The Payments Association, a trade group for the payments sector, has appointed Mitch Trehan, Chief Compliance Officer at Allica Bank, and Daniel Holden, formerly Group CEO of Trust Payments, as Vice Chairs of its Advisory Board.  

As Vice Chairs, Trehan and Holden will assist the Chair Neil Harris in guiding the strategic direction of The Payments Association. They will also serve as ambassadors helping to promote its mission to empower the payments community, where collaboration and learning shape an industry that works for all.   

The Payments Association is managed by its senior leadership team and receives guidance and steering from the Payments Association Advisory Board. The Board is composed of 19 representatives from influential payments companies, working to build an innovative, resilient and sustainable payments ecosystem. Advisory Board members are nominated and elected by the Trade Associations members. Serving a term of three years, their contributions provide independent guidance, leadership and stakeholder engagement to the leading trade body in payments.  

Commenting on the appointments, Neil Harris, Chair of The Advisory Board, said: “Via The Payments Association, we have the opportunity to build upon the considerable progress and collaboration between industry, government and regulators to drive this sector forward. With that in mind, it’s reassuring to have the support of two respected titans of the industry in Mitch Trehan and Daniel Holden taking on the joint role of Vice Chair of the Advisory Board, ensuring this work continues at pace.” 

Tony Craddock, Director General of the Payments Association, added: “With the considerable number of media stories concerning the rise of fraud we have seen in recent years it’s no surprise that the two new Vice Chairs of our Advisory Board have such stellar and impressive backgrounds in fraud mitigation and cybersecurity. This will no doubt continue to be a key theme for some time so it’s comforting to know Daniel and Mitch are now so prominent on the board.” 

Mitch Trehan brings a wealth of experience in financial crime and cybersecurity to his new role. He has been with Allica Bank as Chief Compliance Officer since January 2024, having previously held key positions at Banking Circle and Currency Solutions, where he specialised in all areas relating to Regulatory Compliance, Operational Risk and Financial Crime. Recognised for his approachable character, Mitch is an active mentor within the Association’s Financial Crime Working Group. His expertise in financial crime, including Account-to-Account (A2A) transactions and open banking, positions him as an asset to the Advisory Board.  

On his appointment, Mitch Trehan commented: “It’s a privilege to step into this role and contribute in a more direct way to an organisation that’s making such a meaningful difference in the payments industry. It’s been a pleasure to work with this talented group of colleagues on the Advisory Board and I’m looking forward to tackling the challenges we face as Vice Chair." 

Similarly, Daniel Holden, brings a strong background in fintech and business leadership. He led Trust Payments as Group CEO between 2018 and 2024, delivering a transformational turnaround of triple-digit growth, revitalised strategic positioning, and capabilities to be one of the leading payment and SaaS businesses in the market. His legal background and vast experience in financial operations, properly equips him to support the Payments Association’s mission. 

On his new role, Daniel Holden added: “Taking on this position in the Advisory Board at such a pivotal time is both an exciting opportunity and a challenge I’m eager to embrace. There’s a tremendous amount of potential within the payments industry right now, and I look forward to helping drive growth alongside an incredibly capable team." 

The Payments Association continues to be a driving force in modernisation across the payments landscape, uniting essential stakeholders to aid collaboration for banks, payment service providers, fintech companies, and regulators. With a board rich in representation from senior executives of the most influential firms across the banking and fintech spectrum, the Association is uniquely positioned to bridge the divide between fintech solutions and traditional banking practices.  

This integration aims not only to enhance profitability but also to create adaptive payments environment that can address the challenges of today and tomorrow. With these, the Payments Association is poised to further strengthen its influence and commitment to transforming the industry.