Past Awardees

Oonagh van den Berg

CEO | Founder | Compliance Education, RAW Compliance AI, Portugal

Oonagh van den Berg is a globally recognised compliance expert and dynamic speaker reshaping the future of financial services. With over 20 years' experience across traditional banking, fintech, and crypto, she brings a unique blend of regulatory depth and tech-forward innovation. She has led global GRC transformations for institutions including HSBC, Citi, ING, and Uphold, and founded Virtual Risk Solutions and RAW Compliance- initiatives that empower professionals, uplift industry standards, and advocate for inclusive, human-centred regulation. From the ECB to the United Nations, Oonagh is a trusted voice helping financial ecosystems adapt, evolve, and lead with purpose. She is also the proud mother of three daughters, and a fierce advocate for working mothers and women in business - challenging the narrative that motherhood should limit ambition by championing systems that support equality for parents in the workplace.

Michael Knetsch

Global Head Instant Payments, Deutsche Bank, Netherlands

In this role Michael drives the Instant Product roll out across the globe, ensures the product stays on par with client expectation and drives the commercialization of the product. Before joining DB in this role in 2019, he has been within the payment area for 25+ years through RBS, C2P consulting, Logica consulting and ABNAMRO in different roles within Consultancy, Product and Market management and Technology. In leading roles in Strategy & Innovation, strategic product and Digital Banking development, Core Banking, Channels, API, Payments and client advisory for complex and regional cash management solutions.

Nataliya Kozak Klaverstijn

Strategy & GTM Director, AI Transformation, Miro, Netherlandss

Nataliya is a strategic leader with over 16 years of experience driving growth at the intersection of technology, partnerships, and innovation. She currently serves as Strategy & Go-To-Market Director for AI Transformation at Miro, where she leads strategic initiatives to scale AI-driven innovation and accelerate enterprise adoption. Prior to Miro, Nataliya spent over a decade at Google, where she held senior leadership roles driving major branding and retail partnerships across Benelux and leading publisher marketing initiatives across EMEA. She has also worked at Liberty Global and Intel, contributing to product launches and corporate strategy at scale. In addition to her tech career, Nataliya is the Chief Strategy Officer at Impact Force, where she steers initiatives that empower purpose-driven businesses and support equitable post-war recovery efforts in Ukraine. An MBA graduate from the University of Cambridge, Nataliya combines global business expertise with a strong vision for inclusive innovation and is a passionate advocate for advancing women in technology and leadership.

Tolga Koç

Director, Anadolubank Nederland N.V., Netherlands

Tolga Koç is an experienced banking professional and Director at Anadolubank Nederland N.V., with a strong track record in international trade finance, treasury, and credit operations. He is committed to driving organizational profitability, optimizing operational performance, and delivering result-oriented solutions across the business. A certified specialist in letters of credit and guarantees, Tolga holds multiple industry designations including CTFC, CDCS, CSDG, and CITF. He contributes actively to the global trade finance community as a member of the ICC Netherlands Working Group on Documentary Credits and as a DOCDEX Expert. In addition to his leadership role, Tolga shares his expertise as a guest contributor to trade finance knowledge hubs such as ICC Academy, offering insights into best practices in letters of credit and guarantees. He holds an MS degree from Istanbul University

Kevin O’Connor

Field Chief Technology Officer, Nutanix, UK

Kevin O’Connor joined Nutanix recently as a Field CTO, from a significant client where he was Global CTO and Global Head of IT Transformation, leading significant transformation. Kevin has over 25 years experience leading transformation as a Global CTO/CIO across industries. His previous roles include Managing Director and Global CIO of MSCI, Managing Director of both Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank and Global CIO of both William Hill and Paddy Power. Kevin holds a PhD in Computing from Imperial College London.

Tran Hung

Founder & CEO, Uquid, UK

He drives Web3 commerce as the "Amazon on Web3." Partnering with Binance, Tether & Bybit, Uquid connects 400M+ crypto users to real-world shopping, pioneering crypto utilities worldwide.

Tayyib Yavuz Cayirli

Generative AI & Innovation Consultant, Danske Bank, Germany

Tayyib is a Generative AI and innovation consultant shaping the future of banking inside a leading Nordic bank's innovation lab. He turns GenAI pilots into real impact from service automation and co-pilot assistants to safer, risk-aware interactions. By bridging design, product, and technology, Tay translates complex AI into clear playbooks that teams can actually use. His mission: make GenAI not just possible, but practical, trusted, and ready to scale.

Vasileios Theodosiadis

CBDC Project Manager, IBM, Netherlands

Vasileios Theodosiadis is a blockchain consultant and project manager at IBM, an industry associate at the UCL Centre for Blockchain Technologies, and a member of the "Power of the Many" Working Group at 2Tokens. He advises clients, leads blockchain initiatives, and translates complex business needs to innovative, tech-driven solutions-with a particular focus on the financial industry, including projects such as tokenized central bank money for cross-border payments and tokenized bond issuance. Beyond his commercial work, Vasileios conducts academic empirical research on enterprise blockchain governance and explores how traditional organizations can drive innovation by leveraging elements of the Web3 ecosystem. He regularly shares his insights through speaking engagements and as a co-author of a book, a book chapter, and several academic publications.

Chana Agarunov

Co-Founder, Mintra AML, Netherlands

Chana Agarunov is the co-founder of Mintra AML and a financial crime expert with extensive experience across Big 4 consultancies and Tier 1 banks. Working in the intersection of regulation, data, and technology, to help organisations build stronger insights, resilient data foundations, and scalable ai-ready AML frameworks.

Carrie Forbes

CEO & Founder, Rockstar Advisory | Co-Founder, Finclusiv Edge, Canada

Carrie Forbes is the CEO & Founder of Rockstar Advisory and Co-Founder of Finclusiv Edge, where she helps modern organizations move beyond outdated corporate playbooks to build collaborative cultures and develop leaders who drive lasting change. With deep expertise in organizational transformation and inclusive finance, she brings a global perspective to leadership, innovation, and impact. At Fintech Week & Expo Amsterdam, Carrie will moderate the panel "Women in Fintech & Inclusive Finance Leadership" under Rockstar Advisory and speak on the panel "Banking the Unbanked: Financial Inclusion through Technology" with Finclusiv Edge.

Burak Duygulu

Department Manager, Nexent Bank, Netherlands

Burak Duygulu is an experienced IT Software Development Manager with over 20 years of hands-on expertise in the management, design, and development of banking applications across international financial institutions. He is skilled in translating business strategies into scalable architectural solutions and executing them through effective leadership of multidisciplinary technology teams. With deep knowledge of core banking and extensive insight into banking operations, Burak excels at bridging the communication gap between business and technology, ensuring alignment and seamless delivery of complex initiatives. He specializes in IT management, project and change management, and core banking development, and holds an MSc in Computer Engineering.

Julian Sperring-Toy

Group CEO & Managing Partner, VENTARIOM Global, UAE

Julian Sperring-Toy is the Group CEO & Managing Partner of VENTARIOM Global, where he is leading the rearchitecture of venture finance through structural governance and capital integrity. His work focuses on integrating NAV-governed liquidity, milestone-based venture deployment, and real-time redemption frameworks to deliver consistent outcomes at scale. With a career at the intersection of capital structuring and transaction execution, Julian has developed programmable, AI-calibrated mechanisms for allocation, liquidity control, and execution across complex mid-market environments. He is currently engaging with allocators, institutional platforms, and regulated infrastructure partners to advance a disciplined, design-driven model for the future of venture finance.

Ivar Wiersma

Head of EMEA, LayerZero Labs, Netherlands

Ivar started and grown ING's Wholesale Banking innovation and blockchain team, and was responsible for 20+ investments and company spinouts, including Contour, HQLAx, VAKT, and Komgo. Served in the board and as part of the leadership team at R3, and currently leads the EMEA business for LayerZero

Frank Kittler

Executive Director, Banks & Fintech Coverage and Correspondent Banking, Continental Europe, Standard Chartered Bank, Germany

Frank is covering bank clients across Continental Europe and is heading the Correspondent Banking team in Germany. He is also responsible to develop the NPM/Fintech segment across Continental Europe and is leading several digital initiatives in the region. He joined the bank in 2015 from Royal Bank of Scotland and started his career in Global Investment Banking at Bank of America.

Dr. Rogério A. Rondini

Senior Manager, PwC Nederland, Netherlands

Rogério is a Digital Identity leader and Principal Identity & Solution Architect at PwC Netherlands, boasting over 25 years of experience in IT, including 15 years focused on Digital Identity. He excels in delivering complex projects, with a broad range of experiences that encompass IAM design and implementation, software development, solution architecture, project management, and agile transformations. Fueled by his passion for academia and research, Rogério has earned a PhD in Electrical Engineering and a Master's degree in Computer Science, specializing in the research of Distributed Systems.

Timothy Manoj Bissessar

Head of Legal, Dutch Branch - Revolut, Netherland

Born in Trinidad & Tobago and raised across Bonaire, Aruba, Curaçao, Jamaica, and Guyana, Timothy brings a truly global perspective shaped by diverse cultural and regulatory environments. In 2012, he left the Caribbean to pursue a Master’s degree in Corporate and Financial Law in the Netherlands — a journey that ultimately led him to call Houten, the cycling capital of the country, his home. Timothy has built an extensive track record across the full spectrum of European and Dutch financial regulation, including payments, prudential and resolution frameworks, financial markets and funds regulation, as well as crypto regulatory compliance. He has worked at and for several major financial institutions, gaining deep expertise in navigating complex supervisory landscapes and managing relationships with both local and European regulators. With more than four years of leadership experience, Timothy has successfully led and developed multidisciplinary expert teams, driving regulatory strategy, governance, and risk management at scale. In his current role as Head of Legal for Revolut’s Dutch Branch, he plays a key role in shaping the company’s regulatory posture and supporting its mission to build the world’s first truly global financial superapp.

Bernadette Wesdorp

Partner, EY, Netherlands

Bernadette Wesdorp is a Partner at EY Advisory Netherlands and serves as the Responsible AI Leader for The Netherlands and EMEIA. As part of the FSO Cybersecurity team, she focuses on building trust in technology and guiding clients through the evolving landscape of AI, data privacy, and cybersecurity. She joined EY in 2014 after working as an IT consultant at the Netherlands’ largest telecom company. Bernadette holds a Master of Science in Consulting & Communication from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/e) with the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). Passionate about creating diverse and multidisciplinary teams, she is widely recognized for connecting the right people to the right opportunities and driving impactful outcomes for clients across financial services. Outside of work, Bernadette is a former professional field hockey player and enjoys running, swimming, and staying active.

Dr. Anastasia Kotowski

Head of Financial Markets & Information Technology, Center for European Policy, Germany

Dr. Anastasia Kotovskaia, LL.M. is Head of Department Financial Markets and Information Technologies at the Centre for European Policy in Berlin, Germany. As a legal expert at the European policy think tank, she provides comprehensive background knowledge about policy proposals of the EU and evaluates them as well as drafts practicable policy options for Europe. She had previously worked as a policy expert at the Policy Center of the Leibniz Institute for Financial Market Research SAFE in Frankfurt am Main with a focus on digitalization of finance, sustainable finance, and capital market integration in the EU. She holds a Ph.D. in Law from Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. She is author of articles and policy papers in law, finance, and information technology.

Michele Poole

Founder, DeepPoole Advisory | Co-Founder, Finclusiv Edge

Michele Poole is a fintech and payments leader with over 20 years of executive experience spanning financial services, payments networks, and fintech innovation. She is the Founder of DeepPoole Advisory, where her current clients include fintechs, small-business entrepreneurs, and the organization responsible for the Canadian payment ecosystem. DeepPoole Advisory helps clients navigate the evolving payments landscape, leverage AI to scale and grow, and build solutions with clarity and confidence. She is also Co-Founder of Finclusiv Edge, a Canadian non-profit building an inclusive fintech community through collaboration and thought leadership. Michele's career includes senior leadership roles at Interac Corp (Canada's national debit and near real-time payments network), National Bank of Canada, and CIBC. She has helped shape international standards and policy dialogue through various advisory roles including EMVCo, PCI Security Standards Council, and the Secure Remote Payments Council. Her expertise lies at the intersection of real-time payments, cross-border interoperability, open banking, and applied AI for SMEs, with a focus on balancing innovation, regulation, and customer trust. Michele is often a guest speaker on the future of payments and fintech, passionate about creating inclusive, resilient ecosystems that unlock value for businesses and consumers alike.

Win Myat Nwe Khine (Winny)

Information Security Officer, Rabobank, Netherlands

Win Myat Nwe Khine (Winny) was born in Myanmar to Burmese parents and had an amazing childhood in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, surrounded by UN families while her father worked for the UN for nine years. The first time she saw a laptop, she thought of it as a magical toolbox and when she discovered that you could develop computer programs to give it instructions, a whole new world opened for her. She graduated with a Bsc in Computing and Information Systems from London Metropolitan University in 2007 and began her career at THALES Solutions Asia in Singapore in 2008. She worked in Singapore from August 2008 until June 2024. In 2022, she earned a MSc in Management from University College Dublin (UCD). In July 2024, she relocated to the Netherlands with her husband and is now enjoying Europe, a region she once learned about only in history class and books. Over 17 years of working in the field, Winny has come to realise that the real value, impact, and satisfaction in professional life lie in being understood. For any technology to be safe and ethical, its development must be both human-centric and sustainable. If this balance is lost and only profitability is pursued, unethical technology can emerge and harm society. That risk is too great to ignore. In line with this mission, Winny will be speaking at 3rd Fintech Week & Expo 2026, she will share her insights on “Cybersecurity & Fraud Prevention: Staying Ahead of Threats”, aiming to make cybersecurity relatable and empower people to recognize scams and phishing attempts in everyday life.

Arend Janssen

Sustainable Finance and Climate Action Expert, WeNetwork.app/47Pitches, Netherlands

Arend Janssen is a Sustainable Finance and Climate Action Expert with a broad background spanning international organizations, financial institutions, and consulting. At WeNetwork.app/47Pitches, he connects health and climate tech startups with venture capitalists and angel investors, fostering innovation in sectors critical to the planet and public well-being. In addition to this role, he contributes his expertise to the Blockchain & Climate Institute, the International Sustainable Resilience Center, and the Urban, Planning and Transport Research Journal. He also works in trade finance with Euro Exim Bank and Silicon Valley Global PH, supporting global financial operations and sustainable investment strategies. His career has taken him across roles in the Netherlands, the European Union, and the United Nations, focusing on sustainable development, climate finance, and resilience. He held key positions at the European Investment Bank, where he evaluated urban and regional development projects, and at the UN Climate Action Team, where he advanced the Paris Agreement and global climate finance initiatives. He also supported organizations including the Multilateral Corporation Center for Development Finance, the Impact Economy Foundation, and the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. Arend earned a Master's in Urban Planning from the University of Amsterdam and a Bachelor's in Human Geography from Utrecht University, with an exchange at the University of Florida. He has shared his knowledge as a guest lecturer at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and University College London. Based in Amsterdam, Arend enjoys life with his wife and two children.

Sergio Giraldo

Senior Information Technology Lead, ING, Netherlands

I lead large-scale engineering organizations to deliver measurable business impact through strategic technology initiatives. Currently at ING, I am responsible for the cloud platform delivering data warehouse and data integration platform, overseeing systems that process financial transactions from all ING branches worldwide.

Natalie Detsik

Former Vice President Financial Crime Prevention First Line of Defense NatWest Group, Germany

Natalie is a strategic financial crime prevention leader driving enterprise-wide risk management, regulatory alignment, and audit readiness across complex organizations. Expert in designing compliance frameworks, optimizing transaction monitoring, and guiding AML strategy through data-driven insights. Recognized for fostering governance, enhancing oversight structures, and enabling cross-functional collaboration that strengthens regulatory resilience. Trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, delivering actionable guidance on policy, onboarding, and new product risk. Influences change by translating evolving regulations into practical safeguards that protect operations, reduce exposure, and support sustainable compliance growth. An energetic, outward-looking and mindful leader who combines both genuine empathy and intercultural awareness and whose working style is marked by executive leadership and can-do-attitude

Atefeh Naderkhani

Senior Program Manager, ING, Netherlands

Atefeh Naderkhanipari is a Senior Program Manager in the COO Risk domain at ING in Amsterdam, where she leads strategic transformation across trading risk, product control and regulatory change. With over 13 years of experience in finance and technology, she has worked on data, cloud and risk platform initiatives at institutions including ING, Rabobank and Capgemini. Atefeh is also the founder of a RegTech / embedded-finance start-up focused on compliant onboarding for immigrants and SMEs, and a Finance PhD candidate at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, researching regulation, risk and sustainable finance

Vit Jedlicka

President, Liberland, Czech Republic

Vít Jedlička is the Founder and President of the Free Republic of Liberland, a sovereign micronation established on April 13, 2015. With academic credentials in economics and political science from the University of Economics in Prague and the CEVRO Institute, Vít has spent over two decades advocating for liberty, inspired by classical liberal thinkers such as Bastiat and Rothbard. Under his leadership, Liberland has grown into a global movement with over 780,000 registered citizenship applicants. The nation is internationally recognized for its forward-thinking use of blockchain-based governance, voluntary cooperation, and minimal state interference. Vít has also initiated NFX, one of the world’s largest community-driven internet networks, reflecting his entrepreneurial vision. He has been featured in The New York Times Magazine, USA Today, CNN, Time, and Fox Business Network, and has spoken at top global forums including Bitcoin Miami, TEDx, Horasis Global Meeting, ALEC, and the St. Gallen Symposium. Vít's recent recognition includes the Gusi Peace Prize (2023) and a Humanitarian Award at the United Nations for his innovative contributions to peace and liberty. In 2024, he appointed blockchain pioneer Justin Sun as Liberland’s first Prime Minister following its first blockchain-based election. His mission is clear: to build the freest nation on Earth, where blockchain governance, economic transparency, and individual liberty enable people to thrive free from excessive regulation and taxation.

Adriaan Bakker

Consultant Treasury & Liquidity Management, ING, Netherlands

Adriaan Bakker has over a decade of experience at ING in the domain of liquidity management. His role has encompassed everything from hands-on cash and liquidity management execution to the implementation of large-scale projects. Notably, he played a key role in establishing series A funding (USD 60mio) for Fnality, aimed at defining the future of payments for banks and businesses, which is fully backed by central bank funds. Adriaan is deeply committed to embracing new technologies and achieving operational excellence. Throughout his tenure at ING Bank, he has implemented several market infrastructures and contributed to building a resilient bank. Early in his career, Adriaan spent time in Manila, Philippines, setting up a Liquidity Management team.

Dennis Dongelmans

Sr. Functional Manager Treasury, Finance & Risk, Nationale-Nederlanden Bank, Netherlands

Dennis Dongelmans is a DevOps Applications Specialist based in The Hague, with deep expertise in Real-Time Cash and Liquidity Management solutions for the financial sector. He specializes in ensuring high availability, scalability, and security of mission-critical applications that support global cash visibility and liquidity optimization. By leveraging automation and CI/CD best practices, Dennis enables financial institutions to streamline operations, reduce risk, and deliver real-time insights for better treasury and cash management decisions.

Sako Arts

Field CTO Netherlands, Wonderful, Netherlands

Sako Arts holds a Master’s in Computer Science from TU/e, where he was part of the first generation to specialize in Deep Learning. Since then, he has built a diverse career in Data Science and AI, including research at Philips, establishing an AI department at a software agency, founding an 'AI for Good' startup, and serving as CTO of Bright Cape Consulting. Currently, Sako is the CTO of Wonderful, an enterprise-grade agentic orchestration platform that enables global organizations to deploy deeply integrated, culturally localized AI agents. An experienced keynote speaker at major conferences like World Summit AI, MWC, and The Next Web, Sako focuses on the practical applications of AI. He avoids the hype to demystify the technology, showcasing real-world use cases and highlighting the genuine challenges of implementing this complex tech.

Matthias Rode

Partner, Deloitte, Germany

Matthias Rode is a Partner in Deloitte's German Financial Services practice and part of the Global Deloitte's Financial Crime (FinCrime) expert group. He also co-leads the Deloitte Europe AMLA (Anti-Money Laundering Authority) efforts, supporting financial institutions across the continent as they interpret and prepare for the sweeping changes AMLA brings to the industry. With over 25 years of experience, Matthias focuses on advising clients in the Financial Services Industry on the full spectrum of Financial (Economic) Crime and Non-Financial Risk Management (NFR-M). His expertise encompasses financial crime prevention, large-scale remediation projects, and strategic regulatory transformation. Matthias has led complex initiatives aimed at aligning organizations with new regulations, enhancing governance and organizational structures, improving controls and processes, and integrating data analytics and advanced technology into financial crime risk management frameworks. He is recognized for his practical approach to solving regulatory challenges, balancing compliance demands with cost efficiency, and enabling technological adoption for sustainable change. His leadership continues to shape market standards for financial crime prevention and non-financial risk management, making him a sought-after speaker and advisor on regulatory change, operating model transformation, and digital innovations in risk management within the global financial sector.

Frank Jan Risseeuw

COO, ING Wholesale Banking, Netherlands

Frank Jan Risseeuw is COO of Wholesale Banking and responsible the daily operations covering areas a.o. of KYC, Data Management, Product Processes and Client Services. The focus lies in creating more operational scalability though digitalisation and standardisation while growing the business. As of 2020 he worked in Madrid as Programme Director of Maggie, contributing to the development of a multi-country Retail banking platform for Spain, Italy, France & Czech Republic. Followed by 2,5 year as COO for Spain & Portugal and member of the executive committee. Between 2015 and 2020 he served as CEO of Yolt, a company from ING Group and pioneer in Open Banking. His career at ING started at headquarters in Amsterdam in 2007, when he joined the bank through the International Talent Programme for young graduates. He undertook several commercial and transformation positions from 2007 to 2015, one of them leading the local Agile Transformation. Frank Jan holds a degree in Science, International Business, Change & Strategy from the University of Maastricht and a master's degree in Science, Strategic Marketing Leadership from Henley Business School.

Ziegel Ziegelaar

Co-founder & CMO, Infradeploy, Netherlands

Ziegel Ziegelaar is Co-founder and CMO of Infradeploy (Netherlands) and a seasoned generalist and bridge-builder with over 30 years of international experience spanning aviation, finance, CRM, heavy industry (including oil & gas), innovation, renewable energy, and cybersecurity. He specializes in connecting business strategy with technology execution, helping organizations strengthen digital infrastructure, optimize identity and access management, and implement secure, scalable, and audit-ready environments. Known for translating complex technical concepts into practical business value, Ziegel supports companies in accelerating growth, improving operational efficiency, and strengthening security while keeping people, processes, and long-term impact at the center.

Shanky Singh

Sustainable Finance Lead, Tech Mahindra, Netherlands

Shanky Singh is a global sustainable finance leader with deep expertise in ESG research, sustainable finance, and climate policy. He supports financial institutions, investors, and corporates in navigating sustainability strategy, regulatory compliance, and carbon finance innovation. His work focuses on aligning clients with key frameworks under the EU Green Deal ” including the EU Taxonomy, SFDR, CSRD, and ECB/EBA ESG guidelines ” enabling them to manage climate-related risks, achieve ESG targets, and strengthen reporting and disclosure systems. In the voluntary carbon market (VCM), Shanky leads the development of carbon-backed financial products, integrating core banking insights with carbon pricing mechanisms and offset standards. He collaborates with Compliance, Legal, and Risk teams to structure scalable carbon finance solutions that treat carbon as an investable asset class. A passionate advocate for technology-driven sustainability, Shanky pioneers AI-led ESG solutions to automate reporting, climate risk evaluation, and data workflows. His global experience across the US, UK, Ireland, Germany, and Australia equips him with a culturally agile and regulation-aware approach to advancing responsible finance worldwide.

Jil Ebanoidze

Chairwoman, Global Impact Fintech | Founder, FinBigTech Lab, Netherlands

Jil Ebanoidze is a global fintech executive, board advisor, and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience driving innovation at the intersection of finance, technology, and impact. She has led strategic roles at Booking.com, eBay, and Naspers, and has built cross-functional teams across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. She is the founder of a consulting firm that helps big tech, banks, and fintechs design and scale tech-driven financial products, with a strong focus on ESG and sustainable innovation. Jil also founded Maison AVAZA, a personal branding and female empowerment company that fuses fashion, wellness, and identity. In parallel, she works with government innovation centers across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa to mentor early-stage startups and shape inclusive digital ecosystems. She serves as Chairwoman of the Board at GIFT (Global Impact FinTech) and is a member of SER Topvrouwen, the Dutch Social and Economic Council's initiative to connect top female executives to board and executive roles.

Vincent Sider

CEO and Founder, Deepblocker.ai, Jersey

Vincent Sider is an internationally recognised AI strategist and executive advisor, and the founder of DeepBlocker.ai, a cutting-edge solution to deepfake voice & video scams, created in response to his own experience with identity theft and impersonation. DeepBlocker is now his primary focus, delivering real-time, enterprise-grade protection against the growing threat of AI-driven deception. He is also the creator of Prodigo, a multi-agent AI swarm platform used across telcos, energy, and financial institutions, and AI Radar, awarded Product of the Month by Product Hunt. Previously Vice President of Social Media at the BBC, Head of Strategy at BT, and a Digital Board Advisor to The Royal Foundation, Vincent has spent two decades deploying digital infrastructure at global scale. He was awarded the world's first "Master of Make" designation for his work on advanced AI orchestration systems, combining voice, vision, and decision layers into production-grade workflows. His platforms have been deployed across EMEA, APAC, and the Americas, impacting thousands of customer interactions and internal operations.

Parag Shah

Head of Operations, Takeaway.com Payments B.V., Netherlands

Parag Shah is the Head of Operations at Takeaway.com Payments B.V., based in Amsterdam. He brings over 17 years of experience across Europe and Asia, with deep expertise in operational strategy, efficiency, and stakeholder management within financial services and payments. Prior to joining Takeaway.com Payments, Parag built a distinguished career at HSBC, where he held multiple senior leadership roles within Corporate & Institutional Banking. As Director, Corporate & Institutional Banking COO in Japan, he led strategic initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and governance. In his role as COO for the Netherlands & Belgium, he drove transformation programs focused on efficiency, client experience, and operational resilience. Earlier in his career, he served as a Global Relationship Manager in the Netherlands and Senior Relationship Manager in India, managing large corporate portfolios across lending, trade, and payment solutions. Parag holds an MSc in Logistics, Trade, and Finance from City, University of London, and a Bachelor of Commerce from Sydenham College, University of Mumbai.

Dan Maggs

Senior Innovation Manager, Digital Assets, ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Netherlands

Dan is an innovation manager in the Digital Assets space at ABN AMRO and is help shaping the future of custody in the crypto space. With a background at Lloyds Banking Group in payments, he played a key role in Fnality - the UK's first wholesale CBDC initiative, powered by blockchain technology.

Sean Rutter

Director - Growth and Expansion, Commercial and Talent, KWR, Netherlands

Sean has spent over 20 years working across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia with the leadership teams of Technology companies, helping them to grow and expand into new markets, acquire transformational talent and improve performance. Sean has a diverse background, from being an editor for Broadcast Television to the Defence sector, serving with the UK's Airborne Forces. He has an MBA from Cass Business School and an IDP-C from INSEAD and lives between the Netherlands and Dubai.

Feliks Indenbaum

Head of Group Treasury, JetBrains, Netherlands

Feliks Indenbaum is a finance and treasury professional with over 20 years of international experience across the EU and CIS. He combines senior leadership in liquidity management, FX, investments, and banking with deep expertise in financial markets and relationship-driven execution. Feliks holds a PhD in Economics (Ukraine), a Professional MBA in Banking (WU Vienna), a Certificate in Treasury (ACT UK), and a Diploma in Corporate Governance (Ireland), complemented by continuous development in finance, treasury, project management, and AI. Currently, he leads Group Treasury at JetBrains, a global software company, overseeing cash and liquidity, FX risk, credit cards and payment service providers, investment portfolios, and global banking relationships across multiple entities and countries. Reporting directly to the Group CFO, he focuses on designing robust treasury infrastructure, enabling efficient investment strategy and risk management, and supporting long-term financial and governance objectives. A pragmatic leader and strong team player, Feliks has a proven track record of delivering stable solutions in complex, fast-changing environments. He is skilled at building high-trust banking partnerships, navigating volatile markets, and aligning treasury operations with broader business goals.

Gerrit Kuiper

Operations Director, EMS Claims Solutions Provider, Netherlands

Gerrit Kuiper is an accomplished Operations Director at EMS Claims Solutions Provider based in Amsterdam, specializing in helping insurance leaders worldwide transform claims management through innovative technology. He works closely with CEOs, COOs, CIOs, CTOs, CUOs, and claims executives to implement EMS Claimsengine®, a cloud-based SaaS platform that modernizes traditional claims handling, enhances customer experience, reduces operational costs, and improves workforce productivity. With a strong focus on efficiency and compliance, Gerrit champions solutions that offer flexible pay-per-claim pricing, seamless implementation without system replacement, automated STP processing aligned with policy terms, and full audit-ready GDPR-compliant workflows — enabling insurers to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

Simon Begeer

Product Manager Digital Euro, Rabobank, Netherlands

Simon is passionate about the future of payments and financial innovation. Following a successful career as a consultant in the financial sector, he joined Rabobank to be at the forefront of transformative change. As Product Manager for the Digital Euro, Simon closely monitors the evolution of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and emerging forms of money, actively seeking out opportunities that drive both innovation and value for Rabobank.

Len Marais

Management Consultant, Accenture, Netherlands

Len is a seasoned business leader who operates at the intersection of finance, technology, and strategic transformation. With over 20 years guiding public and private organizations through periods of profound disruption, he brings battle-tested expertise in navigating uncertainty while driving meaningful change. As a trusted advisor to C-suite executives, Len specializes in the critical domains reshaping finance today: currency evolution and payments modernization, monetary policy frameworks, financial stability, and institutional resilience. His work spans the full spectrum-from crisis preparedness and risk management to governance strengthening and strategic foresight. Currently at Accenture, Len guides High-Tech, Software, and Digital Platform companies as they reimagine their role in the financial ecosystem.

Swatantra Kumar

Head of IT Strategy & Transformation, KPMG Nederland

Swatantra Kumar is a visionary technology leader and Head of IT Strategy & Transformation at KPMG Nederland. With nearly two decades of global experience and a strong entrepreneurial background, he has helped organizations across continents align technology with business strategy to deliver measurable impact. His expertise spans IT strategy, digital transformation, cloud and AI enablement, and digital products & platforms. Swatantra is a passionate advocate for democratizing technology and fostering innovation at scale. Known for his strategic vision and collaborative leadership, he is committed to shaping future-ready organizations equipped to thrive in an increasingly digital and AI-driven world.

Soenil Soebedar

Founder, SOEBIT Cybersecurity, Netherlands

Soenil Soebedar is a solution-oriented IT & cybersecurity professional who spent more than 32 years in the IT sector, 22 years as a freelancer & founder of SOEBIT Cybersecurity in the Netherlands (Europe) and 12 years in the Cyber Security area as an Ethical Hacker, Penetration tester, PKI/Cryptography specialist/Architect, Senior Security Engineer, Senior SOC Specialist. He lives and studies in the Netherlands, born in Suriname (South America).

Silke van der Burg

Senior Consultant, EY-Parthenon, Netherlands

Silke is a strategy consultant at EY-Parthenon focusing on corporate strategy with a strong emphasis on digital assets.

Joris Dekker

Market Infrastructures Expert, ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Netherlands

Joris Dekker represents ABN AMRO on all Digital Euro related matters and is chair of the Dutch Banking Association CBDC expert group. He has positioned ABN AMRO to actively seek collaboration to ensure digital money will bring innovation in a trustworthy manner. Therefore he is co-author of several papers and co-creator of the SPARC project that is seeking experimentation to redefine transaction banking.

Lance Cameron

Principal Owner, Cameron Consulting, Netherlands

Lance Cameron is a senior data leader with nearly 30 years of experience in financial services across the US, Europe, and Asia. He has held leadership roles at EY and Deloitte and served in CDO and data-strategy positions at institutions in New York, London, Hong Kong, and the Netherlands. Known as the first enterprise customer of Collibra during his time at HSBC, Lance specializes in data governance, AI, and regulatory-driven data strategy. He has redesigned data-quality and governance operating models for major European banks and served as Chief Data Officer for Aegon Asset Management. He is the founder and principal of Cameron Consulting, an Amsterdam-based boutique advisory firm focused on senior-led, AI-enabled data strategy, governance, and compliance for leading European financial institutions.

Luciana Ledesma

Founder & CEO, MeaningStack, Netherlands

Luciana Ledesma is a seasoned AI innovator, venture builder, and technology strategist working at the forefront of artificial intelligence and emerging digital ecosystems. She is the Founder and CEO of MeaningStack, where she develops systems and tools that help enterprises and developers manage AI agents in production and build next-generation intelligent platforms. With nearly two decades of experience across venture building, AI innovation, investment evaluation, and public-sector strategy, Luciana has led and advised hundreds of venture-creation initiatives globally. She has worked with organizations including HP, Visa, Siemens Energy, Boston Scientific, and government innovation programs in Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America. Her industry expertise includes fintech, energy, healthcare, education, and smart cities. Previously, Luciana served as CEO and co-founder of Teder.ai, an AI-powered personalized learning platform, and held leadership roles in innovation and venture creation at organizations including Rokk3r Labs and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). Her work focuses on translating emerging technologies into scalable products, ventures, and innovation ecosystems. Luciana holds graduate degrees from the University of Cambridge and the Technical University of Munich, and is a frequent speaker on AI innovation, venture creation, and the future of intelligent systems.

Ayse Zoodsma-Sungur

Central Banking & Payments Policy Expert, Independent Payments & Policy Consultant

Ayse Zoodsma-Sungur is a Central Banking & Payments Policy Expert. She contributes to advancing resilient, efficient, and secure payment ecosystems in the Netherlands and beyond. Her work focuses on analysing developments in domestic and international payment and settlement systems, shaping policy aligned with global standards, and supporting initiatives that enhance financial stability and innovation across the payments landscape. Ayse collaborates closely with international bodies, including De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), Bank for International Settlements (BIS) and the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI), the global standard-setting body for payment, clearing, and settlement systems. Drawing on the BIS mission to foster global monetary and financial stability, she engages in policy research, cross-border cooperation, and dialogue with central banks and regulatory authorities. With professional experience spanning Malaysia and Switzerland, Ayse brings a global perspective to her role, contributing to the development of robust, future-ready payment systems that support the evolving needs of economies worldwide.

Dirk Thomas

Managing Director, EuroDat GmbH, Germany

Dirk Thomas is a graduate physicist and engineer. He has been working for different German Banks and has several years of experience in risk systems, models, data science and big data applications. He joint the data trusty EuroDat as a managing director in 2025.

Dmitry Shibaev

Director, Dynamic Strategies, Portugal

Dmitry has over 20 years of experience in the tech and banking sectors, working at major multinational institutions before founding Dynamic Strategies in 2022. He began his career during the early-2000s dot-com boom and went on to hold senior roles across Risk, Treasury, and Trading in London and Amsterdam. Dmitry now focuses on applying blockchain-driven automation to financial-market infrastructure and is passionate about its potential to reshape how the industry operates.

Sashidhar Bacchu

Founder & CEO,Sriven, UK

Sashidhar Bacchu is a FinTech technology leader with deep expertise in enterprise integration, data platforms, and AI enablement across highly regulated financial services environments. works with FinTech organisations to address the foundational challenges that determine whether AI initiatives succeed or fail, data fragmentation, system integration, and operational resilience. With hands-on experience designing and delivering integration-led architectures, Sashi helps FinTech leaders move from data silos to connected, AI-ready platforms that support real-time decisioning, regulatory compliance, and scalable innovation. His work focuses on aligning AI strategy with robust data and integration foundations to deliver measurable business value. At Sriven, Sashi advises clients on building future-proof FinTech ecosystems that enable trusted AI adoption, intelligent automation, and sustainable growth.

Sohrab Hosseini

Co-founder & CEO, Orq.ai, Netherlands

Sohrab is one of the two co-founders at Orq.ai. Before founding Orq.ai, Sohrab led and grew different SaaS companies as COO/CTO and as a McKinsey associate.

Venkat Sambandan

Senior Manager, Deloitte, Netherlands

Venkat Sambandan is a seasoned banking and technology expert with over 20 years of global IT experience across finance, healthcare, and knowledge management. At Deloitte Netherlands, where he has spent the last 18+ years, he leads large-scale transformation programs for major financial institutions, with deep specialization in data management, risk management, regulatory reporting, and compliance. Venkat focuses on the intersection of AI, data governance, and RegTech, driving practical use cases where data enables AI and AI enhances regulatory and compliance outcomes. He has led complex international programs in roles including Product Owner, Program Lead, and Project Manager, delivering regulatory reporting platforms, data migrations, and risk analytics solutions for leading banks. He is known for architecting innovative Deloitte RegTech solutions that advance the future of regulatory compliance and data-driven risk management.

Carsten Helm

Lead Fraud Prevention, EBA CLEARING, Germany

Carsten Helm is an anti-financial crime and fraud prevention expert with over 20 years of experience across traditional banking and fintech. He currently serves as Lead Fraud Prevention at EBA CLEARING, where he focuses on strengthening pan-European payment security frameworks and advancing collaborative approaches to fraud detection and prevention. Previously, Carsten was Group MLRO at N26, where he led the AFC and MLRO organization through a major strategic restructuring and remediation program, successfully completing a regulatory monitorship initiated by the German regulator. Before that, he held the role of Head of Global Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Prevention at Commerzbank, driving continuous enhancement of enterprise-wide fraud and compliance controls. Carsten specializes in intelligence-led fraud prevention, including the development of data-driven risk models and self-learning transaction monitoring systems capable of detecting suspicious activity in real time. His work sits at the intersection of regulation, technology, and operational excellence in financial crime prevention.

Wim Boonstra

Associate Professor on Economic and Monetary Policy, VU University Amsterdam, School of Business and Economics, Netherlands

Wim Boonstra (1958) is Associate Part-Time Professor of Economic and Monetary Policy at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, specializing in money, banking, and the evolution of money creation. He has over 40 years of experience in the financial sector, including more than three decades at Rabobank, where he served as Project Leader for the euro’s introduction (1994–1999), Chief Economist (2000–2016), and Board Adviser (2016–2023) before retiring. Earlier in his career, he worked with ABN, Amro, and ABN Amro. Alongside his academic role, Wim has held several international positions, including Chairman of the Monetary Commission of the European League for Economic Cooperation and member of the Council of SUERF. He is a prolific author of books and policy papers on monetary systems, central bank digital currencies, and global financial architecture, including The Basics of Money and Banking (2020) and The Evolution of Money (2025).

Odd Egil Orøy

Product Development Manager, Tieto,Norway

Odd Egil holds more than 20 years’ experience from the industry and have worked both as a Product Manager, Business developer, Senior Advisor and Business manager. His focus has lately been to lead the service development of the Multichannel billing and payment service to digitalize and streamline integrated invoice and recurring payment for both businesses and consumers in digital channels, and through this enable businesses to optimize cash flow and reduce churn through enhanced customer experience.

Inna Kostiuk-Haas

Business Development Manager - Crypto vertical, Worldline, Belgium

Inna Kostiuk-Haas is a Business Development Manager for the crypto vertical at Worldline, based in Belgium. With over 15 years of experience across fintech, retail, SaaS platforms, and crypto, she specializes in sales leadership, strategic partnerships, and market expansion across regions including CIS and MENA. At Worldline, Inna has led complex sales cycles, driven partner growth for acquiring services, supported the launch of innovative payment solutions such as SoftPOS, and aligned cross-functional teams across sales, marketing, and lead generation. In her current role, she works closely with crypto exchanges and MiCA-licensed companies to simplify payments and scale operations across Europe and global markets. Known for her high energy, strategic clarity, and structured approach to complex environments, Inna is passionate about customer engagement and commercial growth. She is also a former co-host of the Navigating Digital Payments podcast, where she discussed global payment trends with industry leaders. Alongside her corporate role, she advises startups on sales strategy, go-to-market expansion, and scalable business development systems.

Dr. Ajay Sharma

Founder and CEO, ASR Ventures, Netherlands

Dr. Ajay Sharma is a Netherlands-based global business leader and founder of ASR Ventures. He works with boards, executives, and investors at the intersection of sustainable finance, ESG governance, and technology-driven transformation, helping organizations translate green ambition into bankable strategies, measurable outcomes, and credible controls. In 2025, he was recognized as a “Sustainable Entrepreneur” by Business Press. He is a board member at iCapital Ventures and the author of The Conscious Board, which explores modern board governance and decision accountability in an AI-enabled world. With deep leadership and board-level experience across Europe, India, and Africa, Dr. Sharma has supported growth and transformation initiatives spanning fintech and alternative finance, digital infrastructure, and the energy transition. His work emphasizes disciplined governance, risk oversight, stakeholder alignment, and practical operating models that make ESG and sustainability initiatives scalable, auditable, and investable.

Ivana Nikolik

CGO - Business Development Data&AI Atos, Netherlands

Ivana is a long-term Board Member, Executive Director in IT industry, currently CGO - Business Development Data&AI at Atos, Forbes Councils Executive Member and thought leader, with over 18 years of experience leading global strategic and growth initiatives. She has been awarded 40Under40 Top Business Leader in Europe, 2025 Tech Leader of the Year, and Global Leader of the New Era. Today, she’s President of STEM Women in the Netherlands and G:100 Country Chair Netherlands for IT Services and Innovations. As a vocal advocate for women in technology and AI, Ivana serves as a Global Ambassador and Mentor for Women in Tech and Women in AI Benelux, on a mission to empower the next generation of leaders while driving change in industries powered by AI, automation and digital transformation. Ivana's strategic acumen and dynamic leadership style have solidified her reputation as a trailblazer in global business development while growing strong C-level relationships and sharing knowledge and expertise on digital transformation with a mission to drive innovation in the ever-evolving landscape of technology.

Necati Saygi

KYC Chapter Lead, GarantiBank International NV, Netherlands

Necati Saygi is KYC Chapter Lead at GarantiBank International N.V., leading client onboarding and KYC capabilities within an international banking environment. He operates at the intersection of trust, customer risk management, and operational resilience—supporting secure growth and working with stakeholders to enhance controls as fraud and cyber threats evolve. Necati focuses on translating regulatory expectations into scalable, sustainable operating models, and driving improvements across digital onboarding, customer due diligence, and KYC transformation.

Zena Mokdad

Director, Banks & Fintech Client Coverage, Standard Chartered, France

Been with Standard Chartered Bank for 15+ years across different roles and jurisdictions in the Middle East and Europe. Started as an International Graduate on the trading floor in Dubai then moved into various roles in coverage and transaction banking. Moved to Paris in 2022 as part of the Bank and Broker Dealers coverage team covering French, Belux and Portuguese banks. Recently shifted focus to Fintech clients as part of SCB strategy to continue growing this segment globally, and more lately, in Continental Europe.

Sjoerd Slot

Founder & CEO, Sygno, Netherlands

Sjoerd Slot is Co-Founder and CEO of Sygno, a Dutch Regtech company developing explainable AI for fraud and anti-money laundering. His work focuses on automated model generation based on good behavior — captured in Sygno’s philosophy “Know good, catch bad.” He has extensive experience in financial crime, analytics, and regulatory compliance, leading transformation initiatives for banks and payment providers.

Serhii Zakharov

CEO and Founder, PayDo

Serhii Zakharov Honored for "Excellence in Financial Leadership" at Dubai Fintech Week Dubai, UAE – Serhii Zakharov, CEO of PayDo, received a personal award for "Excellence in Financial Leadership" in the category of "Digital Payments Innovation" at the Dubai Fintech Week Fintech Executives Summit. The award recognized his pioneering work in architecting a unified financial ecosystem that resolves complexity for online businesses. Zakharov delivered a keynote on "The Consolidation Imperative: Why Every Online Business Needs One Financial Partner." He argued that fragmented service providers create operational drag—distracting leadership, burdening compliance teams, and fragmenting data visibility. Drawing on PayDo's track record of multi-billion annual processing, Zakharov showcased the advantages of a unified ecosystem. With direct memberships as a SWIFT and SEPA member and Visa & Mastercard Principal, PayDo eliminates intermediaries, enabling clients to operate through one contract, one onboarding, and one integration. "Businesses care about scaling, not managing multiple counterparties," Zakharov stated, noting that 73% of users will switch providers for better UX. His message was clear: unified ecosystems represent the future of digital finance.

Dirk Mourik

Director, Emerging Solutions, Mastercard, Netherlands

Dirk helps Mastercard Identity bring solutions to market. He leverages data to uncover new use cases and acts as a subject matter expert to accelerate go-to-market success globally.

Serge Kuznetsov

Co-Founder & CBDO INXY Payments, Spain

Sergey Kuznetsov, co-founder of INXY Payments. We help traditional businesses set up crypto payment acceptance, mass payouts, and crypto-to-fiat exchange — boosting their revenue and cutting 3–4% on processing costs. Licensed in the EU and Canada. Currently obtaining licenses in the US, UK, and Cyprus. Recently closed a bridge round of $5M at a $100M valuation, led by FlashPoint. Hit $2B in transaction volume for 2025. Grew 6x year-over-year. Scaling hard. Tons of experience launching projects and products from scratch — both digital and physical. Right now I'm actively leveling up my skill of scaling from one to infinity) Some highlights: — As Managing Director, built HVAC systems R&D and manufacturing from the ground up in 1.5 years (no real-world analogues exist) for PIK Group, which later acquired it for $7.5M. — At Arteza.com — an e-commerce project acquired from the founders for $120M — I managed a team of 200 creative people: marketing, design, product, photographers, videographers, you name it. And that's a whole other story, a pretty wild one) How I can help: — Finding PMF and becoming a market leader — Fundraising — full cycle from pitch deck to outreach and investor conversations — Breaking down the basics of Web3 / Fintech / Crypto (not investment advice) — Any questions on hypergrowth, finding leverage points that can deliver outsized results — Crisis management — Founder and startup mentorship — International network I run a podcast with founders — NoBullsh!t: business unfiltered, in Russian — and I'm launching a new one called MadeIt in English. Community lead at Founders ES