Key learnings:

1. Security and innovation are complementary There is a common misconception that security slows down innovation. Candice reframes this, arguing that they are not opposites but partners. Effective security is actually a "growth lever" that reduces friction and costs, enabling businesses to innovate safely.
2. Psychological safety drives commercial results Creating a safe culture isn't just a soft skill; it is a business necessity. Candice emphasises that to solve complex problems, leaders must create an environment where staff, especially quieter team members, feel safe to voice ideas, challenge the status quo, and admit mistakes without fear of being shut down.
3. Hiring for curiosity, accountability, and adaptability While technical competence is the baseline, Candice prioritises three specific traits when recruiting: Curiosity (the desire to extrapolate and find the "next big thing"), Accountability (the willingness to own decisions and mistakes), and Adaptability (the ability to pivot in a constantly changing fraud landscape).
4. Curiosity as a career compass Candice’s journey from a lawyer in data protection to a leader in payment security was not a straight line. She highlights curiosity as the primary driver that allowed her to spot opportunities, pivot successfully, and navigate the complex payments ecosystem.
5. The "Arms Race" with fraudsters Security innovation is necessary because fraudsters are innovating just as fast. Candice notes that fraudsters now operate like organised, high-tech businesses using AI. Therefore, corporate innovation is required not just for new products, but simply to keep up with the sophistication of bad actors.

Drawing on decades of frontline experience, Nicky reveals what truly drives effective conversations whether in life‑or‑death situations or everyday leadership. Nicky unpacked the value of deep listening, the rare skill of giving someone “a good listening to,” and why creating psychological safety is the foundation of trust.

The importance of self‑reflection, putting ego aside, and having the humility to ask, “What could I have done better?” Nicky explains why slowing down is often the most powerful strategy, resisting the urge to “fix” too quickly and instead seeing challenging conversations not as one‑off events but as evolving campaigns. We also explore the human need for identity and validation, and how recognising this can radically transform difficult interactions.

A major theme is self‑responsibility: before stepping into any important discussion, leaders must check their own emotional state. Are you in the right frame of mind? If not, the most mature choice might be to pause or let someone else step in.

Nicky closes with a profound message: every interaction leaves a mark. We can choose to leave people feeling valued, empowered, and heard or the opposite. Since we never fully know the impact, the only real question is:

How would you like to leave that person feeling as you walk away from that conversation?

Balancing family life, night school, and growing responsibilities in a demanding business environment, he demonstrates how barriers can be navigated not by shortcuts, but through smart, consistent, and determined action.

A powerful theme running through our discussion is dyslexia not as a setback, but as a desirable difficulty. Rather than seeing it as a limitation, Ray frames it as a differentiator: a way of thinking that unlocks creativity, client problem solving, and unique insight. It’s a reminder that diverse minds shape stronger teams and better outcomes.

We also explore the importance of putting the right person at the centre of the table whether that’s the merchant, the client, or the colleague whose voice hasn’t yet been heard. Ray shares how meaningful inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do; it has multiplying effects across a business, enhancing reputation, strengthening relationships, and delivering better customer outcomes.

In discussing the payments world, Ray highlights how despite decades of infrastructure remaining largely unchanged complexity has increased, creating a growing need for translators: people who can break down the intricate into the understandable. Curiosity emerged as a defining trait of every great career in payments. Even chargebacks which many can see as unglamorous become a gateway to understanding the whole ecosystem.

Ultimately, this episode is about winning the right way: through respect, trust, and doing what you say you’ll do. And, above all, by showing up each day committed to giving your best because that’s the one thing we can always control.

Thank you Michael Harty for connecting us.

What emerged throughout the discussion is a consistent theme: human connection. Whether onboarding clients or building long term partnerships, trust remains the foundation of every successful relationship.

We dived into opportunities shaping the future of payments, from redesigning cross border and FX ecosystems to increasing transparency across the value chain. Growing influence of AI, how it can dramatically streamline operations, elevate customer experience, and support business growth.

We agreed and stressed that AI must enhance rather than replace human judgement. “Humans in the loop” remains essential: people brief the AI, let it handle the heavy lifting, and then humans apply insight and responsibility to final decisions.

Responsibility becomes the key word of the episode. Cian emphasises that transparency, innovation, and self reflection only matter when paired with ownership and action. Without execution, great ideas remain just talk.

Dylan closes with a powerful message for aspiring founders: "Go all in".

Drawing from his startup journey at Revolut and now Payfex Global, he urges listeners not to wait for the perfect moment. Commit fully, embrace the hard work and the failures, and the rewards will shine “a hell of a lot brighter.”

This episode blends industry insight, entrepreneurial wisdom, and a reminder that behind every product, platform, or piece of technology trust and human connection still matter most.

Thank you Anant Patel for connecting us.

Rather than networking for personal gain, he approaches others with sincerity and reciprocity, creating a multiplying effect where energy and opportunity flow both ways. His mindset is simple yet profound: mean well.

When you operate from good intent, life stays in motion, you meet more people, learn more, and open doors you couldn’t have predicted. Passion plays a major role too; by working in industries he genuinely enjoys, such as music, travel, and payments, he removes friction and brings authentic enthusiasm to his work.

Reflection also shapes Stefano’s growth, whether identifying niche opportunities or developing stronger communication. Above all, resilience defines his journey. Even after rejections and being temporarily blacklisted for applying for jobs with one company, he kept finding new routes in, taking imperfect opportunities and turning them into long-term roles.

His philosophy is clear: don’t ask for a job, solve a problem. Add value first, and the right opportunities will find you.

First, we uncover her unwavering commitment to doing the right thing and giving her best in every moment, a value set that forms the bedrock of how she leads and makes decisions.

Next we explored Divya's evolution across geographies, markets, and roles, revealing a leader who adapts situationally with integrity, shifting seamlessly from advisor to operator. While staying true to her purpose. She places customers at the centre, viewing opportunity, risk, regulation, and innovation through the lens of what truly serves them. Not what is merely possible.

We dived into the possibilities within the payments industry, especially real‑time payments, which she sees as transformative for every stakeholder.

Finally, we reflect on her perspective on trust, trust in oneself, trust in intuition, and trust as the very foundation of the payments ecosystem. A conversation full of insight, humility, and deep experience.

There can be some confusion about how private equity firms and portfolio companies interact. If the roles are not clearly defined, it can lead to an unproductive dynamic.

In our latest podcast discussion with Esme Wilson, Private Equity VP at Pollen Street Capital and Philip Harding, Commercial Director at Cashflows, we discussed what makes their partnership work. Key to their success has been distinguishing roles responsibilities and expectations from day one.

1. How maximising curiosity is the only way to minimise internal politics.
2. Why sending an email isn’t the same as creating clarity.
3. When to take nodding heads in the boardroom as a warning sign.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/clivesmith/

A compelling conversation about how launchlemonade is making AI accessible and practical for businesses by putting human needs first and using it as an amplifier rather than a replacement for human capabilities.

Key learnings:

• Trust is efficient. Collaboration is most effective when you trust yourself, your wider team and your network. 
• Think beyond today. Get past them and us, it's actually we. Having a shared vision and goal is critical.
• Fraud threatens innovation. Innovation is outpacing regulation. We need consistency across regions so we can all rise together. 
• Stay positive. Bring a mindset that sees the opportunity in everything and then embraces the challenge.
• Be yourself. If you think you're too small to be impactful, you've never been to bed with a mosquito!

Key takeaways:

• Leadership is not about being in charge. It's about taking care of those in your charge.
• Behaviours drive culture, culture drives results.
• To thrive in our industry building trust across the eco-system is vital, as is being open, curious and not judgemental.

Key takeaways:

• Invest in people. Financial results don't come by luck.
• Ask good questions. Be curiously competent.
• Kindness matters. You have to do hard things as a leader, but you can always do them in a kind way.
• Be intentional. Take personal responsibility for your career development.
• Be kind. If your kindness rubs off onto others, we’ll all live and work in a much better society.

Key takeaways:

• Harness data. Using customer data creates a better experience. Future developments could include offering personal CFO services.
• Set clear expectations. If there is no impact, it's a cultural problem. And if it's a cultural problem, it's a problem with leadership. Leaders need to set clear expectations.
• Build trust. Say what you do and do as you say, as simple as that. One of the things that makes the best leaders is that they're very predictable.
• Understand the context. Be mindful that the context you are working in will impact the organisational culture.
• The future of payments.Technology will advance; winning wallets will emerge, DeFi will take a front seat, Gen AI will increase fraud and be used to fight it.

Key takeaways:

• Payments is exciting. The unattended marketplace is undergoing rapid innovation, with developments beyond our current imagination.
• Learn from mistakes. Create a safe space to have honest conversations and take time to reflect on past mistakes.
• Consumers need choice. Not all Payments need to be frictionless.
• Tell stories. Attenda describe themselves as ‘substance not style’, they understand the importance of sharing their successes.
• Home grow talent. Investing in employees is mutually beneficial. 
• Give people opportunities in the business so they can grow.

Key takeaways:

• Awards inspire others, it’s much more about recognition than celebration.
• Independent judging is vital as industry recognition really means something.
• Any collaboration you can do is for the betterment of the industry.
• Be positive. Instead of looking at what you shouldn't do, look at what you could be doing
• Make mistakes. Without those failures, you can't learn and grow.

The Card and Payments Awards https://cardandpaymentsawards.com/

Key takeaways:

• Leadership starts with self leadership which begins with self care.
• Historically, payment providers had a solution and consumers had to fit in, now they deliver solutions based on customer needs.
• Everyone you work with, gives you an opportunity for growth and development.
• Sponsorship is vital for career progression - who is advocating for you when you are not in the room?
• Change is not an event, it's a process.
• Prioritise self care. You need to secure your own mask so you are in a good place to tend to others.

Key takeaways:

• Grace spoke about how data brings an opportunity to reduce friction across the payments eco system and that has a knock on effect in terms of inclusion.
• Advances in technology provide the opportunity for more equitable and inclusive credit, empowering economic growth.
• Consumers favour businesses with a strong environmental, social and governance stance. They want to deal with companies who operate ethically.
• We need to go beyond the voice of the customer, creating human centric design rather than using generic personas. 
• We need to think more globally in terms of our customer voice and remove the design biases we may have had in previous years.
• Sponsorship and coaching both have their place but they are different. Coaching is a deep dive into your strengths and weaknesses, your plans and goals. Sponsorship is different. It is about building lasting relationships with people who will advocate on your behalf when you are not in the room. 
• Payments is continually evolving. We may see the expansion of tokenization, programmable payments becoming the industry norm and the development of the ‘super wallet’.

Key takeaways:

• Stephen believes that creating success for others, will eventually create success for himself. This customer centric and strong team ethic has worked well for him over the longevity of his career.

• Conducting international business is a skill set in its own right and it's not one you can learn from a book. It's learning by doing, reflecting, and refining.

• Money2020 is about customers first, what are their needs, those needs might be varied across the globe.

• He spoke about the value of having multiple gears when you are leading so you can adapt and improve your impact across multiple customer and employee needs.

• A collaborative approach is vital for success within the Payments eco-system and for being a leader in 2023.

• Stephen is constant learner, his leadership and approach to customer is a learned skill set and it's an ongoing process for him.

• He had an insightful reflection on the industry - previously FINTECHS and banks were going head-to-head against each other, now there is more of a dance together. As they realise need each other, shoulder to shoulder is a better description of how they now operate.

• Stephen is very proud to be part of an organisation actually acts and gets results when it comes to closing the gender opportunity and pay gap. The Money2020 ‘Rise Up’ program lead to more women gaining promotion. They had the right sponsorship, access to those who believed in them and a proven methodology to follow.

• Stephen's advice to his younger self – it will work out well, so trust yourself. Speak up when you have the opportunity and don’t rely on others to spot the same blind spots you do.

Key Takeaways:

• Keith is driven by his values and the desire to be the very best version of himself, which allows him to play to his strengths, and to seek opportunities that match them.

• He has self-awareness and knows that he enjoys leading – it enables him to make an impact and actually choose the narrative.

• Together is always better – Keith has benefited from being part of large and small teams, he knows that having high caliber people around him directly impacts him. It enables him to keep learning that makes him a better leader. Means the team can own any mistakes and move forward.

• Together is always better – Facing into the challenge, and also seeing the opportunity.

• Sponsorship and advocacy – Keith has benefitted from and others have benefited from his sponsorship. The vital first part is you need to ask. You need to ask in a considered way because you need to start with yourself, to understand what you bring, what your edge is and what your skills are, what your ambitions are.

• Sponsorship and advocacy - it's a two-way street. It is playing to the self-interest of both parties.

• Keith has learnt and continues to learn from many people. Learning from multiple leaders along the way enables longevity of the learning journey.

• Keith deals gracefully with setbacks – there are three choices; setbacks can define you, destroy you or make you stronger, he chooses the latter. It's vital to continue to build trust within a team during challenging situations - If we do decide to go over here, we're going to go together.

• As a leader have your hand on your team members back rather than in their face. One of the most important leadership traits to display. We are not going to disperse and fragment in the face of adversity.

• Advice to younger self - listen, for what's not being said during meetings and interactions. Ensuring that a quieter voice is being heard, is given a platform for the benefit of better decision making.

Key takeaways:

• Be open. Networking brings opportunities and a collaborative approach is a win for all.
• Seek connection. Relationships are a mutually beneficial exchange of value.
• Complexity brings opportunity. The Payments Industry is changing fast, find a gap in the market.
• Set the right intentions. Collaboration is not a project, it’s a lifestyle.
• Find the right role. Find out what your unique ability is and focus on doing that.

Key takeaways:

• Be open. Networking brings opportunities and a collaborative approach is a win for all.
• Seek connection. Relationships are a mutually beneficial exchange of value.
• Complexity brings opportunity. The Payments Industry is changing fast, find a gap in the market.
• Set the right intentions. Collaboration is not a project, it’s a lifestyle.
• Find the right role. Find out what your unique ability is and focus on doing that.

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