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 a driving force in the digital payments and FinTech transformation for over three decades. Throughout his global career, he has held senior and executive roles in Singapore, San Francisco, New York, and London.
At Chevron, Texaco, and Caltex, Andrew established and led the global marketing and sales, payments and retailing division across three brands. At Visa, he served as the European and CEMEA head of Merchant Acceptance, Acquiring Services, and Commercial Cards, overseeing operations in more than 120 markets. As Senior Vice President at JCB Cards Europe, he spearheaded the transformation of its acquiring, sales, and marketing divisions. Additionally, he worked as a consultant for Mastercard in Saudi Arabia.
Andrew founded Flotta Consulting Ltd to provide tailored consulting services to start-ups, scale-ups, and established players within the payments ecosystem. He has been appointed to various leadership roles, including Chair, Director, and CEO of Pomelo Pay, Intellias, and as an advisor and CEO for start-ups focused on open banking and QR code payments.
A sought-after commentator and podcaster, Andrew also serves as a FinTech mentor and advisor at Level39, an ambassador and moderator at the UK Payments Association, and a board advisor, event chairman, and moderator at QUBE Events.
Demetris Skourides
Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation, and Technology of the Republic of Cyprus
Demetris Skourides is the Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation and Technology of the Republic of Cyprus and Chairman of the National AI Taskforce. A visionary technologist, strategist, and policy leader, he is driving Cyprus’s transformation into a regional hub for AI, deep tech, and high-impact innovation.
Appointed in 2023, he also chairs the Research and Innovation Foundation and represents Cyprus at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and the European Science Advisors Forum. Globally, he serves on the G100 Advisory Council for Humanity, Innovation and Technology and is recognised among the Top 100 Global Power Leaders.
Skourides has championed AI diplomacy, international MoUs, and inclusive innovation ecosystems with countries such as Israel, Japan, and the UAE. He spearheaded the launch of CSPARK, Cyprus’s first space research centre, and is advancing an AI-first, cloud-first national strategy in alignment with the EU AI Act.
Prior to his national role, he spent 17 years at Oracle and AWS, leading transformative programmes across EMEA and APAC.
Widely regarded as Cyprus’s “North Star” of innovation, Skourides bridges government, industry, and academia to accelerate growth, inspire the next generation, and ensure technology is harnessed for public value and global competitiveness.
David Garland
Business Development Manager at Veracloud
David Garland is a seasoned Business Development Professional with over 20 years of experience in sales management across EMEA, LATAM, and the USA. He is spearheading the business development initiative for Veracloud in Cyprus, where he is responsible for setting up the business and developing a robust client base.
Throughout his career, David has demonstrated a proven track record of achieving business objectives and exceeding targets. He has successfully led multicultural teams, driving revenue growth and securing impressive results. His strategic thinking and results-driven approach have consistently led sales teams to overachieve multimillion yearly targets.
David is recognised for his innovation, integrity, and outstanding communication skills. He has delivered presentations to large audiences and is adept at expanding market presence with an international sales team. His dedication to ethical leadership, team development, and continuous learning is evident in his work. David holds a Master's in Business Administration.
Thibaud Catry
Group Chief Compliance Officer at Payhawk
Thibaud Catry is the Group Chief Compliance Officer at Payhawk, a global spend management platform operating under multiple financial licenses across Europe and the UK. He oversees the company’s global compliance strategy and regulatory engagement, ensuring strong AML, risk, and governance frameworks across jurisdictions. A CAMS-certified compliance leader with over 15 years of experience, Thibaud has worked across Fortune 500 companies and fintechs, covering remittances, digital transformation in payments, and building compliance programs from the ground up in electronic money institutions. At Payhawk, he focuses on enabling secure, scalable innovation in global payment solutions.
Tim Khamzin
CEO & Founder at Vivox AI
Tim is the Founder and CEO of Vivox AI, where he leads the development of AI Digital Workers to streamline compliance operations for banks and fintech companies. With over 10 years of experience in the banking and fintech sectors, Tim began his career at KPMG and went on to lead key initiatives in a digital transformation program at Central Europe’s largest bank, reducing its operational workforce from 24,000 to 5,800 employees. He also scaled a Business Process Outsourcing company to $45M in revenue and developed compliance solutions for Tier 1 banks. Tim holds an MBA from London Business School and is passionate about payments, regtech, and implementing AI applications in compliance.
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.
George Flouros
General Manager of Vpayments - a Member of GAP Vassilopoulos Group
GAP Vassilopoulos Group is one of the largest and most diversified Groups in Cyprus offering Financial Services, Insurance, logistics, and a number of other services in 8 countries - Cyprus, Israel, Greece, Germany Belgium, Netherlands, UK and Ireland.
Vpayments is a strategic Business Partner of Worldline for Cyprus and the European Union. With over 500,000 merchants in their portfolio Worldline is the largest processor of financial card-acquiring transactions in Europe and one of the largest globally.
Prior to his current role George served for 29 years at NCR Corporation in Cyprus and the US. From 2011 until 2017 he was the Regional VP for NCR’s Financial Services Division for Middle East Africa and subsequently India/ Middle East Africa.
Panayiotis Theodosiou
Chief Operating Officer at Moneygate Solutions
Panayiotis Theodosiou is the Chief Operations Officer at Moneygate Solutions, a CBC-licensed Electronic Money Institution, and the founder of PrimeAML, an AI-powered RegTech platform. With a career built on driving innovation in digital banking and payments, he has spearheaded transformative initiatives that have redefined how financial services create and deliver value in the digital era.
Today, his work centres on leveraging artificial intelligence, cloud technologies, and advanced analytics to build smarter, more resilient payment ecosystems. Passionate about bridging the gap between technology and regulation, Panayiotis is exploring how AI can reshape payments, compliance, strengthen trust, and unlock new opportunities for sustainable growth in financial services.
George Apostolides
Deputy CCO/AMLCO at Eurobank Ltd
George Apostolides is the Deputy Chief Compliance Officer and Anti Money Laundering Compliance Officer at Eurobank Ltd. 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. 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 an 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).
Matthew Muscat
Senior Solution Lead at ComplyRadar
Matthew Muscat brings over 8 years of technological expertise in compliance solutions, serving as the Solution Lead for ComplyRadar under the FinTech arm of Computime Group. He is currently leading a solution team focused on developing a cutting-edge, real-time transaction monitoring compliance solution that leverages advanced AI techniques. With a strong background in developing innovative solutions to enhance regulatory compliance and fraud detection, Matthew brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this field.
Dorina Mastora
Deputy Compliance Officer at Elias Neocleous & Co LLC
A seasoned professional with a decade of rich experience in the international banking sector. With a proven track record in leadership and compliance, Dorina Mastora brings a wealth of expertise and a commitment to excellence.
Leadership Journey: Over the past ten years, Dorina has held pivotal roles in esteemed international banks, as a Branch Manager and progressing to more complex responsibilities. She is known for her effective communication, team collaboration, and strategic decision-making skills, making a lasting impact in every leadership role.
Compliance Excellence: Currently serving as the Deputy Compliance Officer at Elias Neocleous Co&LLC in Cyprus, Dorina is at the forefront of ensuring that corporate processes align seamlessly with legal requirements. She has successfully completed extensive reviews, managed UBO registration projects, and fostered a culture of ethics and compliance within the organisation.
Costas Mavrides
Manager at C Compliance (Strategic Partner Infocredit Group)
Costas is an advisor in AML/CFT compliance matters, as well as financial services regulation more generally. Costas has 15 years’ experience in the field of financial services regulation, covering a wide spectrum of matters and has experience in forensic investigations and regulatory litigation. Prior to moving to Cyprus, he worked for ten years in the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority as an investigator and lawyer, and dealt with a number of high-profile cases, as well as numerous non-contentious matters. Having returned to Cyprus, Costas now advises on regulatory matters in the field of financial services, helps clients in establishing and maintaining effective AML/CTF compliance programmes, and advises on ad-hoc compliance issues. In addition, he assists clients with their approach towards both internal and external investigations. He also advises and represents individuals and businesses before various regulatory authorities.
He is a qualified Solicitor of England and Wales, and holds both an LLB and a BSc in Economics.
Igor Ustinov
CEO at HAPIC
Igor Ustinov is the CEO and Co-Founder of HAPIC. Bank builder with 20 years in digital finance, Igor has led projects with Santander, BNP Paribas, and Toyota Bank, and launched a pioneering regulated settlement bank for the betting industry. Today, he is building HAPIC, an EMI-licensed payment provider for SMEs that unites compliance with a crypto-friendly approach.
Aurimas Bakas
CEO & Co-founder of Copla
Aurimas Bakas is the Co-founder and CEO of Copla, a compliance automation platform purpose-built for fintechs, banks, and financial institutions. With over 20 years of experience as a technology executive and serial entrepreneur, he’s known for building companies at the intersection of compliance, payments, and scalable infrastructure - including successful exits like Paysolut (SumUp) and Dtecnet (MarkMonitor). At Copla, Aurimas is leading the charge to automate cybersecurity compliance with frameworks like DORA, NIS2, ISO 27001, SOC2, and more. The platform integrates natively with Slack and Microsoft Teams to streamline evidence collection, reduce manual effort by up to 80%, and keep organizations continuously audit-ready.
Jovana Dadic Babovic
VP Strategic Initiatives and Growth at Payall Payment Systems
Jovana Dadić Babović is a fintech and banking executive with deep expertise in helping financial institutions and companies build cross-border and domestic payments into profitable, future-ready business lines. Currently VP of Strategic Initiatives & Growth at Payall, the first processor purpose-built for cross-border payments, she’s helping reimagine how money moves around the world - faster, safer, and smarter. With a background spanning banking, gaming and global fintech, Jovana has led major transformation projects and helped financial institutions rethink what’s possible in a highly regulated world. Before joining Payall, she spent nearly a decade at Banca Intesa, where she shaped digital banking, payments, and agile transformation strategies.
Koumis Poyiadjis
Executive Director/COO at Revsto
Koumis Poyiadjis is the Executive Director & COO of Sureswipe E.M.I. PLC (trading as Revsto), a licensed Electronic Money Institution regulated by the Central Bank of Cyprus. He oversees the firm’s operational strategy with a focus on local and cross-border payment rails such as SEPA and SWIFT. In his role, Koumis also works closely on compliance, risk, and regulatory frameworks to ensure Revsto’s infrastructure meets the highest standards of governance and resilience. He is also leading the expansion of the company’s payment solutions, providing multi-currency IBAN accounts and streamlined settlement flows. Koumis contributes to industry discussions on instant payments, RegTech adoption, and the evolving European payments landscape.
Theodoros Hadjistyllis
Director, Account Management at Mastercard
Experienced payments leader with over a decade of experience in payments, banking, and management consulting. Having held various leadership roles in financial services companies and systemic banks, Theodoros developed a deep understanding and expertise in complex payments and banking ecosystems. With a strong focus on card acquiring, issuing, and digital payments, Theodoros brings a 360-degree view of the broader payments landscape — connecting strategy, operations, and market insights to drive value.
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.
Nassos Paltayian
Director - Head of Compliance at Abacus Limited
Nassos Paltayian is a distinguished Anti-Financial crime compliance professional, specialising in Anti-fraud, Anti-money laundering (AML), Counter-terrorist financing (CTF) and sanctions. He is a Fellow Chartered Accountant with ICAEW and has a robust background in financial services auditing, including controls testing. Nassos is a Certified Risk Management Specialist on Russian Sanctions and holds leadership roles in the Association of Certified Anti-Moneylaundering Specialists (ACAMS) Cyprus Chapter and ICPAC’s Committees in the past. He also headed significant projects, including the Designated Non-Financial Business and Professions module of the Cypriot National Risk Assessment. Nassos is recognised for his contributions to various prestigious engagements and initiatives in the field of compliance and risk management. He is an advocate of best practices and public awareness for Anti-Financial crime.
Viktorija Poluektova
Global Chief Risk & Compliance Officer at a European Crypto Processing Company and Founder of Regu Learn
Viktorija Poluektova is a strategic and results-driven AML, Compliance, and Risk professional with nearly 20 years of experience across banking, fintech, and crypto sectors. She has built and led enterprise-wide compliance and risk frameworks aligned with MiCA, DORA, and AMLR, focusing on governance, resilience, and sustainable regulatory alignment. As the Founder of Regu Learn - an edtech platform empowering fintechs and CASPs to build a strong compliance culture - she actively contributes to the professionalisation of the compliance community across Europe.
Currently, she serves as Global Chief Risk & Compliance Officer for a European crypto processing group, overseeing risk, compliance, and regulatory strategy at a group level.
Stanislav Bublik
Chief Product Officer at Finyard
Stanislav Bublik is a seasoned expert in electronic trading and product leadership with over 17 years of experience across institutional and retail financial services. He has built and scaled trading products at companies like Exness, Sberbank, and Finery Markets, where his work drove exponential growth in trading volumes and revenue. Currently CPO at Finyard, Stanislav leads product development of end-2-end technology solutions for CFD brokers and Crypto exchanges. His expertise spans FX, crypto, CFDs, and market infrastructure, with a proven track record of aligning product innovation with commercial success. He’s based in Cyprus and has a strong background working across Easter Europe, and the Middle East.
Isidoros Mezopoulos
Chief Commercial Officer at DiPocket Group
Isidoros is a dynamic IT leader with a proven track record in financial services and large corporates, having worked with industry giants like Oracle, TSYS, IBM, and Mastercard. With over 19 years of experience, he has risen from developer to C-level executive, driving technology strategies that fuel business growth and ensure regulatory compliance. His expertise in fintech innovation, digital transformation, and leading cross-functional teams has consistently delivered results in fast-paced environments. A passionate advocate for financial literacy and inclusion, Isidoros is committed to harnessing technology to enhance efficiency, customer experience, and profitability, while delivering secure, scalable, and accessible solutions.
Mateo Jarrin Cuvi
Global Manager for Partners & Media at The Association of Governance, Risk & Compliance, UK
During his 20-year career, Mateo Jarrin Cuvi has played important roles in a wide array of industries, eventually landing in the financial services sector where he has focused on content creation and management.
After dabbling in the oil and gas field, managing media relations for the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington DC, and working as a program manager for a Cypriot study abroad firm, Mateo served as Content Manager for Taxlinked, an international network for tax and law professionals, and Content Writer for FXPRIMUS, a Forex broker with a strong presence in southeast Asia. Today, he leads the charge for the International Governance and Compliance Association (IGCA) as Global Manager for Partners and Media.
Mateo holds a BA in Foreign Affairs and Latin American Studies from the University of Virginia (UVA) and an MA in Latin American Studies with a focus on Anthropology from the University of California in San Diego (UCSD). Plus, he’s a budding writer who has published fiction, food and wine articles, and other travel-related pieces in several local and global publications.
Antonia Michail
Head of Compliance and AMLCO at Nuvei Limited
Antonia has over 15 years of experience in the Financial services sector, including AML and Regulatory Compliance consulting, VASPs European Regulatory Framework, Data Protection, M&As, and Business Development. She is a seasoned speaker, panelist, and moderator, and has served as a Chapter leader and Board member in Decentralized Nicosia, a Blockchain related community that serves as an educational point about digital currencies, and Blockchain, and she has collaborated with various bodies within the crypto ecosystem.
She holds a BSc in Politics, an MBA, and an LLM in International Business, CAMS certification, CySEC’s AML certification, as well as additional qualifications relating to Cryptocurrency and VASP's compliance, and speaks four languages.
Currently, she is leading Compliance at Nuvei Limited, part of Nuvei Group - an International Fintech firm and payment technology partner to the world's leading brands.
Sophocles Ioannou
Regional Director, New Business Development at OpenWay
Sophocles has a diverse background that includes corporate finance and organisational sociology. As Regional Director of Business Development Europe, Africa and the Americas at OpenWay Group, Sophocles manages a full portfolio overseeing business management in those regions. He’s passionate about sales and has over 25 years of experience in managing some of the most complex customer solutions for card issuing, merchant acquiring, payment switching and digital wallets.
Antonis Hadjicostas
Director at ENAH Services Ltd | Vice Chair at Cyprus Compliance Association
Antonis is the Director of ENAH Services Ltd, a boutique firm that specialises in consulting, regulatory compliance, auditing and training in the financial sector.
Antonis is a passionate and highly experienced professional who brings over 15 years of practical experience in the areas of banking, investment, and insurance services industry, both in regulatory compliance and internal audit.
His expertise covers, among others, Credit Granting and Arrears Management frameworks, Payment Systems, MiFID II, Market Abuse, SFTR, CSDR, CESOP, EMIR, FATCA/CRS, DAC6, Solvency II, Insurance Distribution (IDD), ESG, and more.
Antonis began his career at HSBC Greece in 2007, before transitioning to PwC Cyprus in 2010. During his time at PwC, he became a qualified Chartered Accountant of the ICAEW and successfully managed a significant portfolio of clients in the financial and insurance sectors, both locally and internationally, holding the position of Senior Manager. From 2019 onwards, Antonis led the Audit & Quality Assurance Unit and later the Regulatory Compliance Unit at a systemic financial institution in Cyprus, also serving as Interim Chief Compliance Officer for a period of time.
Antonis holds a BSc and an MSc from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Mathematics, Statistics, and Operational Research. He is a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), a member of ICPAC (Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus), a professional member of Mediators on Commercial Disputes (Ministry of Justice), as well as a professional member (MiCA) of the International Compliance Association (ICA).
Antonis has extensive experience in regulatory risk, compliance and governance, engagement with regulators and industry experts, distinguishes him as a distinct practitioner in his field. He also specialises in designing training programs to meet individual learning styles while fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment.
Antonis is a Founding Member and Vice-Chairperson of the Cyprus Compliance Association (CCA) Board of Directors, as well as a Board Member of Cyprus Integrity Forum.
Chrysovalantis Koutsoumpos
Chief Technology Officer at xMoney
Chrysovalantis Koutsoumpos is a technology executive with extensive experience building high-performing engineering teams in regulated environments. His background spans online and offline payments, card issuing, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency in payment flows. He focuses on delivering secure, customer-driven payment solutions while enabling innovation and resilience in financial services.
Christos Makedonas
Partner | Digital Risk at Grant Thornton
Christos leads the Digital Risk Services at Grant Thornton and is a Co-founder of Enactia, a global RegTech solution focusing on Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC), Privacy and Cybersecurity. With 20 years of professional experience in Cyber Security and Data Protection, Christos has established himself as a leading authority in the field. He has served as the president of the ISACA Cyprus Chapter and as a co-chair of the IAPP Cyprus KnowledgeNet Chapter. Christos holds an array of esteemed professional qualifications, including CISA, CDPSE, CIPP/EU, CEH, ECSA, CCFP, CMI, CFIP, and ISO 27001 Lead Implementer. His educational background comprises an MSc in Analysis, Design, and Management of Information Systems from the London School of Economics (LSE) and a BSc in Computing Informatics from the University of Plymouth, UK. Christos's primary areas of expertise encompass Privacy & Data Protection, Discovery & Digital Forensics, Incident Response, and Ethical Hacking. He has spearheaded international Data Protection and Privacy projects and has been actively involved in both local and international investigations. Christos's extensive expertise and practical know-how emphasise his crucial contribution to shaping impactful tactics and resolutions within the dynamic fields of Cybersecurity and Data Protection. This comprehensive understanding has played a significant role in establishing the fundamental principles of Enactia.
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Andre Kuzminykh
Chief AI Product Technology Officer at Unlimit
Andre is a seasoned executive and thought leader in Data, AI, and Technology. He began his career as a Data Engineer at Accenture, specializing in the banking sector, before rising to executive leadership at the largest bank in Eastern Europe. There, he held dual roles as Chief Data Officer and Chief Data Scientist, earning recognition as the bank's Best Leader.
Andre’s experience spans the full spectrum of digital and AI transformations—from infrastructure to advanced modeling. He later served as the Chief Technology Officer of a Venture Studio supporting global AI startups. In addition, he is the Founder of an AI Ecosystem for human good, where he drives R&D and launches AI products designed to empower businesses.
He currently leverages his expertise as Chief AI Product Technology Officer at Unlimit, where he is pioneering the company’s transition into an AI-First enterprise.
Elina Mantrali
Counsel at Harneys
Elina Mantrali is a member of Harneys Tax & Regulatory practice group in Cyprus, specialising in financial services and data protection regulation.
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 Harneys Regulatory Blog.
Evan Kelepeniotis
Group Compliance Director at Ebury
Evan Kelepeniotis has been in Financial Services Compliance for over 8 years, and in other roles within legal and compliance for over 10. He has had the privilege of working with some of the biggest names in the industry, learning his craft in London and specialising in Financial Crime and Regulatory Compliance. During this time, he has worked on licence applications, product developments, policy and control enhancements, and had the pleasure of collaborating with some of the most prominent regulators in the world, including the FCA in the United Kingdom, CySEC in Cyprus, DFSA and CBUAE in the United Arab Emirates, and the NBB in Belgium.
Evan finds what he does to be the most interesting profession in the market, offering constant challenges and learning opportunities that, in his view, cannot be found elsewhere.
Evan is passionate about payments and excited about the future, particularly the continued adoption of crypto and the evolution of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence.
Artem Stopnevich
Managing Director at Wise Wolves
Artem is a finance and energy professional with experience across investment advisory, industry, and energy systems modelling. He currently serves as Managing Director and Chief Growth Officer at Wise Wolves Corporation, where he leads the Group’s commercial function and spearheads strategic initiatives in Europe and USA. This includes Investment, Payments and Fiduciary businesses in Cyprus and FinTech platform development in USA.
Constantinos Tsissios
Managing Director at OneVault
Constantinos is a senior executive with over two decades of experience in banking, fintech, and corporate finance. He led Finvasia’s strategic initiative for the regulatory licensing of OneVault, a soon to be operational Electronic Money Institution. His career spans leadership roles at several Banking Institutions, where he fronted digital transformation, operational modernization, and customer-centric growth strategies. Constantinos holds an MBA from Florida International University and is PMP® & CySEC Advanced certified.
Joanna Frendo
Chief Risk and Compliance Officer at Deriv
Joanna Frendo is the Chief Risk and Compliance Officer at the Deriv Group, where she leads the company’s global risk and regulatory functions. She oversees enterprise risk management, compliance frameworks, licensing strategy, anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) and fraud prevention, and governance programmes that enable secure growth across multiple jurisdictions. With over 21 years in financial services, Joanna’s mandate spans safeguarding Deriv’s reputation, ensuring regulatory compliance, and supporting international expansion.
Since joining Deriv, she has steered regulatory strategy and operations that helped secure multiple licenses in key markets, strengthening the Deriv Group’s regulated footprint and opening new market opportunities. She has also advanced governance, risk, and compliance practices that elevate transparency, reinforce controls, and promote a culture of ethics and accountability across the business.
Antonia Michail
Head of Compliance and AMLCO at Nuvei Limited
Antonia has over 15 years of experience in the Financial services sector, including AML and Regulatory Compliance consulting, VASPs European Regulatory Framework, Data Protection, M&As, and Business Development. She is a seasoned speaker, panelist, and moderator, and has served as a Chapter leader and Board member in Decentralized Nicosia, a Blockchain related community that serves as an educational point about digital currencies, and Blockchain, and she has collaborated with various bodies within the crypto ecosystem.
She holds a BSc in Politics, an MBA, and an LLM in International Business, CAMS certification, CySEC’s AML certification, as well as additional qualifications relating to Cryptocurrency and VASP's compliance, and speaks four languages.
Currently, she is leading Compliance at Nuvei Limited, part of Nuvei Group - a publicly listed (Nasdaq: NVEI) (TSX: NVEI) International Fintech firm and payment technology partner to the world's leading brands.
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Nassos Paltayian
Head of Compliance & Information Security Officer 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.