The Payments Leaders Show

Candice Pressinger - Director of Customer Data Security, Elavon Europe talks to Adrian Evans.Key learnings:The "False Positive" commercial gap Candice reveals a staggering statistic: while global fraud costs the industry approximately $300 billion, the cost of "false positives" (legitimate transactions blocked by over-zealous security) is double that at $600 billion. Furthermore, 50% of customers rejected by security checks never return to that merchant.Fraud as a macro-economic power The scale of the threat is immense. If cybercrime were a country, it would have the third-largest GDP in the world, sitting just behind the USA and China. Fraudsters are now operating as agile, data-led, high-tech enterprises rather than isolated criminals.The necessity of "Consortium Data" To combat globally coordinated fraud, organisations cannot work in isolation. Candice highlights the move towards consortium data where acquirers and merchants share anonymised datasets to identify risk signals in real-time as the only way to match the fraudsters' network.Build internal alliances before you need them For large-scale security integrity, collaboration must start early. Candice advises against working in silos; leaders should build alliances with sales, legal, marketing, and platform teams before crisis strikes or a project launches ensuring everyone understands their piece of the jigsaw puzzle.The rise of "Agentic Commerce" Looking to the near future, Candice identifies Agentic Commerce, where AI agents perform purchasing tasks on behalf of consumers, as the next major industry evolution. She compares its potential impact to the revolutionary shift from magnetic stripe/chip to contactless payments.

In this episode of The Payments Leader Show, I was joined by Sulabh Agarwal, Global Head of Payments at Accenture, for an insightful conversation about the future of the payments industry and the forces shaping it between now and 2028.Sulabh shares his personal journey into payments, from credit cards and analytics at Capital One to more than two decades at Accenture, where payments has remained a constant thread. What drives his passion, he explains, is that payments sit at the very heart of society: mostly invisible when they work well, but instantly front‑page news when they fail. The conversation explores the most significant opportunities in payments today, including frictionless cross‑border payments, value‑added services, and most powerfully the untapped potential of payments data. Sulabh explains how transactional data is currently fragmented across the ecosystem and how AI and agentic technologies could unlock enormous value for customers, enterprises and economies alike. A major focus was tokenisation, covering money, deposits and real‑world assets. Through practical examples, from buying a car to purchasing event tickets, Sulabh illustrates how tokenised money and assets, combined with programmability and smart contracts, could radically reduce friction, risk and cost, while enabling new models like fractional ownership and smarter lending. Alongside opportunity comes risk. Sulabh highlights growing threats around cyber security, resilience, fraud, AI‑driven attack vectors and the implications of quantum computing. In a real‑time, agent‑driven world, legacy systems and batch processing will no longer be fit for purpose. Crucially, the discussion turned to the human dimension of change. Sulabh outlines the importance of leadership, culture and trust, introducing a clear framework built on the three C's: Clarity of vision Consistency of follow‑through Capability building. Technology alone is not enough, winning hearts and minds is essential to achieving employee trust which enables speed, resilience and sustainable performance. Looking ahead to 2028, Sulabh predicts major advances in AI‑driven payments, new payment instruments, heightened investment in security and resilience, and accelerating momentum in tokenisation. His closing message: this is an extraordinarily exciting industry, success requires focus, conviction and disciplined execution.

I had one of the most meaningful human conversations I have recorded to date with Dan Swift, CEO and founder of Numentum. What started as a discussion about leadership, enterprise sales, and technology quickly became a deeply human exploration of what actually drives long‑term success in business and in life. Dan shared his journey candidly, from launching major initiatives at companies like LinkedIn and Sprinklr to building Numentum over the last nine years. But what stood out immediately was how intentionally he framed success beyond job titles and growth metrics. We talked about leadership not as authority, but as responsibility - responsibility to people. A major theme throughout our conversation was compassionate leadership. Dan spoke openly about living with anxiety and depression for much of his life, and how that self‑awareness has become his superpower as a leader. Because he understands himself so deeply, he’s able to truly see others. That translates into leadership grounded in empathy, vulnerability, and trust not at the expense of standards or performance, but in direct support of them. From there, we moved into the world of enterprise sales and buyer experience, where Dan made a powerful case for re‑humanising selling. In a world overloaded with automation, sequences, and now AI‑driven outreach, buyers are more overwhelmed than ever. Walls are up, trust is low, and noise is everywhere. Dan challenged the idea that more activity equals better outcomes. Instead, he talked about **relationship‑first selling, understanding who knows whom, earning warm introductions, and adding value long before asking for anything in return. One of the most striking insights he shared was the data behind this approach: warm paths into organisations convert to meetings over 70% of the time, compared to less than 1% for cold outreach using the same data and messaging. This led us into relationship capital, LinkedIn, and how leaders and sellers show up in public. Dan believes LinkedIn is one of the most powerful one‑to‑many relationship tools we have only if it’s used with generosity. His filter is simple: "If what you’re posting doesn’t add value to the person reading it, why post it at all?" We also spoke honestly about the tension many sellers feel, knowing the right way to sell but being measured on the wrong data points. Dan was clear: compensation and metrics drive behaviour, and many organisations are still optimising for activity rather than outcomes, trust, and long‑term impact. The conversation ended on a deeply reflective note. I asked Dan what he’d say to his 21‑year‑old self, and his answer was simple and powerful: *it’s going to be okay. Success comes from learning, caring, evolving, and being kind, especially to yourself. Dan shared how he’s only recently learned to slow down, take care of his health, and actually celebrate success rather than immediately moving on to the next challenge.

In this episode I am joined by Willem Wellinghoff in a thoughtful and grounded conversation on leadership, curiosity, trust, and the future of payments. Willem shares his unconventional “squiggly” career journey from law into fintech and payments, emphasising that meaningful careers are rarely linear. A recurring theme throughout the discussion is curiosity which Willem describes as essential not just for leadership, but for staying human in a rapidly evolving industry. For him curiosity must be paired with grit, discipline, and action, as progress rarely happens without setbacks. The conversation explores what it really means to be customer‑centric, arguing that it goes far beyond slogans. True customer focus starts with deeply understanding how different people want—and are able—to pay, particularly across regions and abilities. Willem highlights financial inclusion and accessibility as strategic imperatives, not altruistic extras, pointing to the often‑overlooked economic power of underserved communities. Looking to the future of payments, Willem discusses why payments only feel instant, even though settlement often isn’t. This illusion is built on trust, trust between consumers, merchants, banks, and payment networks. He identifies Stablecoin, open banking, and account‑to‑account payments as major opportunities to reduce friction, improve transparency, and enable real‑time global payments, while still protecting consumers. Finally, reflecting on his younger self, Willem stresses the importance of hard work, kindness, and purpose. Leadership, he concludes, is about building trust, challenging the status quo, and bringing people together around something meaningful especially at a pivotal moment in the evolution of the payments industry.

Candice Pressinger - Director of Customer Data Security, Elavon Europe talks to Adrian Evans. Key learnings:Security and innovation are complementary There is a common misconception that security slows down innovation. Candice reframes this, arguing that they are not opposites but partners. Effective security is actually a "growth lever" that reduces friction and costs, enabling businesses to innovate safely.Psychological safety drives commercial results Creating a safe culture isn't just a soft skill; it is a business necessity. Candice emphasises that to solve complex problems, leaders must create an environment where staff, especially quieter team members, feel safe to voice ideas, challenge the status quo, and admit mistakes without fear of being shut down.Hiring for curiosity, accountability, and adaptability While technical competence is the baseline, Candice prioritises three specific traits when recruiting: Curiosity (the desire to extrapolate and find the "next big thing"), Accountability (the willingness to own decisions and mistakes), and Adaptability (the ability to pivot in a constantly changing fraud landscape).Curiosity as a career compass Candice’s journey from a lawyer in data protection to a leader in payment security was not a straight line. She highlights curiosity as the primary driver that allowed her to spot opportunities, pivot successfully, and navigate the complex payments ecosystem.The "Arms Race" with fraudsters Security innovation is necessary because fraudsters are innovating just as fast. Candice notes that fraudsters now operate like organised, high-tech businesses using AI. Therefore, corporate innovation is required not just for new products, but simply to keep up with the sophistication of bad actors.

In this powerful and insightful conversation, former hostage and crisis negotiator Nicky Perfect and I explored the art of communication, emotional intelligence, and human connection under pressure.Drawing on decades of frontline experience, Nicky reveals what truly drives effective conversations whether in life‑or‑death situations or everyday leadership. Nicky unpacked the value of deep listening, the rare skill of giving someone “a good listening to,” and why creating psychological safety is the foundation of trust.The importance of self‑reflection, putting ego aside, and having the humility to ask, “What could I have done better?” Nicky explains why slowing down is often the most powerful strategy, resisting the urge to “fix” too quickly and instead seeing challenging conversations not as one‑off events but as evolving campaigns. We also explore the human need for identity and validation, and how recognising this can radically transform difficult interactions.A major theme is self‑responsibility: before stepping into any important discussion, leaders must check their own emotional state. Are you in the right frame of mind? If not, the most mature choice might be to pause or let someone else step in.Nicky closes with a profound message: every interaction leaves a mark. We can choose to leave people feeling valued, empowered, and heard or the opposite. Since we never fully know the impact, the only real question is:How would you like to leave that person feeling as you walk away from that conversation?

In this inspiring conversation, we explore an unconventional career journey that proves success is rarely linear and often far more interesting when it isn’t. From the very beginning, Ray’s story shows what’s possible when passion, purpose, and perseverance intersect.Balancing family life, night school, and growing responsibilities in a demanding business environment, he demonstrates how barriers can be navigated not by shortcuts, but through smart, consistent, and determined action.A powerful theme running through our discussion is dyslexia not as a setback, but as a desirable difficulty. Rather than seeing it as a limitation, Ray frames it as a differentiator: a way of thinking that unlocks creativity, client problem solving, and unique insight. It’s a reminder that diverse minds shape stronger teams and better outcomes.We also explore the importance of putting the right person at the centre of the table whether that’s the merchant, the client, or the colleague whose voice hasn’t yet been heard. Ray shares how meaningful inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do; it has multiplying effects across a business, enhancing reputation, strengthening relationships, and delivering better customer outcomes.In discussing the payments world, Ray highlights how despite decades of infrastructure remaining largely unchanged complexity has increased, creating a growing need for translators: people who can break down the intricate into the understandable. Curiosity emerged as a defining trait of every great career in payments. Even chargebacks which many can see as unglamorous become a gateway to understanding the whole ecosystem.Ultimately, this episode is about winning the right way: through respect, trust, and doing what you say you’ll do. And, above all, by showing up each day committed to giving your best because that’s the one thing we can always control.Thank you Michael Harty for connecting us.

Had a compelling conversation, with Cian Fitzpatrick Dylan Fitzpatrick. We explored how the payments industry has transformed from a cost centre into a genuine source of competitive advantage.What emerged throughout the discussion is a consistent theme: human connection. Whether onboarding clients or building long term partnerships, trust remains the foundation of every successful relationship.We dived into opportunities shaping the future of payments, from redesigning cross border and FX ecosystems to increasing transparency across the value chain. Growing influence of AI, how it can dramatically streamline operations, elevate customer experience, and support business growth.We agreed and stressed that AI must enhance rather than replace human judgement. “Humans in the loop” remains essential: people brief the AI, let it handle the heavy lifting, and then humans apply insight and responsibility to final decisions.Responsibility becomes the key word of the episode. Cian emphasises that transparency, innovation, and self reflection only matter when paired with ownership and action. Without execution, great ideas remain just talk.Dylan closes with a powerful message for aspiring founders: "Go all in".Drawing from his startup journey at Revolut and now Payfex Global, he urges listeners not to wait for the perfect moment. Commit fully, embrace the hard work and the failures, and the rewards will shine “a hell of a lot brighter.”This episode blends industry insight, entrepreneurial wisdom, and a reminder that behind every product, platform, or piece of technology trust and human connection still matter most.Thank you Anant Patel for connecting us.

Our conversation revolved around the power of curiosity, sincerity, and adding value. These guiding principles provide the foundation for building a meaningful career. Stefano’s natural curiosity about people and the world around him becomes the fuel for forming genuine, trust-based relationships. Rather than networking for personal gain, he approaches others with sincerity and reciprocity, creating a multiplying effect where energy and opportunity flow both ways. His mindset is simple yet profound: mean well. When you operate from good intent, life stays in motion, you meet more people, learn more, and open doors you couldn’t have predicted. Passion plays a major role too; by working in industries he genuinely enjoys, such as music, travel, and payments, he removes friction and brings authentic enthusiasm to his work. Reflection also shapes Stefano’s growth, whether identifying niche opportunities or developing stronger communication. Above all, resilience defines his journey. Even after rejections and being temporarily blacklisted for applying for jobs with one company, he kept finding new routes in, taking imperfect opportunities and turning them into long-term roles. His philosophy is clear: don’t ask for a job, solve a problem. Add value first, and the right opportunities will find you.

What a fascinating conversation, made even richer by an effortless, grounded style. In this episode, we explore five powerful themes that emerged from Divya's journey and leadership philosophy. First, we uncover her unwavering commitment to doing the right thing and giving her best in every moment, a value set that forms the bedrock of how she leads and makes decisions. Next we explored Divya's evolution across geographies, markets, and roles, revealing a leader who adapts situationally with integrity, shifting seamlessly from advisor to operator. While staying true to her purpose. She places customers at the centre, viewing opportunity, risk, regulation, and innovation through the lens of what truly serves them. Not what is merely possible. We dived into the possibilities within the payments industry, especially real‑time payments, which she sees as transformative for every stakeholder. Finally, we reflect on her perspective on trust, trust in oneself, trust in intuition, and trust as the very foundation of the payments ecosystem. A conversation full of insight, humility, and deep experience.

Esme Wilson, Private Equity VP, Pollen Street Capital and Philip Harding, Commercial Director, Cashflows talk with Adrian Evans.There can be some confusion about how private equity firms and portfolio companies interact. If the roles are not clearly defined, it can lead to an unproductive dynamic. In our latest podcast discussion with Esme Wilson, Private Equity VP at Pollen Street Capital and Philip Harding, Commercial Director at Cashflows, we discussed what makes their partnership work. Key to their success has been distinguishing roles responsibilities and expectations from day one.

Clive Smith joined Adrian Evans on The Payments Leaders Show to talk about healthy organisational effectiveness. Clive brings a rare blend of sharp insight and deep humanity to the way teams perform and cultures evolve. They covered:How maximising curiosity is the only way to minimise internal politics.Why sending an email isn’t the same as creating clarity.When to take nodding heads in the boardroom as a warning sign.https://www.linkedin.com/in/clivesmith/

Esme Wilson, Private Equity VP, Pollen Street Capital and Philip Harding, Commercial Director, Cashflows talk with Adrian Evans.

Srini Chandrasekharan https://www.linkedin.com/in/schandrasekharan/

Cien Solon www.linkedin.com/in/ciensolon/A compelling conversation about how launchlemonade is making AI accessible and practical for businesses by putting human needs first and using it as an amplifier rather than a replacement for human capabilities.

Srini Chandrasekharan https://www.linkedin.com/in/schandrasekharan/

Anant Patel - CEO, Fabrick UK www.linkedin.com/in/anant-patel-0608066/ & Keith Douglas - CEO, Vocalink Limited www.linkedin.com/in/keithrdouglas/Key learnings:Trust is efficient. Collaboration is most effective when you trust yourself, your wider team and your network. Think beyond today. Get past them and us, it's actually we. Having a shared vision and goal is critical.Fraud threatens innovation. Innovation is outpacing regulation. We need consistency across regions so we can all rise together. Stay positive. Bring a mindset that sees the opportunity in everything and then embraces the challenge.Be yourself. If you think you're too small to be impactful, you've never been to bed with a mosquito!

Anant Patel - CEO, Fabrick UK www.linkedin.com/in/anant-patel-0608066/ & Keith Douglas - CEO, Vocalink Limited www.linkedin.com/in/keithrdouglas/Key takeaways:Leadership is not about being in charge. It's about taking care of those in your charge.Behaviours drive culture, culture drives results.To thrive in our industry building trust across the eco-system is vital, as is being open, curious and not judgemental.

Pete Wickes www.linkedin.com/in/pete-wickes-a04b3912/Key takeaways: Invest in people. Financial results don't come by luck.Ask good questions. Be curiously competent.Kindness matters. You have to do hard things as a leader, but you can always do them in a kind way.Be intentional. Take personal responsibility for your career development.Be kind. If your kindness rubs off onto others, we’ll all live and work in a much better society.

Shachar Bialick - Founder, CEO Curve www.linkedin.com/in/shacharbialick/Key takeaways: Harness data. Using customer data creates a better experience. Future developments could include offering personal CFO services.Set clear expectations. If there is no impact, it's a cultural problem. And if it's a cultural problem, it's a problem with leadership. Leaders need to set clear expectations.Build trust. Say what you do and do as you say, as simple as that. One of the things that makes the best leaders is that they're very predictable.Understand the context. Be mindful that the context you are working in will impact the organisational culture.The future of payments.Technology will advance; winning wallets will emerge, DeFi will take a front seat, Gen AI will increase fraud and be used to fight it.

Steve Hoban - CEO Attenda www.linkedin.com/in/stevehoban/Key takeaways:Payments is exciting. The unattended marketplace is undergoing rapid innovation, with developments beyond our current imagination.Learn from mistakes. Create a safe space to have honest conversations and take time to reflect on past mistakes.Consumers need choice. Not all Payments need to be frictionless.Tell stories. Attenda describe themselves as ‘substance not style’, they understand the importance of sharing their successes.Home grow talent. Investing in employees is mutually beneficial. Give people opportunities in the business so they can grow.

Michael Harty - Founder Owner The Card & Payments Awards www.linkedin.com/in/michael-harty-7ba3541/Key takeaways:Awards inspire others, it’s much more about recognition than celebration.Independent judging is vital as industry recognition really means something.Any collaboration you can do is for the betterment of the industry.Be positive. Instead of looking at what you shouldn't do, look at what you could be doingMake mistakes. Without those failures, you can't learn and grow.The Card and Payments Awards https://cardandpaymentsawards.com/

Sara Savidge - CEO Fexco International Payments www.linkedin.com/in/sarasavidge/Key takeaways:Leadership starts with self leadership which begins with self care.Historically, payment providers had a solution and consumers had to fit in, now they deliver solutions based on customer needs.Everyone you work with, gives you an opportunity for growth and development.Sponsorship is vital for career progression - who is advocating for you when you are not in the room?Change is not an event, it's a process.Prioritise self care. You need to secure your own mask so you are in a good place to tend to others.

Grace Hayes - EVP Technology Mastercard www.linkedin.com/in/grace-hayes-6827a88a/Key takeaways:Grace spoke about how data brings an opportunity to reduce friction across the payments eco system and that has a knock on effect in terms of inclusion.Advances in technology provide the opportunity for more equitable and inclusive credit, empowering economic growth.Consumers favour businesses with a strong environmental, social and governance stance. They want to deal with companies who operate ethically.We need to go beyond the voice of the customer, creating human centric design rather than using generic personas. We need to think more globally in terms of our customer voice and remove the design biases we may have had in previous years.Sponsorship and coaching both have their place but they are different. Coaching is a deep dive into your strengths and weaknesses, your plans and goals. Sponsorship is different. It is about building lasting relationships with people who will advocate on your behalf when you are not in the room. Payments is continually evolving. We may see the expansion of tokenization, programmable payments becoming the industry norm and the development of the ‘super wallet’.

Stephen Slattery - Global VP Sales Money2020 www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-slattery-b671571/Key takeaways:• Stephen believes that creating success for others, will eventually create success for himself. This customer centric and strong team ethic has worked well for him over the longevity of his career.• Conducting international business is a skill set in its own right and it's not one you can learn from a book. It's learning by doing, reflecting, and refining.• Money2020 is about customers first, what are their needs, those needs might be varied across the globe.• He spoke about the value of having multiple gears when you are leading so you can adapt and improve your impact across multiple customer and employee needs.• A collaborative approach is vital for success within the Payments eco-system and for being a leader in 2023.• Stephen is constant learner, his leadership and approach to customer is a learned skill set and it's an ongoing process for him.• He had an insightful reflection on the industry - previously FINTECHS and banks were going head-to-head against each other, now there is more of a dance together. As they realise need each other, shoulder to shoulder is a better description of how they now operate.• Stephen is very proud to be part of an organisation actually acts and gets results when it comes to closing the gender opportunity and pay gap. The Money2020 ‘Rise Up’ program lead to more women gaining promotion. They had the right sponsorship, access to those who believed in them and a proven methodology to follow.• Stephen's advice to his younger self – it will work out well, so trust yourself. Speak up when you have the opportunity and don’t rely on others to spot the same blind spots you do.

Keith Douglas - CEO Vocalink Limited www.linkedin.com/in/keithrdouglas/Key Takeaways:• Keith is driven by his values and the desire to be the very best version of himself, which allows him to play to his strengths, and to seek opportunities that match them.• He has self-awareness and knows that he enjoys leading – it enables him to make an impact and actually choose the narrative.• Together is always better – Keith has benefited from being part of large and small teams, he knows that having high caliber people around him directly impacts him. It enables him to keep learning that makes him a better leader. Means the team can own any mistakes and move forward.• Together is always better – Facing into the challenge, and also seeing the opportunity. • Sponsorship and advocacy – Keith has benefitted from and others have benefited from his sponsorship. The vital first part is you need to ask. You need to ask in a considered way because you need to start with yourself, to understand what you bring, what your edge is and what your skills are, what your ambitions are.• Sponsorship and advocacy - it's a two-way street. It is playing to the self-interest of both parties.• Keith has learnt and continues to learn from many people. Learning from multiple leaders along the way enables longevity of the learning journey.• Keith deals gracefully with setbacks – there are three choices; setbacks can define you, destroy you or make you stronger, he chooses the latter. It's vital to continue to build trust within a team during challenging situations - If we do decide to go over here, we're going to go together. • As a leader have your hand on your team members back rather than in their face. One of the most important leadership traits to display. We are not going to disperse and fragment in the face of adversity.• Advice to younger self - listen, for what's not being said during meetings and interactions. Ensuring that a quieter voice is being heard, is given a platform for the benefit of better decision making.

Tony Craddock, Director General of The Payments Association https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonycraddock/ Key takeaways:Be open. Networking brings opportunities and a collaborative approach is a win for all.Seek connection. Relationships are a mutually beneficial exchange of value.Complexity brings opportunity. The Payments Industry is changing fast, find a gap in the market.Set the right intentions. Collaboration is not a project, it’s a lifestyle.Find the right role. Find out what your unique ability is and focus on doing that.

Tony Craddock, Director General of The Payments Association https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonycraddock/ Key takeaways:Be open. Networking brings opportunities and a collaborative approach is a win for all.Seek connection. Relationships are a mutually beneficial exchange of value.Complexity brings opportunity. The Payments Industry is changing fast, find a gap in the market.Set the right intentions. Collaboration is not a project, it’s a lifestyle.Find the right role. Find out what your unique ability is and focus on doing that.

Join us for a fireside conversation with senior leaders in the Payments industry. gAKA7KolJ9tQGmrTet56