QUBE FORUM SERIES
GLOBAL INSIGHTS
ADVISORY BOARD
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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.
Nim Haas
Marketing Director at ID-Pal
Nim is currently Marketing Director at ID-Pal. She has an impressive track record in the field of marketing and communication within the technology sector, accumulating over two decades of experience. Throughout her career, she has lent her expertise to numerous companies in the realms of Fintech, Paytech, and Regtech, to enhance their marketing and communication strategies and expansion plans. Additionally, she has played a pivotal role in advising and supporting funding rounds, as well as various M&As.
Her commitment to fostering business growth extends beyond her advisory and consultancy work. Nim serves as a business mentor at Barclay Rise and holds a position as a Global Exco Board Member at the Global Fintech Impact Forum. She has also taken the entrepreneurial step by previously founding The Payments Clinic events, and consultancy agency TechFuse. She also holds advisory positions on the boards of companies and initiatives such as CCGroup PR, Women in Tech, and Emerging Fintech Forum.
Nim's outstanding contributions to her field and industry has won her several accolades, including recognition by the Holmes Report as one of the top 25 Innovators in Marketing & Communication in the EMEA region. She has also been honored as one of the Top 30 Most Influential Fintech Marketers and as one of the Top 100 Asians in Tech in the UK. Her dedication to the advancement of women in Fintech has earned her repeated placements on Innovate Finance's powerlist of Women in Fintech, and being listed within their prestigious list of Standout 35.
Mélisande Mual
Publisher and Owner at The Paypers
Mélisande Mual is the publisher and owner of The Paypers, the global leading source of news and intelligence for professionals in payments, fintech and digital commerce. Prior to The Paypers, Mélisande held several leadership positions in leading B2B Publisher (Wolters Kluwer) and Telecom (KPN) companies.
David Parker
Founder and CEO at Polymath Consulting
David Parker is the founder and CEO of Polymath Consulting which works on projects and advises organisations across the Cards & Payments industry. He is an active mentor, NED, and advisor to boards including Lifetidy, Swiipr, Hands In, WAC, along with several others. Previously, he was involved with companies including Curve and 3S Money.
David is also the co-founder of Konsentus which does TPP regulatory and identity checking for PSD2 open banking and provides open banking infrastructure for regulators globally. He also Co-founded KYP which does real-time 3rd party enterprise risk monitoring and alerts for open banking, supply chain management, and acquirers.
In consultancy, he has worked across the complete value chain helping banks with their overall E-Money/Prepaid and Emerging Payments strategy right through to market entry analysis; as well as working with telcos, processors, and programme managers on segment analysis, certification, and membership applications. Geographically his client assignments have covered Russia, South Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia including India; in reality, his clients have come from all continents other than the Antarctic. He is an active contributor to forums on LinkedIn and a regular media commentator on the future of e-money/emerging payments. David also chairs conferences and events from Mumbai to Moscow; Las Vegas to London and Johannesburg/Nairobi in Africa to Colombo/Sri Lanka. Finally, and most importantly he is an award-winning Apiarist – he keeps honey bees!
Neil Harris
Chair of the Board of Directors at The Inclusion Foundation
Neil Harris is a pioneering leader in the dynamic world of fintech and payments, renowned for his visionary thinking and exceptional contributions to the industry. With an extensive background in finance and technology, Neil has played a pivotal role in shaping the way we navigate the digital economy.
Drawing upon his deep understanding of emerging technologies, Neil has spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives that have transformed the fintech landscape. As a visionary strategist, he has consistently identified opportunities and harnessed cutting-edge innovations to revolutionize payment systems and drive financial inclusion.
Throughout his career, Neil has founded 3 organisations, conducted 2 successful exits, and has held senior executive positions in renowned fintech companies, where he has led high-performing teams and cultivated a culture of innovation. His strategic leadership has been instrumental in driving exponential growth, expanding market reach, and forging strategic partnerships that have cemented his organisations as industry leaders.
Beyond his corporate achievements, Neil is deeply committed to fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing within the fintech community. He frequently speaks at prestigious conferences, sharing his insights and inspiring others to embrace digital transformation. Moreover, Neil actively mentors aspiring entrepreneurs and emerging talent, nurturing the next generation of fintech leaders.
Neil's exceptional achievements have earned him widespread recognition and numerous accolades. His remarkable contributions to the fintech industry have positioned him as a thought leader and influencer, sought after for his expertise and guidance. Neil's passion for innovation, coupled with his unwavering commitment to driving positive change in the financial landscape, continues to shape the future of fintech and payments, making him a true luminary in the field.
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Lilly Pavlou
Executive Director at QUBE Events
Lilly Pavlou is a seasoned professional with over two decades of experience in international conferences. Currently serving as the Executive Director of QUBE Events, a prominent European company specialising in payments, Regtech, Fintech, finance, and forex B2B conferences. Her expertise lies in navigating the dynamic landscape of these industries, contributing to the success and growth of Qube Events on the global stage.
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.
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.