 financial technology providers based on revenues generated in 2023 from financial services and FinTech sectors. In addition to this notable achievement, Experian has been awarded the 2024 IDC Real Results Award for Bank Deposit Transformation. This award highlights Experian’s innovation in driving measurable and impactful changes within the financial services industry. The recognition is particularly focused on the company’s success in helping banks transform their deposit processes through advanced fraud prevention technologies. Experian’s Ascend Fraud Sandbox: A Game-Changer A key factor behind this award is Experian’s Ascend Fraud Sandbox, a groundbreaking tool that offers financial institutions a comprehensive platform for fraud detection and prevention. The Ascend Fraud Sandbox empowers organizations to analyze data, identify new fraud patterns, and quickly build, test, and deploy models. This technology enables banks to enhance their fraud detection capabilities, leading to higher approval rates for online deposit accounts and reduced fraud-related losses. The sandbox operates with over 10 billion identity and fraud events, which include applications, login activities, and transactions. It also continuously incorporates tens of millions of new events each day. This expansive dataset allows banks to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated fraud attempts, especially those driven by artificial intelligence (AI). Experian’s success in Bank Deposit Transformation demonstrates the company’s ability to help financial institutions improve their processes while simultaneously enhancing fraud protection. By providing advanced fraud-prevention and identity-protection technologies, Experian enables its customers to optimize their operations, reduce risks, and achieve better financial outcomes. Recognition of Experian’s Innovation This dual recognition—ranking 7th in the IDC FinTech Rankings and winning the Real Results Award—further solidifies Experian’s standing as a leader in technology. These accolades underscore its capacity to offer data, technology, and scalable solutions that allow financial institutions to make informed business decisions at the necessary speed to remain competitive in an evolving market. Now in its 21st year, the IDC FinTech Rankings evaluate technology providers based on the revenue they generate from financial institutions, including banks, insurers, and capital markets firms. With both the FinTech Rankings and the Real Results Award in hand, Experian continues to deliver innovative solutions that help financial institutions navigate the complexities of modern finance with confidence.