Ready To Hear Views From The Most Influential Payments & Regtech Experts?
#npf
16th NextGen Payments & RegTech Forum
OUR SPEAKERS
Robert Courtneidge
Payment Industry Expert
Robert Courtneidge is valued and respected industry expert in the emerging payments industry. He is working with a number of businesses assisting them on their strategy and products using his 30+ years legal experience to give them practical and innovative solutions. He is co-author and Editor of The PAYTECH Book 2020. He was co-founder of the Prepaid International Forum and has worked with the Emerging Payments Association since it was founded.
He has been regularly featured in the prestigious Payments Power 10 (including being ranked #1 in 2015), a highly competitive ranking of the most influential contributors in payments. As a lawyer in payments he was voted in the top 10 in the world by US publication Paybefore in 2015 being the only European in the list. As a lawyer he has worked closely with The Payments Services Regulator, HM Treasury, UK Finance and Financial Conduct Association, in the UK as well as other compliance and industry bodies globally. Robert has deep expertise in electronic money and payment services and is highly skilled in all aspects of payment services including consumer protection, banking regulation and compliance, and AML/CTF. Robert is highly active on the conference front regularly chairing and moderating events as well as speaking on issues facing the European Payments’ Industry including laws relating to blockchain, digital assets and Central Bank Digital Currencies.
Andrew Doukanaris
Chief Executive Officer at Flotta Consulting Ltd
Andrew has been at the heart of the digital payments transformation for almost three decades, holding senior roles in issuing and acquiring with Chevron/Texaco, Visa Inc., JCB Cards, and a Mastercard advisor in The Middle East - During which time has been based in Singapore, San Francisco, New York and London.
He is a Fintech mentor/board advisor at Level39 in London and the former CEO and Chairman of multinational QR code payments Pomelo Pay. In January 2022, Andrew was appointed CEO of Blukite Network - an Open Banking network with revolutionary patented technology.
Jessica Ramos
Head of Regulatory, Oversight and Financial Affairs at EBA CLEARING
Jessica Ramos is the Head of Regulatory, Oversight and Financial Affairs at EBA CLEARING.
Prior, she held a number of positions at SWIFT, namely in Oversight Affairs, Legal & Compliance, Finance and as Chief of Staff to the global CEO. She was also responsible for diversity and inclusion initiatives for the business.
She started her career in 2006 as an Associate in Consortium Central America, focusing on banking, finance and corporate law.
She is a member of the Belgian Company Lawyers Bar, the New York Bar, the Honduran Bar and the In-house Competition Lawyers Association.
In addition to her Law Degree, Jessica holds an MBA in Finance, an LL.M. in Corporate Law from New York University (NYU) and an LL.M. in Competition Law and Economics from the Brussels School of Competition. She has recently been certified in Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC), Cyber Security for Business Leaders and Social Media Marketing and Law, Cognitive Technologies & Artificial Intelligence.
Jessica is an Executive Board Member and Belgium Ambassador of European Women Payments Network (EWPN), Board Advisor to CyberWayFinder and The Nine, and a ConceptionX Expert. She founded Mizbiz in 2016, an organisation aiming to connect, inspire and empower women in Belgium.
Jessica is a frequent speaker at financial industry events on topics ranging from Payments, Technology, RegTech, Compliance, Financial Crime, Cyber Security, Diversity and Inclusion and ESG.
Peter Theunis
Senior Vice President Sales at BPC
Being a highly accomplished professional in the field of finance and fintech, driven by his passion for payments, fintech, digital banking, and embedded finance, with more than 25 years of extensive experience, Peter joined BPC ranks as SVP Sales Europe to drive business growth and expansion across the European market.
Throughout his career, Peter has worked with customers in diverse regions, each with unique needs, gaining valuable insights into the global fintech landscape. His track record in business development and leadership is exceptional, having held key positions in internationally recognized fintech companies such as Pelican.ai, Rivero, Endava, Integri, Clear2pay, and TAS Group.
He possesses an in-depth understanding of payments and banking, which allows him to navigate complex challenges and deliver tangible outcomes. With his wealth of knowledge and experience in IT, operations, business, and finance, Peter is adept at providing innovative and viable business solutions in the highly competitive fintech market.
Jas Shah
Founder and Consultant at Bitsul
Jas Shah is a career Fintech and Product expert with a passion for shaping the future of financial services and over 15+ years of experience. With extensive early-stage hands-on experience building products at the likes of Citi, Fidelity, and Schroders, he is dedicated to defining digital and product strategy, speeding up time to market, and scaling products for FS companies, Fintechs, and early-stage startups.
Jas has spent the past 5 years helping fintechs and larger FS organisations ideate, design, build and scale digital products. Recent projects include the design and build of a challenger bank in Saudi Arabia, an Australian digital bank for freelancers, a UK-based PFM app, and creating and implementing a scaling strategy for a SME Lending Fintech in the UK serving as Chief Product Officer. He also writes a fortnightly Fintech Product newsletter with subscribers from all across financial services, from Visa, Mastercard, Monzo, Paypal, Barclays, Stripe and more.
Yiannis Pettemerides
Forensic, Anti-Money Laundering, Regulatory Compliance, Registered Auditor and Insolvency Practitioner - eBOS Resident Consultant & Associate
Yiannis is a Consultant, in the fields of Forensic, Anti-Money Laundering, Regulatory Compliance, Registered Auditor and Insolvency Practitioner, with more than 20 years of experience.
He was engaged, for more than 2 years, as an External Technical Expert, and leading the Onsite Inspection Teams, of the AML/Supervision Department of the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC). He was also the Chairman and a Member, for more than 5 years, of the Economic Crime and Forensic Accounting Committee of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (ICPAC) and also the Vice-Chairman, for more than 4 years, of the Promotion of the Profession and Academic Relations Committee of the Cyprus Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA).
Yiannis is engaged as an External Technical Expert, in the fields of Forensic Investigations, Anti-money Laundering Investigations and Audit Investigations, by the Cyprus Police Economic Crime Unit, the Attorney General Office, the Audit General Office and the Private Sector.
Furthermore, Yiannis is a Member of the AML and Compliance Committee of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (ICPAC), a Member of the Board of Directors of the Cyprus Chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) and a Founding Member of the Cyprus #209 Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE).
He holds a Bachelor and a Master’s degrees in Accounitng, Economics and Finance (BA, MA), a Fellowship and Practicing Audit Certificates from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and from the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (ICPAC). He is also a Member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) and of the International Compliance Association (ICA).
Christos Ttiniozou
Managing Director at Complytek
With over 20 years of experience on custom software development we deliver the most reliable custom software solutions that match the unique requirements of our customers. We are a recognized leader providing high-impact RegTech Solutions for Banks, Financial Institutions, FOREX, Card Issuers, Payment Providers, Hospitals/Clinics, Law, Fiduciary and Accounting firms.
Specialties: Enterprise Risk & Compliance Management, Anti Money Laundering - Know Your Client (risk based approach), Transaction Monitoring/Screening for AML, Fund Administration, Fund Management, Corporate Secretarial, Time & Billing for Accounting/Auditing offices, Hospital Solution, Property Management Software.
George Apostolides
Head of Compliance and Anti Money Laundering Compliance Officer at Eurobank Cyprus Ltd
George Apostolides is the Head of Compliance and Anti Money Laundering Compliance Officer at Eurobank Cyprus. George has extensive experience in the area of Banking for Anti Money Laundering and combating Terrorism Financing, Implementation of Financial Sanction Programs and Regulatory Compliance. George is approved to head the Compliance Department of the Bank by the European Central Bank. Prior to his career as a Compliance Officer, George was involved in the area of auditing holding a senior position in the Internal Audit Department of Eurobank Cyprus and as a External Auditor for a Big4 firm. He holds the professional qualification of a Charter Accountant (ICAEW) and the Russian Sanctions Risk Management Specialist certification (K2-Integrity).
Anna Stylianou
CEO at AML Cube
Anna Stylianou is an experienced AML compliance and financial crime risk management expert, with a proven track record of success in regulated financial institutions.
Over her career, she has worked in traditional banking, EMIs, as the Head of Compliance and Non-executive director investment firms, and has collaborated with reputable lawyers.
She is an expert in embedding regulatory compliance standards and delivering results in the fight against financial crime.
Anna is also a recognised international thought leader in the AML, KYC, and crypto compliance fields.
Anna is passionate about educating and uplifting her peers, existing compliance professionals, and the next generation. She is the founder and principal of AML Cube, a consulting and training firm aiming to assist entities in combating financial crime.
Stathis Flangofas
Group CFO, Executive Director at SquaredFinancial
Stathis has over 15 years of experience in the financial industry with excellent knowledge in accounting, audit, and financial management for investment firms.
He holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Piraeus, and he is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
Before joining SquaredFinancial, he worked in strategic executive positions in several market-leading companies and continued his career as a Group Chief Financial Officer whilst serving as a Non-Executive Director and Chairman of Risk Management committees.
He specializes in creating strong control environments around the finance function, supporting the business' expansion plans, and assessing the impact on capital requirements and cash flow.
A Fintech enthusiast, passionate about investing, trading, blockchain, and Crypto, he enjoys working in dynamic and fast-paced markets.
He’s a huge believer that a company's greatest asset is its employees, and that great people build great companies. “If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients”.
Dr. Charis Savvides
Partner at Grant Thornton, Cyprus
Dr Charis Savvides is a practicing lawyer and Partner at Grant Thornton Cyprus. He is also lecturer at the University of Nicosia, where he has been a faculty member of the Law School for a number of years and of the Department of Digital Innovation of the Business School since 2020. He is the leading instructor of all regulatory courses in the Master’s programme of the University in Blockchain and Digital Currency, which is the world’s first Master’s degree in Blockchain and one of the top academic programs in the field. The practice areas of Dr Savvides include, amongst others, the regulatory framework of digital services and digital markets, especially in the areas of corporate, investment and financial law. He is legal advisor to investment funds, investment firms and crypto-asset services providers. Furthermore, he is an expert panel member of the European Union Blockchain Observatory & Forum, a member of the Cyprus Investment Funds Association (CIFA) and a member of the Technology Committee of the Cyprus Bar Association. He is regular speaker at professional seminars, workshops and conferences, including special courses for law enforcement agencies, where he shares his knowledge and experience about the regulatory status and trends in the fields of investment funds and digital currencies.
Dr Ian Gauci
Managing Partner at GTG
Dr Ian Gauci is the Managing Partner of GTG. He advises multiple government bodies and is one of the key figures on technology law matters. He is also an international speaker, lecturer and author.
Dr Gauci is recognised as a Tier 1 leading individual in Fintech by Chambers and Partners and Legal 500.
Elina Mantrali
Counsel at Harneys
Elina regularly advises clients on regimes governing banks, investment firms, payment services providers / electronic money institutions, investment funds, digital assets, insurance firms, securitisation structures, and fiduciaries. Her financial services practice also includes advising on EU/Cyprus economic sanctions regimes, anti-money laundering and the automatic exchange of tax information.
Elina also has in-depth operational experience in matters relating to European data protection regulation, with a particular interest in international data transfers, vendor management solutions and data protection compliance for emerging technologies. She has a particular interest in the management of customer-facing online products.
Elina is an integral member of our Regulatory team assisting UK/US top tier and magic circle law firms and global investment houses across the full range of regimes impacting financial services and digital business models. She is also a regular contributor to our Regulatory Blog.
Andreas Xenophontos
Head of Payments at Skilling Limited
Andreas has a vast experience in the banking and payments industry while working for leading Fintech and Investment firms across the world. His extensive knowledge of banking and payments systems has allowed him to streamline processes and optimise financial operations for the firms. Andreas is a Fintech enthusiast and passionate about changing and upgrading the Banking and Payments industry while making it available, easy, and transparent for everyone to use for all purposes. He has also fostered strong relationships with key financial partners and stakeholders, ensuring the firm's success in the competitive world of finance.
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Ran Cohen
Co-founder & CEO at BridgerPay
Ran Cohen’s 20 years of experience in the B2B industry taught him how to turn creative ideas into great products. Struggling with payments in his previous companies made him look for solutions and led him to create BridgerPay. Ran believes that by making payments easy and more transparent, we can empower online businesses to make more informed decisions and accelerate their growth.
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Elie Beyrouthy
Chair of the Executive Board at European Payment Institutions Federation (EPIF); Vice President, European Government Affairs at American Express
Elie Beyrouthy has been the Chair of the European Payment Institutions Federation (EPIF) since March 2018. He is the Vice President of European Government Affairs at American Express since June 2017, where he leads the company’s engagement with European Union Institutions and advises senior leaders on EU regulatory and public policy matters. Elie also represents American Express’ interests in several EU trade bodies and professional associations. Prior to joining American Express, Elie was Director of International Regulatory Affairs at Western Union for 5 years. From 2007 to 2012, Elie held leadership positions at the World Savings Banks Institute and the European Banking Federation. Elie began his career as an intern at the European Commission and the United States Federal District Court of Minnesota. He holds two Master's Degrees in Law from the University of Minnesota and from the Jean Moulin University in Lyon – France. He is also a graduate of the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Lyon.
Kamran Hedjri
Group CEO at PXP Financial
The end-to-end payment platform: PXP Financial provides a single unified payments platform to accept payments online, on mobile and at the point of sale. Powered by inhouse acquiring, 200+ alternative payment methods & financial services, PXP processes over EUR 21.5 billion annually through our unified gateway. Whatever your business needs today or tomorrow, PXP Financials’ innovative payment platform will support your business growth with all the payment services you will ever need from one source, wherever your business takes you.
James Abraham
CEO at Sandler
James Abraham CEO of Sandler® Israel, is renowned and award-winning trainer, speaker and coach revolutionizing leadership and sales dynamics. Merging elite performance methodology with business acumen, James empowers visionary leaders and revenue executives to redefine success towards transformational results.
Anastasis Rossides
Head of Risk Modelling at Bank of Cyprus
Anastasis is the Head of Risk Modelling at Bank of Cyprus. Before joining BoC, he worked as post-doctoral researcher for European project BRIDGES, developing path-planning optimization software for autonomous underwater gliders. Passionate about solving business problems through data-driven approaches, ranging from descriptive analytics to practical application of ML/AI models.
Aija Rimsa
Executive Director & AMLCO at Skanestas Investments
Aija Rimsa has over fifteen years’ experience in financial services and regulated environment, the last six years working as an AML Officer, and an Executive Director at Skanestas Investments. Aija has an EU BSc in Political Science, ACAMs in AML and Crypto assets, CySEC Advanced and AML certifications, and never stops learning. Aija’s expertise covers all areas of investment services and financial instruments with a particular focus on AML&CTF, regulation, operations of a traditional brokerage firm, and corporate governance. Aija’s experience includes working with clients, working with personnel, understanding complex international corporate structures, risk management, and general matters of business administration. At work, Aija promotes equality and a diverse and inclusive culture. She sees an important role of hers - setting the tone at the top and having an open-minded approach.
Stella Ioannidou
Financial Market Infrastructures Policy and Oversight - Financial Market Infrastructures and Payments Department at Central Bank of Cyprus
Stella is a Fellow Chartered Accountant by background, with expertise in engagements covering financial audit, corporate finance and equity analysis.
Her extensive professional career at the Central Bank of Cyprus and at the European Central Bank is in the area of payments and markets. Stella participates in various EU fora, while chairing and coordinating national stakeholder groups. She has acquired a holistic view with respect to: (1) financial market integration in the euro area, with focus on retail payments and securities policy, as well as collateral management harmonisation initiatives, (2) oversight of different types of financial market infrastructures, payment instruments, schemes and arrangements, and (3) Eurosystem work-in-progress for the potential issuance of a digital euro.
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Michalis Michaelides
Director of Sales and Business Development Europe at BPC
Michalis Michaelides is a seasoned global business development expert with a strong emphasis in the payments technology sector and a passion for open banking and marketplace technologies. With over 20 years of experience, he has built an impressive track record in the banking, payments, and commerce industries.
With extensive international assignments across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India, Michalis has developed a solid understanding of diverse markets and has honed his skills in dealing with major corporations adhering to stringent criteria. He is adept at fostering strategic and long-term business investments that generate value for all stakeholders involved.
Having held key positions at TSYS and Nets (part of Nexi Group) before joining BPC, Michalis brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise from renowned organisations in the field.
Currently, Michalis plays a vital role at BPC, spearheading the development of partnerships and driving business growth in the European region. His dedication and expertise contribute to BPC's success in leveraging cutting-edge payments technology and expanding its market presence.
Zoltan Nemeth
COO, Executive Director - Swissquote Capital Markets Ltd
Zoltan has been doing sales for over 18 years across various industries. In the Financial services/Forex sector he has been active since 2011 and represented some of the market leaders during this time. Trading the Forex and Stock market since 2009 and a CySec certified Director. Zoltan joined Swissquote in early 2022 in order to obtain a license from the local regulator and establish a branch office in Cyprus.
Andreas C. Livadiotis
CEO at XValley
I am the founder of XValley Technologies Ltd, a firm with vast tailor-made services focused on developing and trading software for diverse global clientele within the financial industry. Upon completing my education of BSc in Computer Science and MSc in Finance in London, I acquired an excellent track record for developing financial technology projects. I am an entrepreneur at heart, with extensive expertise in the industry for over 12 years. Prior to that, I worked in various major companies, including, but not limited to, FxPro, PrimeXM and FBME Bank, with projects in MT4, MT5, and cTrader. With a deep passion for innovative technology and career growth, I founded my own company in 2015. Since then, I have been significantly successful in forex, blockchain, banking and equity markets projects, raising the bar for innovation limits to new heights.
Fani Pedoulou
Head of Sales at TFI Markets
Fani is a KPI expert with over 17 years of experience at TFI MARKETS, a leading global financial institution. She has been instrumental in driving growth and elevating the company’s brand. She is responsible for monitoring, analyzing, and communicating key performance indicators. Fani plays a key role in assessing the financial viability of new business ventures. She manages a vast portfolio of corporate clients, including regulated investment firms and EMI’s.
Alexandros Constantinou
Director of Compliance Services at MAP S.Platis
Alexandros Constantinou is the Director of Compliance Services of MAP S.Platis. He has extensive experience in advising international financial services organisations on regulatory and compliance matters.
Alexandros is also a Director and assisted in the founding of MAP FinTech, a leading award-winning UK and EU regulatory technology provider for the financial services industry, specialising in reporting solutions and more.
Alexandros is an MCSI member of CISI and holds both the Advanced and the AML certifications from CySEC. He also holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Reading (UK) and an MSc in Finance and Investment from the University of Edinburgh (UK).
In addition, Alexandros is a registered Mediator from the Cyprus Ministry of Justice and Public Order concerning commercial disputes.
Petru Metzger
President, Payments at Blankfactor
Petru leads Blankfactor’s Payments business globally. He has over a decade of experience in the industry - in his previous role, Petru oversaw the global payments business unit of one of the world’s largest IT services companies. His leadership guided over 13,000 people in delivering services to more than 100 payments clients in the United States and Europe. He is based in London.
Andrea Moundi Savvides
Head of Compliance, Europe at Harneys
Andrea Moundi Savvides is a qualified lawyer and Head of Compliance – Europe. She has extensive experience in the field of financial services, AML and sanctions and regularly works with our Tax and Regulatory team. Andrea also advises on competition law matters, at both local and European level including advising on issues which require notification to the relevant authorities.
Prior to joining us in 2018, Andrea was a senior corporate lawyer in the legal and compliance team of an authorised investment firm where she liaised with regulators in multiple jurisdictions. She also gained experience in financial services law and regulation including MiFID II and other regulatory regimes such as the automatic exchange of information. She regularly advises clients on a range of regulatory issues which include white collar crimes, sanctions and anti-money laundering cases.
In 2018 Andrea was also recognised as an influential and innovative in-house counsel according to the Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Greece and Cyprus. She is also a holder of the advanced certificate of the CySEC and the ICA International Diploma in Anti Money Laundering - Int.Dip (AML).
Andrea also practised as an advocate advising on various contentious and non-contentious matters.
Andrea is also a regular contributor to our Regulatory Blog.
Panis Peri
Start-up Blogger
Panis is a startup blogger.
He runs the startup blog Panis.News, hosting and producing the podcast Live with Panis, featuring startup and innovation stories from around the world.
His message is ”Keep innovating”
Connect with Panis at https://linktr.ee/PanisPieri
Demetrios Tseas
Senior Cryptocurrency Risk Analyst at CipherTrace
Demetrios Tseas is a senior cryptocurrency risk analyst working for Ciphertrace, a Mastercard company. Publishes monthly global crypto-related regulatory newsletters and educational blogs. Authors Virtual Asset Risk Assessments (VERAs) which are in-depth assessments, that quantify the financial crime, cybersecurity, regulatory and reputational risks associated with exposure to a particular VASP. VERAs help financial institutions, issuers, acquirers, VASPs and other third parties to make informed risk appetite decisions, as well as document sound risk management decisioning in governance for regulators. VASPs can also leverage this analysis to understand how they are risk rated by the market as well as identify opportunities to strengthen compliance controls. Holds an MSc in digital currencies, has 35+ years of experience: 5 years in crypto, 18 years complementary experience in banking and 13 years in teaching.
Elena Kontou
CEO at SEPAGA EMI
Elena Kontou is a highly accomplished legal and corporate professional, with extensive experience in managing compliance, operations, and growth in the fintech industry.
She is the CEO and Executive Director at SEPAGA E.M.I. Limited for the last six years and an Independent Non-Executive Director at Quickbit eu AB (publ).
Elena holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree and a Legum Magister (LLM) in International Commercial Law, both from the University of Leicester.
Her career began as a trainee lawyer at Tassos Papadopoulos & Associates LLC and continued as a corporate lawyer at Christodoulos Vassiliades & Co LLC.
Elena is a founding member and secretary of the Board of the Association of Cyprus Electronic Money & Payment Institutions (ACEMPI).
She has also been an active member of the Cyprus Scouts Association and the Cyprus Bar Association.
Nassos Paltayian
Director at Abacus Limited
Nassos began his career as auditor for Financial Services companies and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in a Big4. Since 2014 Nassos serves as the Information Security Officer while simultaneously heading the Compliance Department at Abacus Limited which also provides advisory services and support to obliged entities in the field of regulatory compliance.
He is also a founding member and Vice chair of the ACAMS Cyprus chapter, and a very active member of the local and European community of compliance professionals. Nassos is also a Certified Risk Management Specialist on Russian Sanctions.
Nassos was also the leader of the DNFBP module for the National Risk Assessment and participated in numerous task forces for the issuance of Directives, Guidance Notes and Certifications in the field of AML, CTF and Sanctions compliance locally and abroad.
Stalo Parmaxi
Vice President Operations at Pay.com
Stalo Parmaxi is currently working as the Global Vice President of Operations at Pay.com. Pay.com is a Payment institution regulated by the Central Bank of Cyprus that focuses on Payments Acquiring. She is responsible for handling the global operations at Pay. including their EU, US, and UK operations.
Stalo has been with Pay.com for the last 2 years, and her experience comes from start-up as well as established Regulated FinTech Companies such as eToro.
She has been in Operations for quite a long time now, managing operational flows of payments, Underwriting, KYC/KYB, Risk - AML and Compliance Monitoring as well as Client Support and Success.
Her team is always the first line of defense in the Regulated institutions she has been working. They keep the board safe, and the customers happy and make sure the policies given by the 2nd line of defense are strictly followed.
They are working closely with the RnD and Product departments, giving the business requirements for our internal and external systems as well as customer feedback.
In regards to her education, she is a holder of a Bachelor Degree in Mathematics and Statistics, a Masters Degree in Finance and is a proud holder of the CFTe (Certified Financial Technician), AML, and CYSEC Advances examinations. She owns the batch of the CFA level 1 and 2 examinations and is currently aiming for the 3rd and last one.
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Suresh Vaghjiani
CEO at CLOWD9
Suresh is CEO and founder of B-Corp certified CLOWD9, the world’s first cloud-native, decentralized issuer processing platform. Born in the cloud, the platform delivers uncompromising, limitless payments technology around the globe.
Suresh is a highly experienced senior executive with a proven track record of leading rapid-growth companies. He has expertise in developing products and services on behalf of both, financial technology, as well as FCA regulated companies.
Bringing a wealth of knowledge in global payments with a number of prior senior roles including CEO of Tribe Payments, President & Managing Director of Threadd, as well as listed companies such as Paysafe Group and PXP Financial, Suresh has represented the Fintech sector and the UK Government on a number of trade missions to Mexico, Australia, and China.
Christos Malikkidis
Business & Legal Advisor at Royal Pine
Christos is a Business & Legal Advisor at Royal Pine. He holds an LLB in English Law from Queen Mary University of London and an LLM in EU Law from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven of Belgium. Upon completing his studies, Christos trained at a Brussels boutique law firm and at the Pharma and Health services antitrust unit of the European Commission’s DG COMP. With his relocation to Cyprus, Christos practiced law for five years and was involved in high profile cross-border commercial litigation disputes, while his corporate legal expertise covered matters of EU & Competition, Data Privacy, IP & Technology and Corporate Insolvency. He is a member of the Cyprus Bar Association, a licensed Insolvency Practitioner, and a Certified Professional Development Trainer. Christos is fluent in English, Greek and conversational French. His favourite hobbies are podcasting, free diving and mountain climbing.
Marios Charalambides
Partner, Board Member, Head of Financial Services at RSM Cyprus Ltd
Marios P. Charalambides is a Partner, Board Member and the Head of Financial Services of RSM Cyprus Ltd. He has more than 20 years of professional experience with specialisation in the Financial Services industry. He has led numerous audit and advisory engagements both in Cyprus and abroad, ranging in size and complexity. He is a frequent speaker on topics related to financial services and has published many articles on the subject. He holds a BSc in Finance and is a Fellow Member (FCA) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).
Georgios Papamichael
Technical Analyst in Digital Trust Services at JCC Payment Systems Ltd (Own views)
Georgios Papamichael graduated from University of Liverpool BEng Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Then masters MSc Engineering Project Management at University of Manchester, and finally Masters at Open University of Cyprus MSc Computer and Network Security. His career started at National CSIRT-CY where I was in the starting team that formed this Critical Organization in Cyprus. He was in the project management team and at the same time a computer security analyst involved in the mitigation of various incidents. He then continued his career as Information Security Officer at DynamicWorks. Lastly, he is currently working at JCC Payment Systems, having initially the role of Cyber Security Analyst and then shifted to Technical Analyst on electronic signatures and eIDs.
Loukis Loucaides
CEO at Moneygate Solutions Ltd
Loukis Loucaides is a seasoned professional in the payments industry, having been involved in the set up of Electronic Money Institutions in Cyprus. He has held the post of CEO, managing director, COO, and AMLCO in regulated Electronic Money Institution in Cyprus. Loukis is also engaged in fintech startup advisory under FINMA in Switzerland, focusing on payments, Digital and Virtual Asset platforms.
Loukis has excellent regulatory knowledge of PSD2, Mifid2 and international AML Regulations.
Prior experience includes working as a corporate lawyer and a member of management teams in Cyprus, Malta and Dubai.
Costas Y. Konis
CEO at Innovage Consulting
Dr. Konis is a systems thinker who combines unique engineering, management, innovation, and creativity skills. He is also serving as the Head of Innovation of Shufti Pro. He has served as the CEO of the Cyprus Institute of Technology, served as the Manager of the European Cyprus Innovation Relay Center, and as the Executive Director of the Institute of Management Consultants of Cyprus.
Dr. Konis had a key role in supporting hundreds of SMEs through a National Scheme he has been managing. He was also instrumental in developing Cyprus High Tech Policy. Dr. Konis has been a member of the Board of the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation since its inception and a Board member of the TII, the European Innovation and Technology Hub.
Dr. Konis has been trained by world gurus in creativity and innovation and has trained hundreds of executives in many organizations.
Through Innovage Consulting, a boutique innovation consulting he founded in , Dr. Konis managed to introduce new technologies and breakthroughs in several organizations.
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Savvas Pashias
Chief Financial Officer at Flyfish
With over 15 years of proven track record in executive positions in the banking and investment industries in Cyprus and abroad, Savvas carries a truly extensive and diversified experience in financial planning, capital markets, governance and risk management. A strategic thinker with a hands-on approach, Savvas specialises in redefining processes and building teams able to embrace change and deliver the required outcome.
Prior to joining Flyfish, a startup in the payments space, he was the Group CFO and Executive Director of Oval Money, a regulated investment firm. Savvas started his career at KPMG and Deloitte, prior to joining Cyprus Popular Bank Group to serve as a Corporate Finance Manager under its Investment Banking arm. He then relocated to Serbia to assume the position of CFO and Executive Board member of the group’s subsidiary bank. After 5 years in Serbia, he returned to Cyprus to take over as Internal Audit Manager at Bank of Cyprus Group and he then joined Ancoria Bank, where he served as CFO since its launch of operations.
Savvas is a Law (LLB) graduate from the University of Essex and a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA) with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales since 2005.
Guy Karsenti
CTO and Technology Advisor to the Board at Praxis
Guy Karsenti is the Chief Technology Officer at Praxis Tech, a leading payment orchestration company. With over 30 years in the fields of cybersecurity, payment systems development, advertising technologies, and e-commerce, Guy stands as an authority in payment solutions. Throughout his distinguished career, he has led global development and product teams, combining deep technical expertise with managerial insight. Having collaborated extensively with blue-chip banks and credit card operators, and given his experience in delivering top-tier architecture support to large organizations, Guy is an invaluable asset to the Praxis team.
Haris Zacharatos
CEO at CELLOCK LTD
Dr. Haris Zacharatos, is founder, and CEO of CELLOCK LTD. He is an entrepreneur with over 20 years of international experience in IT and Telecommunications. Dr. Zacharatos is dealing among others with the world of fintech software development, known for his exceptional expertise in artificial intelligence and his unwavering commitment to driving innovation in the financial technology sector. He holds a PhD in Artificial Intelligence with specialization in Affective Computing and an MSc in Computer Science. His research interests include affective computing and artificial emotional intelligence, autonomous systems and robotics. He is a member of IEEE and the Association for the Advancement of Affective Computing (AAAC) and serves in the board of Cyprus Research and Innovation Enterprises (CARIE). He is the author of multiple, peer reviewed publications.
As the CEO of CELLOCK has overseen the company's growth into a prominent player in the fintech industry. Under his visionary leadership, the company has pioneered groundbreaking software solutions, redefining the way financial institutions operate and serve their customers. Under his guidance, CELLOCK has produced an array of revolutionary products, leveraging AI and machine learning to optimize risk management, automate financial processes, and create personalized customer experiences. These innovations have enabled financial institutions to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.
Ugnė Buračienė
Group CEO at payabl.
Ugne Buracience is the Group CEO of payabl. and is a prominent figure and influential thought leader in the PayTech and FinTech industries.
With offices in Cyprus, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Germany, payabl.is among the most important FinTech companies internationally in the field of digital payments – a success that can be directly attributed to the expertise and leadership of Ugne.
Ugne continues her influence outside of payabl. and is championing the growth and innovation of the payments sector globally as a board member for TechIsland, an advisor for both Klarpay and Cypriot tech investor, WhiteBream, and as the Country Ambassador for the European Women Payments Network.
Yurii Shevchuk
Head of Compliance at Parimatch Cyprus
Yurii Shevchuk joined Parimatch in 2016 as a Financial Analyst, he previously worked for 5 years in big systemic Ukrainian banks, in the Finance Department. For his successful results in conducting compliance functions in 2018, he was promoted to Head of Compliance, MLRO.
In 2015 Yurii Shevchuk ended his postgraduate studies and obtained a Ph.D. degree in Economics in SHEE- Kyiv National Economic University. In 2019 Yurii successfully passed the CySEC Advanced examination and received the CySEC certification. Later in 2020 also CySEC AML certification.
As MLRO, Yurii spearheads the Company's global AML&TF and is responsible for the Company's overall Compliance strategy and policies. Yurii Shevchuk maintains the relationship between the AML & TF function and the external auditors, regulators and other compliance authorities. He contributes to the elements of the IT-systems related to AML, RG, GDPR and technical compliance, updates KYC procedures of clients and 3rd party service providers, informs the Parimatch team about rules and standards, latest changes in the Company's sphere of activity and compliance with requirements and conducts trainings to the employees on compliance issues and many more.
Nicolas Panayi
Group Treasurer at OSM Thome
Nicolas Panayi leads the treasury department in OSM Thome having more than 8 years of managerial experience within finance in the shipping industry. Prior joining OSM Thome, Nicolas trained as a qualified chartered accountant at Deloitte Cyprus. He holds a MEng degree from Imperial College London. In just five years, Nicolas has built a robust and lean treasury department from scratch, optimising OSM Thome’s setup within a rapidly growing organisation. With an unwavering commitment to innovation, Nicolas has focused on numerous initiatives to automate and digitise while allowing for scalability.
He is deeply committed in continuous improvement and adding value to the organisation.
Nicholas Kattirtzis
Team Leader of the GRC team at Odyssey
As the GRC Team leader at Odyssey, Nicholas plays a pivotal role in providing essential consultations to Odyssey's discerning clientele, ensuring their preparedness to confront continually evolving information security risks and compliance needs. Supporting Odyssey’s Payment Card Industry Security Council Qualified Security Assessor Program efforts, he has honed his skills in PCI DSS Assessments and numerous Compliance Assessments, including Swift and ISO 27001. His extensive involvement in numerous high-profile customer projects from various industries, with the main focus in the financial sector, provides him with the necessary experience and expertise to promptly and effectively identify and address even the most demanding information security requirements.
Nicholas also supports Odyssey’s internal information security and privacy programs, which include SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 22301, ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and ISO 27701. Nicholas holds a strong academic foundation with a BBA in Business and industry credentials, including PCIP, CISM, ISO 27001 Lead Auditor, Swift Assessor, and ISO 9001 Lead Auditor.
Vasilis Charalambous
Head of GZG Tech at George Z. Georgiou & Associates LLC
Vasilis Charalambous is a Senior Lawyer at George Z. Georgiou & Associates LLC and the Head of GZG Tech, advising public and private sector clients on emerging technologies including Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies, Distributed ledger technology and personal data issues. He is the Vice-President of the Technology Committee of the Cyprus Bar Association and a member of the International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications (INATBA), the European Association of Data Protection Professionals and the Tech London Advocates Blockchain Legal and Regulatory Group. He is a regular speaker at conferences and seminars and writes for various publications on topics related to innovation and technology.
Marinos Hadjipetris
Commercial Manager at eBOS
Marinos M. Hadjipetris has a multidisciplinary background from various sectors and over 20+ years
of professional experience in several key positions.
He holds a BSc Degree in Broadcast & Electronic Communications and an MA Degree in
Communication and Media Studies, from Marquette University, in Milwaukee, WI.
Marinos has worked in Cyprus and in the US, for start-ups, as a freelancer, and for large global
corporations. This versatility has given him a wealth of diverse experience and the agility to
understand and solve complex business needs.
With a passion for technology and innovation, RegTech is a field that Marinos is passionate about,
and through his work at eBOS, he is dedicated in evaluating and recommending optimal solutions to
companies in order to remain compliant with the current regulatory frameworks.
Rainer Olt
Head of Payments and Settlement Systems Department at Eesti Pank (The Estonian Central Bank) - Online
Rainer Olt is Head of Payments and Settlement Systems Department at Eesti Pank (the Estonian central bank). Before joining Eesti Pank in 2011, he worked for over six years in retail banking, responsible for customer offerings, incl. payment services. He started as a policy expert at Eesti Pank, promoting the smooth operation of payment systems and the overall harmonisation and integration of the retail payments market. Building on his central banking experience and developing the expertise to catalyse market (self-)regulation, he spent four years as a financial market expert at the European Central Bank. Today, his team of experts is responsible for the operator, oversight and catalyst functions in Estonia.