Cara Credit Union joins Metamo – a joint venture between 16 of Ireland’s largest Credit Unions and Fexco

Metamo will deliver improved service and products to Cara Credit Union’s 43,000 members.

• Metamo represents a €10 million investment in the credit union movement
• Credit unions joining Metamo represent over 480,000 members
• Metamo will support credit union sustainability and improve efficiency
• Research and development of new products and services for credit unions, supporting them in offering a wider range of financial products to their members
• Establishing a central shared services hub to improve delivery capability for credit unions

4 July 2019: Cara Credit Union and Killarney Credit Union are two of 16 of Ireland’s largest credit unions who have today announced a €10 million collaboration with Killorglin based international financial technology company Fexco in the formation of a new joint venture to be named Metamo.

Metamo is a 50:50 joint venture between the 16 investing credit unions incorporated under the name MetaCU and Fexco, one of Ireland’s largest financial services companies. MetaCU credit unions represent over 480,000 members from across the country – including Cara Credit Union’s 43,000 members- and combined assets of over €3billion (c.19% of the sector).

The primary objective of Metamo is to support credit union viability and sustainability through the provision of a more complete and modernised suite of financial products including enhanced lending capabilities. Metamo is also uniquely positioned to develop more efficient operating systems for credit unions in areas like process improvement, risk management and technology delivery.

Pa Laide, CEO of Cara Credit Union said: “This collaboration with Fexco and credit unions is an important milestone for Cara Credit Union and for our members in Tralee, Castleisland and Killorglin. This joint venture is particularly significant for Cara Credit Union as not only is Fexco based within our common bond in Killorglin but they are the world leader in innovative Fintech, Payments and Business Solutions. From a members’ prospective nothing will change, we are still independently owned and managed locally by our members. But by working together with Fexco and credit unions, these shared services will bring us closer to becoming the primary provider of financial services to all our members.” 

 Speaking about the launch of Metamo, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe TD, commented:

“Credit unions hold a unique and special standing as one of the most trusted brands in the country. They continue to provide invaluable services to local communities promoting financial inclusion. I am delighted to see collaboration within the sector that will support its continued viability and sustainability.  Members of all credit unions stand to benefit from the enhanced products and services, more efficient operations and improved service delivery that Metamo will provide. I would like to congratulate the credit unions and Fexco on this initiative and to wish them every success.”

The initial focus of the venture is on collaboration between Fexco and the investing credit unions to identify and develop products and solutions required by members. Metamo will offer these solutions to all other credit unions in the country who are not part of the joint venture in order to sustain the continued development of the sector.

Joe O’Toole, Chairperson of MetaCU – the entity comprising the 16 credit unions investing in Metamo – said:

“Metamo brings unprecedented scale to any previous sector initiative and signals a new and exciting development in the financial services industry. The company will deliver new income streams and improved processes for the investing credit unions and has the potential to transform the entire sector.

“We identified Fexco as our partner based on their familiarity with the sector, having provided foreign exchange services to credit unions for over 20 years. In addition, we will benefit from Fexco’s technical expertise and commercial delivery focus. For Metamo, Fexco is a natural fit.

“The multi-million euro investment by the credit unions and Fexco in the establishment of Metamo is a significant vote of confidence in the future of these credit unions.”

Denis McCarthy, CEO of Fexco commented:

“Participating in Metamo allows Fexco to leverage two of our key strengths; strategic investment and new product development. Like the credit unions, Fexco understands the value of supporting local communities, indeed we remain loyal to Killorglin where the company was first founded, employing approximately 1,000 staff there today. We enjoy a longstanding relationship with the credit union sector in Ireland having provided foreign exchange services to them for over two decades. I look forward to broadening the scope of that work through the establishment of Metamo which, through strong collaboration, will ultimately safeguard the sector while delivering better products for members.” 

Metamo is based in Kerry with offices in Dublin.   The company is currently actively recruiting its senior management team having appointed Neil Hosty as CEO in 2019. Neil has over 20 years’ experience in the financial services sector and has held various senior executive positions in the Irish and US banking sectors.

Credit unions are held in high regard by Irish consumers, providing the best customer experience in the country according to Amárach Research, and topping the 2018 Reptrak survey measuring the level of public trust in an organisation.*

MetaCU Member credit unions: