Be inspired by women making waves in the EMEA payments industry and beyond. Join us at the 2023 Symposium! Our theme for this year is "Women- Driving the Pulse of Payments".
Our keynotes, panels, and break-out work sessions will help strengthen your skills while keeping you on top of industry trends. Hear from women leaders on a variety of subjects including current payments issues and initiatives, fintech, and leadership. You'll also have the opportunity to network with women at all levels and with diverse backgrounds in payment and fintech. This is a must-attend event for any woman who's serious about accelerating her career in the payments industry.
The Women in Payments Symposium is a unique event that provides perspectives from key women leaders in payments, supports diversity and gender parity, and includes topics impacting all aspects of the payments ecosystem. The format is split between networking breaks, keynote addresses, executive panel discussions and career development breakout sessions. This forum is an unparalleled opportunity that is empowering, current and immediately relevant to any woman pursuing a career in payments.
The Awards Cocktail on April 19th is Business Cocktail.
As the payments sector rapidly evolves, how can women in the industry navigate the ever-changing landscape to build and advance their careers? Four executives discuss their career journey, how they utilised networking, mentorship and sponsorship opportunities, the barriers and challenges they have faced, and how they found fulfilment in their careers to propel themselves to new heights.
Kate Frankish
Chief Business Development Officer at Pay.UK
Arati Kurien
Global Head of Commercial Card Product Management at HSBC
Cecilia Lek
Vice President, Account Management at Mastercard
Cheryl Hurst
Inclusion & Diversity Manager at Lloyds Bank
16:00 - 17:30CRYPTO, BLOCKCHAIN AND WEB3 - WHAT WILL THE FUTURE OF PAYMENTS LOOK LIKE THROUGH A CRYPTO LENS?
What are the challenges still facing mass adoption? This workshop will explore the current state of play for digital currencies at the height of crypto winter and the ways to mitigate risk and volatility within the industry. How do we encourage more Web3 development and how can big brands and banks use Web3 to heighten the consumer experience and reach a bigger audience?
Julia Morrongiello
Head of Growth Europe at Zero Hash
Dr. Ruth Wandhofer
Chief Innovation Officer at ruth-wandhofer.com
Martyna Lewinska
Co-Founder & CTO of Fiat Republic
Nisha Surendran
Citi Digital Assets - Institutional Lead for Tokenization, Metaverse & NFTs at Citi
GREAT HALL / MAIN STAGE/VIRTUAL PROGRAM
18:30 - 18:45AWARDS - OPENING REMARKS
Kristy Duncan
Founder and CEO of Women in Payments
18:45 - 19:55AWARDS PRESENTATION
19:55 - 20:00CLOSING REMARKS
Kristy Duncan
Founder and CEO of Women in Payments
UNDER CROFT (LOWER GROUND)
FOYER
13:00 - 13:30NETWORKING BREAK
17:00 - 18:30NETWORKING COCKTAIL
LIBRARY
07:30 - 08:15REGISTRATION AND NETWORKING BREAKFAST
10:00 - 10:30NETWORKING BREAK
GREAT HALL / MAIN STAGE/VIRTUAL PROGRAM
08:30 - 08:45OPENING REMARKS
Kristy Duncan
Founder and CEO of Women in Payments
Julia Streets
Founder and CEO of Streets Consulting
08:45 - 09:15OPENING KEYNOTE
Samantha Emery
Director, Payments Industry and Development of Lloyds Banking Group
09:15 - 10:00EXECUTIVE PANEL
Payments are hot! Payments have been called sexy! This panel of industry dynamos is driving the pulse of payments as the industry accelerates its shift to digital, and collaboration across FIs, fintechs, and technology providers continues to increase. Join them as they explore the world of payments, and share their secrets to career success in this exciting industry.
Emma Alley
COO at Moneycorp
Karen Braithwaite
Managing Director, Global Head – Transaction Banking of Barclays Corporate Banking
Anita Liu Harvey
Director, Global Payments Strategy of Spotify
Hemlata Narasimhan
President Europe at Elavon Europe
Emanuela Saccarola
MD, Global Co-Head of Cross Border Payments and Receivables at Citi
13:00 - 13:30THE CHANGING FACE OF PAYMENTS: WHERE ARE WE GOING AND DO WE LIKE IT?
The face of payments is rapidly changing - it’s younger, bolder and open to innovation. Welcome to the world of Gen Z, the fastest generation in history to adopt new technology and shake up retail and banking services like never before. This panel of leaders unpack some of the most influential innovations inspiring the younger generation to embrace new ways of payment and the need to understand their tastes and preferences to create future proof payments strategies. From artificial intelligence, “pay as you use”, data and digital identity capabilities, to interactive video and Metaverse shopping, this expert panel explores the biggest trends making headway in payments and how innovation can mitigate security challenges.
Maria Campbell
COO at Griffin Bank
Susana Delgado
Managing Director Global Head of Consumer & SME Payments Strategy at SWIFT
Nicole Olbe
Managing Director of Payment Partnerships Barclaycard Payments at Barclays
Sophia Qureshi
Director of Consulting Services at Featurespace
Alison Livesey
Managing Director, EMEA Commercial Banking Head of JP Morgan
14:45 - 15:45THE METAVERSE GAME SHOW
An interactive and entertaining opportunity to test our knowledge, and learn more about the Metaverse! The Metaverse is at a crossroads where technology, imagination, entertainment and digital economy come together in an interactive and immersive environment. As fintech and payment innovation experts’ partner to create real-time customer journeys in the Metaverse, we are all now students learning about a parallel universe, VR, AR, avatars, holograms, and new experiences and activities we can have without ever leaving home.
Caroline Hughes
CEO of Lifetise
Nathalie Oestermann
COO at Outlier Ventures
Debbie Suttle
SVP at Mastercard Direct Services
Veronica Korzh
CEO and co-founder of GeekPay
15:45 - 16:15ECONOMIC OUTLOOK: THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS: WHAT DO CONSUMERS AND BUSINESSES WANT FROM US RIGHT NOW?
2022 brought numerous hurdles, including soaring energy costs and environmental challenges which presented conflicting priorities for businesses and governments alike. What changing needs and behaviours are we seeing from customers during these challenging economic times? Opportunities like ESG investing continue to gain momentum, especially for the 1.4 billion adults who remain unbanked [source: World Bank, Jul 2022]. This panel of experts will explore new technology, brands across industries that have shown up for their customers and how to shift from promise to purpose and better serve underbanked and unbanked customers around the world.
Hannah Bernard
Head of Business Banking at Barclays
Merusha Naidu
Paymentology
Lisa Scott
CEO of Europe at Banked.com
Shantarrae Talbot
Head of Global Payment Solutions Bermuda at HSBC
Sophie Wadsworth
Trends & Advisory EMEA at J.P. Morgan Payments
16:15 - 16:45CLOSING KEYNOTE
TradeFi, DeFi and the future of Web3
In this engaging and informative session, Marieke Flament, CEO of the Near Foundation, discusses how the promises of crypto and Web3 are being delivered while the banking system is further weakened by the aftermath of SVB, Silvergate, Credit Suisse and others. While crypto has had more of its fair share of crisis- from the fall of FTX and Terra/Luna to Celsius and Three Arrows Capital - Marieke will show that DeFi is continuing to grow - bigger, better, stronger - with usability and real use cases on the rise.
Make no mistake, DeFi is here to stay - and the future of payments will be shaped by the developments of this financial model. Using examples of existing partnerships with Near - the world's first Blockchain Operating System for Web3 , Marieke will showcase some big milestones for her sector. She will also discuss the opportunities and challenges of transitioning consumers from Web2 to Web3 services, and how the Web3 ecosystem is breaking down barriers to attract mass adoption.
This is an informative and hotly anticipated discussion that shouldn't be missed!
Marieke Flament
CEO of Near Foundation
16:45 - 17:15CLOSING REMARKS
Kristy Duncan
Founder and CEO of Women in Payments
ESG & FINANCIAL INCLUSION - UNDER CROFT (LOWER GROUND)
10:30 - 11:10ACCELERATING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL INDUSTRY – WHAT’S NEXT? CAN ESG INITIATIVES HELP DRIVE THE FINANCIAL INCLUSION AGENDA?
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are a priority for financial institutions around the world, many have the basics in place. But, with an estimated 1.4 billion adults unbanked and a significant number of them women living in rural areas, how organisations can drive concrete progress remains uncertain. This panel will discuss possible solutions, including stimulating cultural change, establishing access through partnerships with mobile network operators, microfinance institutions, payment service providers and banks.
Akansha Dimri
Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Tech Funding News
Marissa Ellis
Inclusion Strategist & Founder of Diversily
Sonia Luthra
Managing Director UK Data Protection Officer & Head of Data Protection at Societe Generale
Erin Thornton
DE&I Global Lead at Swift
May Wafa
Head of Sub-Saharan Africa Financial Institutions at J.P. Morgan
11:20 - 12:00CLOSING THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL INCLUSION GAP WHILE SUPPORTING EMERGING AND DEVELOPING ECONOMIES
Increasing access to digital financial services and tools is critical to accelerating the rate at which developing economies can move into the formal financial system. How do we support change without losing focus on the welfare of society? With a view towards developing tools required to meet the needs of emerging markets and financially excluded people, this panel will explore the increasing use of digital payment alternatives, continuing with a traditional cash economy and the importance of digital public goods to simplify and drive down costs and increase accessibility to greater financial inclusion.
Katie Dilaj
EMEA Market Management Head Treasury & Trade Solutions at Citi
Marianne Bregenzer
Country General Manager at Nexi Group
Rufaida Hamilton
Head of Payments South Africa at Standard Bank of South Africa
Adeyanju Pinheiro-Aina
Business Analyst at FXC Intelligence
Michael Richards
Finance Services Principal at INFITX
13:35 - 14:15THE JOURNEY TO CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY – NAVIGATING THE SEA OF ESG THEMES AND REGULATIONS
This panel of experts will explore the complex set of ESG themes and associated financial regulations firms are navigating to decide how to implement global solutions that make sense for their business and deliver on their ESG and financial inclusion obligations. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has much to offer, from learning how our payments impact the environment, to getting involved with our community and local charities along with extending to look at the broader wellbeing of our community.
Sherree Schaefer
Chief People & Culture Officer at Pay.UK
Meabh Maguire
Global Commercial Head at CR2
Aisling Doyle
European Head of Change and ESG at Elavon Financial Services
Amandine Servotte
ESG Lead – Central Europe at Mastercard
GREAT HALL - PAYMENT INNOVATION
10:30 - 11:10ARE CRYPTO AND DIGITAL CURRENCIES A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL PAYMENTS?
Traditional payment companies are increasingly developing crypto products to transfer money, but are these really faster and cheaper? What can we expect from CBDC adoption and will it modernize the banking landscape? Our experts will explore the benefits and challenges of crypto currencies and CBDC adoption for businesses and consumers
Hannah Lynch
Product Manager at Blockdaemon
Yeseniia Marchenko
Head of EU Sales at Trust Payments
Manon Quillere
Research Manager at FXC Intelligence
Basak Toprak
EMEA Head of Onyx Coin Systems at J.P.Morgan
Mia Van
EMEA Blockchain and Digital Assets lead for Consulting Services at Mastercard
11:20 - 12:00OPEN BANKING TO OPEN FINANCE - PREDICTIONS FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS
Nilixa Devlukia
Chair at Open Finance Association
Ben Aier
VP of API Products at Yapily
Martina Power
Head of Software Engineering at ACI Worldwide
Fliss Berridge
Co-Founder of Ordo
13:35 - 14:15HOW TO ENABLE GLOBAL INSTANT AND FRICTIONLESS PAYMENTS
Digital transformation is changing the way the world works. Consumers and businesses want seamless, real-time experiences for all their payment needs. While new methods of payment create opportunities, they also pose challenges. This panel of experts will explore ways to avoid the emergence of digital islands; manage fraud prevention, KYC, AML and how different platforms can work cross-border, dealing with different regulatory jurisdictions and FX. They will also discuss how interoperability can best be coordinated at a global level.
Saskia Devolder
Strategy Cross-border Payments at SWIFT
Simone Löfgen
Global Head of Payment Platforms Managing Director Commerzbank AG at Corporate Clients & Treasury Platforms
Victoria Cleland
Executive Director Payments of Bank of England
Holly Coventry
VP, International Open Banking Payments at American Express
Michèle Zaquine
Director, Head of Propositions and Commercialisation Europe, Global Payments Solutions at HSBC
Career & Talent Development
10:30 - 11:15PROGRESSIVE LEADERSHIP IN 2023
Nicole Asling
VP Enterprise Partners at Worldpay from FIS
Katy Cook
Head of Treasury and Operations at Nationwide Building Society
Nicola Els
Managing Director of Commercial
Claire Hogan
VP, Head of Global Talent Acquisition at American Express
Bana Akkad Azhari
Head of Treasury Services, EMEA at BNY Mellon
11:20 - 12:00IS THE "QUEEN BEE" SYNDROME ALIVE AND WELL? WE CAN RISE, ONLY BY LIFTING OTHERS
A Queen Bee (QB) is a woman in position of authority who treats other women more harshly than men, purely because of their gender. QB also describes a woman who refuses to share knowledge and tips with other women to help them achieve their own success. The QB Syndrome may also be why women typically find it more stressful to work for female bosses. Powerful and successful women should ALWAYS be willing to help other women on their climb. There is room for us ALL at the top. These panelists discuss their own experiences of QB and the women who did go out of their way to lift them up.
Natasja Bolton
Client Engagement Manager at Viking Cloud
Alison Livesey
Managing Director, EMEA Commercial Banking Head of JP Morgan
Candice Pressinger
Director Customer Data Security of Elavon Merchant Services
13:35 - 14:15IMPOSTER SYNDROME - REINVENTING CAREER ADVANCEMENT AND THE ONGOING BATTLE WITH OUR INNER CRITICS
There is no time like the present to master the art of career and leadership advancement. But, at some point, many of us have suffered from impostor syndrome: believing we are not as competent as others, are undeserving of our position and fear being discovered as a fraud. This panel will discuss how imposter syndrome presents itself, how to cope with our own insecurities about success, and how to support or mentor others who may be experiencing it.
Ian Butler
Head of Product Management at Elavon
Sandra Mianda
Founder & CEO of Paypr.work
Lily Woi
Culture Change & Executive Leadership Coach at Lily Woi Coaching