Commercial Leader & Board Director | Fintech, Digital Assets, Payments Innovation | x-Modulr, Ripple, Mastercard | Harvard MBA

Commercial GM/ Chief Commercial Officer/ EMEA MD/ SVP, Board Director/ INED in fintech / payments, excited about driving cultural and operational transformation; building high-performing teams and reliable revenue engines to turbo-charge growth. Well-rounded background with extensive business development/ sales experience, complemented with regulatory (managing senior relationships with FCA and European regulators), operational efficiency, strategy/ consulting and product experience. I have been an influential public speaker since 2019 at leading industry forums and media. Knowledgable across payments (worked across all rails: Cards, A2A and blockchain), innovation, fintech and digital assets/ blockchain. Experienced with large corporates (HSBC, Mastercard) and high-growth tech / fintech (Modulr, Ripple). I am an execution-focused, commercially minded, strategic thinker, entrepreneurial and versatile cross-functional executive, and seasoned people leader, known for cutting through noise/ org structures to achieve ambitious outcomes. I thrive on delivering growth and change, bringing order to chaos/ ambiguity and professionalizing startups ready for scale. I have been described as a “thoughtful and pragmatic” and “compassionate leader”, with an “ability to move fast from the big strategic picture to the tactical and pragmatic action, and back.” My style has been described as a “naturally collaborative, inclusive and open without losing sight of outcomes and commercial impact.” I have been called “A true people person” who “creates and fosters deep and long-lasting relationships at all levels.” I am passionate about building, and leading high-performing teams, and establishing a high-performing and inclusive culture, especially as company scales rapidly. I have been known to “nurture[..] a culture of excellence and achievement,” and “forever raising the bar …. Set[ing] the highest of standards for both [myself] and the teams around [me].” I have been described to have a “remarkable ability to inspire and mobilise teams, fostering a culture of innovation, and collaboration.” I believe business can (and should) do well and do good at the same time, but only if its social, environmental, governance responsibilities are built into its DNA, and appropriate culture is set from the top – at the Board level. I have lived in Turkey, East Coast US, and UK; and worked globally. Held local, regional and global leadership roles. I hold dual UK & EU nationality. I am well versed in cultural nuances in corporate and startup settings.