Can you describe your role and day-to-day responsibilities?
As an Agile Manager, I lead two R&D teams developing three payment products while shaping their roadmap with customers. I also contribute to new offers and product strategy.
My daily work involves managing customer relationships, planning releases, overseeing budgets, and mitigating risks. Currently, I’m focused on three solutions: Payment Services Subscription (PSS), which manages contractual conditions between banks and customers; HELIPAY, which handles e-services around payments; and Verification of Payee (VoP), a new product ensuring compliance with European regulations by verifying IBAN and beneficiary name matches. My goal is to drive innovation while meeting regulatory and customer needs.
Can you highlight a solution that demonstrates our strong market positioning in payment innovation?
One of our biggest challenges today is developing Verification of Payee (VoP) from scratch. This product enables banks to comply with a new European Commission requirement mandating that all European banks verify the IBAN against the beneficiary’s name for Instant Payments, SEPA Credit Transfers starting this year, and other euro bank transfers in the future. With a deadline of October 9th, this regulation poses a significant challenge across the industry.
Our solution acts as a gateway between banks’ applications and the Routing Verification Machine (RVM), which executes the verification process. What sets VoP apart is its integration within a broader offering, combining other existing products from our catalog that incorporate this new VoP service as part of the payment flow lifecycle. This reinforces our role as an innovator, offering a complete and compliant solution.
What are the main objectives and innovations behind this solution?
This new product is designed with the latest SBS standards, leveraging modern technologies and frameworks. It follows an API-first approach, ensuring seamless integration with banks’ applications via APIs.
How does this solution align with SBS’s long-term strategy for payment innovation?
Two key aspects stand out: first, our commitment to an API-first strategy, enabling greater flexibility and interoperability. Second, the dual compatibility of our solution, allowing deployment both on-premises and in cloud-ready environments, ensuring adaptability to various banking infrastructures.
What are the biggest challenges in payments R&D today?
One of the biggest challenges is the constant evolution of regulations, requiring us to respond quickly with compliant solutions. Additionally, banks are under pressure to reduce costs, pushing us to develop innovative yet cost-effective solutions that maintain high reliability and performance.
How do you stay ahead of emerging trends and technologies in the fintech space?
Staying ahead of emerging trends requires a strong connection with our customers. By closely analyzing their experiences and real-world use cases, we can design solutions that are both relevant and future-proof, ultimately earning their trust.
Another key factor is collaborating with external partners. Engaging with industry stakeholders provides quick access to new insights, technologies, and market opportunities, allowing us to stay at the forefront of innovation.
What sets SBS apart from competitors in payment innovation?
From my experience, strong internal collaboration is one of our biggest strengths. It enables us to deliver high-quality solutions and offers in record time.
Additionally, our deep business expertise sets us apart. Many of our experts have spent years in the industry, building strong relationships with customers and gaining invaluable knowledge that fuels our innovation in payments.
Where do you see the future of payments heading in the next five years?
Technological advancements are reshaping the payments landscape, making transactions more personalized and efficient. In the coming years, we can expect major innovations, including the widespread adoption of biometric payments, an increase in instant cross-border transactions, and the launch of digital currencies by central banks.
Another significant shift will come from the growing influence of social media in the payments space. With major brands increasingly selling directly through social platforms, these channels are evolving into key sales avenues across various industries. This trend is likely to drive social media platforms to develop integrated payment solutions, reducing reliance on third-party providers and offering seamless, direct purchases.
What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
The most valuable lesson I’ve learned is that the real lottery in life is getting paid to do what you love. When you’re doing something you’re passionate about, you’re not just working—you’re motivated and driven to succeed, which makes you more competitive and helps you reach your goals.
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