Current Speakers Europe

Saskia Devolder is a dynamic executive leader with over 20 years of experience in the
financial services and payments industry. As the Head of Visa Direct Central Europe at
Visa, Saskia is at the forefront of transforming money movement, enabling fast, simple
and secure ways to pay and be paid.
Previously, as Managing Director Strategy Cross-border Payments and Head of Western
& Central Europe at SWIFT, she spearheaded strategic initiatives to enable frictionless,
instant cross-border payments. Saskia successfully launched SWIFT gpi and led the
ECB ESMIG project, driving innovation and efficiency across Europe.
Known for her ability to demystify complex concepts in diverse, multicultural settings,
Saskia is passionate about sustainable growth through innovation and technology. Her
earlier career includes impactful senior roles at MasterCard, Synstar International, and
Sterling Software.

Founder & CEO of Banfico, supporting financial institutions with Open Banking and Verification of Payee solutions.

Open Banking expert who has worked at leading financial institutions in the UK – RBS, HSBC, WorldPay, Lloyds Banking Group. An active participant in various working groups on Open Banking and a speaker at various conferences. Serving as Advisor to Berlin Group’s open finance standards – EU’s most widely used API specification.

A strong advocate of Open Standards and an expert in identity & security. Come from a technical background with 20+ years of experience & is a hands-on solution architect. Graduate in Applied Mathematics.

David Ballaschk is a payments expert in the Deutsche Bundesbank’s Directorate General Payments and Settlement Systems. His work focuses mainly on cross-border and real-time payments. He is a member of various G20 and G7 groups focussing on payments.

Giorgio Andreoli has extensive professional experience in digital financial solutions and innovative services, spanning multiple industries and executive roles. Before joining the EPC in March 2023 he has been working from Sep 2021 at the European Central Bank (ECB) on the Digital Euro project. From 2010 to 2021 he served as a Managing Director at Accenture, working on digital finance, payments, and open banking projects for Italian and European clients. Before then he worked for 15 years in the telco sector, eventually serving as Director of Strategic Marketing at Ericsson South-East Europe.

Susana is Managing Director, Strategy & Business Development at Swift. She defines and executes
strategies for Swift to support the financial community in delivering instant and frictionless payments across the world.
In her professional trajectory with over 20 years of experience, she has developed a broad expertise in
payments, having worked for leading financial institutions such as Santander’s cross-border payments division and Citi’s credit cards business.
Beyond the financial industry, she delved into the dynamic world of technology holding leadership roles at Amazon and in the B2B software industry, where she led digital transformation and go-to-market strategies. Earlier in her career she was a management consultant at McKinsey.

At the Deutsche Bundesbank, Dr Heike Winter is responsible for digitalisation in payments. This comprises committee work in the Eurosystem and in the German banking industry. She is involved into internal and external discussions on crypto assets, stable coins and central bank digital currencies. After completing her degree in economics, Dr Winter worked at an institute for economic theory. She joined the Deutsche Bundesbank in February 1999, working initially in the Public Relations and Economic Education Departments before transferring to the Payments Department in March 2007.

Marcus joined the Digital Euro Project from day one on and supported the holistic definition of the front-end related product part. This included a wide scope from the distribution model via form factor considerations up to the compensation model. Since July 2024 he acts as team lead for the online use case team within the Product Proposition Division. The team is responsible for all front-end related standards, formats and specifications around the digital euro as well as the detailed implementation of those within the rulebook of the Digital Euro.
Before joining the ECB Marcus worked 11 years at Deutsche Bundesbank in different occupations, but always within the payments policy area. He was responsible with his team for the evolution of the SEPA clearer, was involved in national debit card migration projects but as well in Bundesbank’s first DLT experiments.
Marcus has a background in economics from Bonn University as well as KU Leuven.

Specialist in financial services law and global payment solutions for corporates and financial institutions. Leading and managing the Global Payment Solutions Europe and Product Legal Team and providing Global oversight and support regarding liquidity, cash management and payment legal risk.

Private practice roles in both Paris and London and as in-house counsel, including a number of secondments to global financial institutions. Experienced advisor for implementing changes relating to finance and financial services law; supporting regional deal and product governance forums. Specialising in strategic projects assessing the impact of legal, regulatory, strategic and market changes and advising on solutions.

Trustee on the board of The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) – Friends in the UK and Peacehaven House care home.

Transaction Banking and technology Product Director with a proven track record in building and leading product teams. 20+ years’ experience providing market leading solutions to FIs, NBFIs, multi-national Corporates and SMEs across the UK, Europe and wider world, giving them access to truly innovative products. Strong knowledge of the financial technology landscape, connectivity, regulation and market developments at an industry level. Able to communicate bilingually in English and French, building lasting relationships with customers and colleagues at all levels in a rapidly moving technology driven environment. Adept at presenting at senior forums such as Executive Committees and Board. Fully qualified – holder of the International Cash Management (ICM) certification from the Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT), Agile modern solutions framework (MSF) exam, and numerous official SWIFT and AML accreditations.

Sample of specialist areas and functions:

Real-time messaging and protocols e.g. UK Faster Payments / SEPA Instant
Cross border payments and correspondent banking
Open Banking initiatives – PSD2 and the UK Open Banking Standard
Product strategy and roadmap
Leading organisation’s participation in the UK Open Banking Implementation Entity (OBIE)
Using Artificial Intelligence to improve operational efficiency
Company representation on industry bodies such as Euro-Banking Association (EBA) and UK Finance (formerly Payments UK)
Connectivity inc. SWIFTNet FIN & FileAct, host to host, API
Vendor Management
Product Marketing
Payment clearing & settlement systems – ACH (various), RTGS, SEPA (SCT & SDD)
Financial messaging – ISO20022 XML, EDIFACT, MTxxx, BACS, CFONB
Project Management

Proud mentor at the Career Ready charity, supporting Sixth Form students with a comprehensive programme to help them prepare to start their careers. We partner with companies around London and the UK to provide students with career mentoring, masterclass workshops and summer internships. If you would like to know more or get involved, please reach out to me.

Bence Marosi has a diverse work experience spanning over two decades. Bence started his career at Citibank Hungary in 1999, where he held various roles such as Management Associate, Senior Citigold Executive and Investment and Citigold Head. In 2007, he joined UniCredit Bank Hungary, where he led multiple key areas in Retail, Private Banking and Corporate Divisions. In 2020, he joined GIRO Zrt. where he held the COO position between 2021-2023. Since 2023, he is Business Director of GIRO Zrt., overseeing GIRO’s Service Portfolio, Business Development and Testing activities.

László Kajdi is the Head of the Financial Infrastructures and Payments Policy Section at the Central Bank of Hungary (MNB). He holds a Ph.D. in Economics with a thesis on international remittances to Hungary. Previously he worked at the Hungarian Ministry of Finance and in the Hungarian Central Statistical Office. In his present position he is responsible for tasks concerning the development of the Hungarian payment system, i.e. designing and executing public policies which facilitate the prevalence of electronic payment methods. This includes the further development of the Hungarian “qvik” instant payments service, as well as tasks in connection with the analysis of central bank digital currencies. The development of financial infrastructures like the Hungarian ACH, CSD and CCP is also an important part of his work. In addition, his tasks cover the elaboration of proposals for payments related regulation.

Robert Kiszely graduated from Eotvos Lorand Science University in Computer Science. He was hired as the first Capsys employee in 1998. Over the past 26 years he has gained experience in several fields in banking and financial IT: expert consultancy, development, implementation and support of securities settlement, pension fund administration and payment systems. Robert has successfully led several domestic and international projects. As Director of Professional Services, he runs the professional support of Capsys’ international partnership programme, focusing on Immediate Payments and PSD2/ Open Banking. Robert has been recognised as one of the leading experts of Immediate Payments and PSD2/Open Banking in Hungary, having spoken at numerous conferences on these topics. Over the last three years he has led the architectural design and subsequent implementation of two major immediate payment implementations in Hungary.”

As of 1 February 2014 Gijs Boudewijn (1958) holds the position of Deputy General Manager at the Dutch Payments Association. Before that he was responsible for payments at the Dutch Banking Association.

He has extensive experience in domestic as well as international payments issues, governance, competition law and fraud prevention. He started as an in-house lawyer at a large Dutch savings bank, and later became Head of Legal Affairs at the central Dutch clearing house, Bankgirocentrale, the predecessor of equensWorldline.

In 1998 Mr Boudewijn joined the Dutch Banking Association as Head of Payments and Security Affairs, and in 2014 was appointed Deputy General Manager of the Dutch Payments Association. Currently Mr Boudewijn is Chair of the Legal Support Group of the European Payments Council and Chair of the Payment Systems Committee of the European Banking Federation (also representing the EBF on the API Evaluation Group established by the European Commisison).

Over the past years he was in that capacity closely involved with matters relating to PSD2 and the various Regulatory Technical Standards. Mr Boudewijn is a regular speaker at national and international conferences on payments, open banking and related issues.

The “too hard basket” is my comfort zone. I excel at simplifying complex challenges, collaborating with Subject Matter Experts to transform underperforming verticals affected by legislative, operational, or legacy issues. I thrive on continuous growth, both personal and professional, through learning and coaching.

Key achievements include founding an early-payment platform serving over 200 corporations, securing significant debt funding, financing 35,000+ WorkCover Claims, and developing a bankable legal framework for high-risk construction finance. I also created a multi-currency factoring system boosting efficiency by 10X and resolved critical deficiencies in a public health system, preventing potential crises. Challenges inspire me.

‘Martijn de Ruijter is head of SEPA Payments and Payment Transactions Fraud at Rabobank – a Dutch cooperative bank. In this position he is responsible for product management and delivery related to SEPA Payment Products (including Instant Payments) and a number of related applications. In addition, he is accountable and risk and model owner regarding external fraud including (coordination of) relevant policies and awareness, prevention, detection, case handling and compensation activities. Martijn has a background in Business Lending for SME and corporate customers and holds two Master degrees in Finance and Marketing’.

Nassos Pavlidis is a seasoned banking professional with over 24 years of experience at Alpha Bank, currently serving as Director of Transaction Banking Solutions. Based in Athens, Greece, he oversees products like payments, cash management, trade finance, and FX, while driving innovation through digital solutions and regulatory compliance. Nassos has a strong track record in treasury sales, financial product development, and strategic business development for government entities and corporate clients. Holding an MSc in Financial Management and a BA in Business Studies from Middlesex University, Nassos is highly skilled in banking, derivatives, and FX options, with active industry engagement.

Sandra Schaldemose Sommerlund is a seasoned financial professional with over a decade of experience in investment and banking. Currently, she serves as Senior Vice President and Tribe Lead for Customer & Sector Integration at Danske Bank’s Large Corporates & Institutions, where she drives innovative solutions for corporate clients. With expertise in financial risk management, FX sales, and derivatives, Sandra has held key leadership roles, including Nordic Head of SME FX Sales. She holds dual Master’s degrees in Economics and Finance, alongside CFA Level 3 credentials. Fluent in Danish, English, and German, Sandra is based in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Passionate about payments modernization and worldwide access to secure, interoperable payment systems, I have been fortunate to find myself at the forefront of Payments Canada’s modernization efforts, helping to define Canadian usage of the international ISO 20022 standard for the Real-Time Rail and high-value system Lynx. My extensive knowledge and expertise in this area has also allowed me to represent Payments Canada as an engaging public speaker in multiple conferences.

Working closely with Payments Canada’s members and stakeholders, I help to analyze Canadian banking systems and business needs, assessing potential solutions to identified issues and proposed ISO 20022 message development initiatives while recommending strategic approaches (both systemic and operational) to support the best way forward for Payments Canada and the Canadian financial ecosystem.

Driven by innovation and global cooperation, I continually challenge myself to remain at the forefront of key developments and trends in Payment Market Infrastructures and Modernization efforts, and as such, regularly collaborate with various worldwide organizations and financial governing bodies including the European Central Bank, the Bank of England and the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Experienced Senior Advisor on Payments and Cash Management Services.

Principal at Quad Solutions Ltd, heading Management Consulting Services. I cover both Strategic and Product consultancy for IT Vendors, Banks and Corporates across Europe.

Providing professional advisory and training to payment fintechs and banks on strategy, products, targeting, sales approach, pricing, implementation and post-sales.

I also work as Senior Advisor with global payment infrastructures and central banks for the evolution of payments services and related regulation, standards and market practices.

Served at UniCredit Group as Head of Payments Italy, Germany, Austria and Eastern Europe for 12 years with a demonstrated history of successful product innovation.

Strong competences in SEPA, Instant and International Payments, Foreign Exchange, Liquidity Management, Pricing Models, Receivable Reconciliation, Virtual Accounts, AML, Revenue Enhancement

Viktoria is a seasoned expert with over 20 years of experience in the fields of banking, payments, and finance. She runs a successful accounting and tax consulting firm in Cyprus, where she specializes in supporting global corporate setups. Frustrated by the lack of clear answers to basic online payment questions, Viktoria founded PSP Angels, a platform designed to address these gaps.

She is the developer of the Soltesz Payment Framework, a widely adopted solution used by international companies around the world. Viktoria also established the Soltesz Institute, an independent certification body that has become a leading authority in the payment and banking industries.

In addition to her technical and consulting expertise, Viktoria is a founding partner of a corporate advisory partnership focused on mergers and acquisitions. She is also a partner in a boutique consultancy firm based in Malta, dedicated to enhancing payment processing infrastructure for the iGaming sector.

Viktoria is actively involved in shaping the future of the payment and financial sectors, sitting on the advisory boards of various payment and financial institutions. As a European Certified Trainer, she has lectured at the University of West London and is regularly invited to speak at industry conferences and summits.

She is the author of the bestselling book Moving Money – How Banks Think, which offers insights into the banking industry and can be found on any Amazon marketplace. In recognition of her outstanding achievements, Viktoria was awarded Businesswoman of the Year 2023 and Payment Consultant of the Year 2024.

Fabrizio Dinacci is the Team Lead of the TIPS Evolution Team at the ECB. In the past, covering positions in Banca d’Italia and the European Central Bank, he has contributed to the preparation and the management of operations of TARGET2 and T2S. In 2017, he joined the TIPS team at the ECB and is actively contributing to all the major dossiers related to the instant payment solution
of the Eurosystem. Particularly involved in all the activities that led to the implementation of the pan-European reachability package that made of TIPS the backbone for the entire infrastructure for instant payments in euro.

20+ years experiences in IT development & Team Leadership within Financial Industry