Published
- 05:00 am

Oliver Wyman, a global leader in management consulting, and a business of Marsh McLennan today announced the completion of its acquisition of Innopay. Innopay complements Oliver Wyman’s existing payments consulting capabilities.
Innopay delivers strategy, scheme development, and execution in the domain of digital payments, open finance, digital identity, and data sharing. Their services capture an end-to-end offering in the payments sector to support companies and organisations to identify and seize opportunities in a digital world.
Innopay has joined Oliver Wyman as a specialist consulting business within the group’s European region. It continues to operate in the Netherlands and Germany, maintaining its presence in Amsterdam and Frankfurt. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Commenting on the transaction, Dr. Stephen Whitehouse, Partner and Head of Payments for Europe at Oliver Wyman, said: “The completion of the acquisition of Innopay heralds a considerable enhancement of Oliver Wyman’s payments capabilities. We look forward to combining our strengths and collaborating with Innopay, leveraging their expertise to deliver exceptional value and catalyze growth within the payments industry.”
Shikko Nijland, CEO, Innopay added: “Oliver Wyman’s acquisition opens up new opportunities for us to expand our reach and deliver impactful solutions to clients. We are excited to be part of a larger organization that shares our values for growth and innovation and are thrilled to officially join forces. Together, we will unlock new value for our clients and colleagues alike.”
Related News
- 02:00 am

Iress today announced the launch of its global FIX hub for trading clients. The Iress FIX Hub is a 100% cloud-native, enterprise hub-and-spoke network that connects buy-side, sell-side and trading venues across global markets. It enables trading firms to expand investment opportunities across all major asset classes and multiple message interfaces. A production configuration can be deployed in under 90 seconds.
In addition to global connectivity, Iress’ FIX Hub solution provides buy-side and sell-side clients with instant access for FIX onboarding, built-in capability for monitoring and security, access to daily reconciliation and validation, and ongoing diagnostics to reduce the risk of outages and downtime.
Iress’s Head of UK Trading, Debbie Kaye, said: “Today’s trading environment is increasingly complex and counterparties are not always limited to those on traditional point-to-point FIX networks. Iress’s FIX Hub enables our clients to quickly connect to any counterparty on the FIX network without laborious onboarding and installation of hard line connections. This helps to democratise access to the FIX network, to improve liquidity, price discovery and improves transaction times.
“Iress’s FIX Hub forms a key part of Iress’ refreshed strategy to refocus on our clients in trading and market data by reinvesting in our core software and data and analytics capabilities. In 2024, Iress’ FIX Hub capabilities will continue to evolve and focus on enhancing the client experience while delivering value-add data insights. These include machine learning-based insights for smarter trading and investing decisions.”
Related News
- 06:00 am

Portofino Technologies, one of the leading cryptocurrency market makers, today announces its successful registration as a crypto asset firm with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), enabling the business to trade cryptocurrencies with institutional investors in the UK.
Since its inception, Portofino Technologies, a crypto-native high-frequency trading firm, has focused on building a product to provide liquidity on the largest cryptocurrency exchanges. Portofino Technologies’ OTC business has grown considerably in recent months and provides its institutional clients with the most competitive prices and deep liquidity across hundreds of tokens. As an FCA-registered firm, Portofino is now in a prime position to grow its client franchise further both in the UK and globally.
With the FCA registration, Portofino Technologies can now trade directly with major banks, trading platforms, brokers, institutional investors, as well as blockchain projects and treasuries in the UK who seek to invest in digital assets, under robust compliance and risk management controls.
Joining the handful of cryptocurrency firms obtaining an FCA registration in the UK signals major recognition of Portofino Technologies’ commitment to the highest operating standards, and places Portofino Technologies at the forefront of the maturing institutional crypto industry.
Alex Casimo, Co-founder & Chief Operating Officer, Portofino Technologies, says: “Receiving the FCA’s approval to operate as a cryptoasset trading firm in the UK is a significant milestone for Portofino Technologies, which will allow us to expand our institutional client base. After having successfully built our product for on-exchange trading, Portofino sees the growth of its client franchise as a significant profit driver for the company in the coming years. With this latest certification, Portofino Technologies is now registered to provide OTC services in both the UK and Switzerland, solidifying our position as one of the most regulatory compliant cryptocurrency market makers globally.”
Celyn Armstrong, General Counsel and Head of Compliance, Portofino Technologies, says: “The FCA rightly sets a high bar for cryptoasset firms seeking registration, and we are proud to have successfully demonstrated our strong and sophisticated compliance controls. Our traditional finance and digital asset clients alike can have full confidence that we are committed to stringent regulatory compliance and risk management standards.”
Related News
- 09:00 am

Clearwater Analytics, a leading provider of SaaS-based investment management, accounting, reporting, and analytics solutions, today announced the appointment of Mike Chen as its new Senior Vice President, Head of Corporate Development.
Mike Chen brings more than 20 years of expertise in M&A and corporate business development to the role, having previously served as Head of Corporate Development and Ventures at Guidewire Software as well as Vice President of Corporate Development at Oracle. Chen has also held senior-level roles at Deutsche Bank Securities and Credit Suisse Securities in their Technology Investment Banking Divisions.
As Clearwater's new Head of Corporate Development reporting to Chief Strategy Officer Shane Akeroyd, he will be responsible for driving inorganic strategic initiatives by identifying and executing on new avenues for growth and innovation. Chen's experience in running successful corporate development programs for software companies combined with his dedication to client success will be instrumental in helping realize Clearwater's inorganic growth ambitions and achieving the Company's expansion goals.
"We are delighted to welcome Mike Chen to Clearwater," said Sandeep Sahai, CEO at Clearwater Analytics. "Mike will add depth to our M&A expertise, underscoring our plans to capitalize on the inorganic growth opportunities we see ahead of us, which will be a good complement to our plans for continued organic growth. Mike brings exceptional Corporate Development experience to the role and will guide us in identifying promising solutions that add to our portfolio of offerings, amplify our innovative efforts, and provide our clients with more trusted solutions."
"I'm honored to be joining a remarkable leader in the industry, at a time when the market conditions are ripe for M&A activities," said Chen. "Clearwater's comprehensive portfolio of full investment lifecycle solutions, exceptional client service, and stellar reputation in the market are world-class and make it the ideal platform to pursue M&A opportunities. I look forward to working alongside our senior leaders to shape the future of our Company."
Related News
- 01:00 am

ABN AMRO and Buckaroo are setting up an exclusive partnership around payment services for retailers. Retailers play an important role in Dutch society and this requires secure, simple, innovative payment solutions. By joining forces, ABN AMRO and Buckaroo will be able to serve this client group even better with banking expertise and innovative payment solutions. The partnership will also strengthen the positions of both parties in payment service provision.
Successful partnership
The payments market is developing ever faster, with digitalisation, convenience, speed, flexibility and security high on the list of users’ needs. As part of the new collaboration, Buckaroo will be taking over all PIN transactions carried out by ABN AMRO clients. The transfer will take place in phases, and will enable brick-and-mortar retailers and webstores to use a wide array of financial services that make in-store and online payments even easier.
Erica Kostelijk, Director of ABN AMRO Transaction Banking: “ABN AMRO gives clients the best possible support to make their business a success in this rapidly developing market – from new shop owners to large online or high street stores. Buckaroo’s focus on service and flexibility is a good match for this. Buckaroo is a partner that delivers innovative payment services to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and corporates alike, guided by the same client focus and entrepreneurial spirit as ABN AMRO.”
Paul Scholten, CEO of Buckaroo: “We are thrilled with this unique partnership. Buckaroo is the ideal payments partner for ABN AMRO’s clients. We serve more than 30,000 corporate and SME customers with a wide range of omnichannel payment solutions – from in-store to online payments and from support with subscriptions to credit management. Also, being a Dutch company, it’s in our nature to offer the kind of high-quality, local service customers deserve.”
Direct benefit for clients
The synergy between ABN AMRO and Buckaroo will benefit clients directly, giving them access to a wider range of payment services including PIN terminals, credit cards and online payment methods such as PayPal, Klarna, Riverty, Sofort, Bancontact and Apple Pay. In addition, they can use extra services to optimise in-store and online payments thanks to the technical integration options offered by online platforms like Magento and Shopware. Buckaroo and ABN AMRO share the ambition to further grow their portfolios of both SME and large corporate clients in the coming years.
Related News
- 04:00 am

ANZ Plus Add-Ons include the new Money Map and Money In & Out. Money Map is an interactive map that allows customers to track the geography of their eligible in-person purchases made with their ANZ Plus Visa debit card or digital wallet. Money In & Out provides customers a view of the money coming in and out of their account over a selected period, be it weeks, months or years.
ANZ Plus Add-Ons will also feature third-party integrations, with Qantas Frequent Flyer announced as the first partner Add-On. From today, ANZ Plus customers on iOS will be able to securely access their Qantas Frequent Flyer account in-app, view their points balance, discover new ways to earn Qantas Points and link their ANZ Plus Visa debit card to shop Card Offers via the Qantas Frequent Flyer Add-On. (Android to follow).
Group Executive Australia Retail, Maile Carnegie, said Add-Ons offer ANZ Plus users a customisable banking experience. “We understand our customers are increasingly looking for a personalised and more convenient digital banking experience.
With Add-Ons, our customers can integrate tools and insights so they’re available at a glance or connect with features from our partners.”
“The partnership and integration of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program showcases the flexible nature of the ANZ Plus retail banking platform, and we plan to expand our Add-Ons offering to customers over time,” Ms Carnegie said.
Related News
- 04:00 am

Socure, the leading provider of artificial intelligence for digital identity verification, sanction screening and fraud prevention, and Trustly, a leading global Open Banking payments provider, today announced an industry-first partnership to offer merchants and fintechs a streamlined onboarding and guaranteed Pay by Bank solution. This integration allows merchants, especially in industries that require robust KYC such as investing, gaming, trading and financial services, to simplify their customer onboarding process while guaranteeing fast payments.
By combining Socure’s accurate and inclusive identity verification and fraud prevention ID+ platform with Trustly’s guaranteed Pay by Bank offering, merchants can onboard users and process payments in one integrated flow. Socure’s AI-powered platform uses predictive analytics and a database of over two billion identities to provide industry-leading accuracy for KYC/CIP compliance, fraud detection and ID verification through its fully integrated suite. Trustly, with direct banking integrations, provides instant Open Banking payments with transaction guarantees.
Merchants are experiencing significant conversion drop-offs and subsequent revenue loss when acquiring new consumers who are required to complete KYC as part of their onboarding. Together, Socure and Trustly’s combined capabilities increase conversion rates and shorten user onboarding by up to 5x, according to Trustly’s research. The joint solution allows merchants and fintechs to accelerate time-to-revenue while ensuring regulatory compliance.
“This partnership enables Trustly to better serve our customers who can now provide a seamless onboarding and payment solution for their consumers and realize increased conversion,” said Craig McDonald, Chief Business Development Officer at Trustly. “Combining Open Banking with KYC and screening, greatly enhances the robustness of user onboarding and incorporates a seamless payment solution, providing consumers the ultimate onboarding experience.”
“We are very excited about our partnership with Trustly and its pay-by-bank business model. We think this diversity in payment types brought about by open banking is representative of a new era for consumer choice,” said Evan Rabinowitz, Vice President of Business Development at Socure. “We have a shared belief that trusted identity is essential to the transformation of open and connected banking.”
The partnership addresses key needs as more commerce moves online and fraudsters find new and sophisticated ways to exploit legacy identity verification and fraud prevention approaches. Deepfakes, synthetic identities and account takeover fraud are growing threats that require advanced identity proofing and risk assessment. Socure’s predictive machine learning models coupled with Trustly’s Open Banking authentication and data mitigate these emerging risks.
Trustly’s fast-growing merchant network includes major companies such as: AT&T, Coinbase, Dell, Lyft, GoFundMe, T-Mobile, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Western Union to name a few.
Related News
- 09:00 am

Yurtle, a London-based InsurTech helping workplaces combat caregiver burnout, has closed a seed funding round of £1.4 million.
The round was co-led by Insurtech Gateway and Mustard Seed Maze and will allow Yurtle to grow its team and roll out its ‘digital care ally’ Yurty.
Yurtle aims to help people to live independently as they age by empowering informal social care networks to deliver care support sustainably and effectively.
The number of people aged 65+ is growing at twice the rate of younger age groups. And despite living longer, many elderly people are in poor health.
Antonio Ribeiro, CEO/Founder at Yurtle: "Incredibly grateful to The Times and Richard Tyler for covering Yurtle and it's journey so far. It touches on our recent fundraise and commercial momentum."
"Yurtle helps UK businesses combat caregiver burnout in the workplace through a novel employee benefit. We exist to support the people struggling in silence to meet their obligations to a dependent loved one whilst striving to be the best professional they can."
Related News
- 09:00 am

PayPal Holdings, Inc. today announced Geoff Seeley has joined the company as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), reporting to Diego Scotti, Executive Vice President (EVP) and General Manager (GM) of Consumer Group and Global Marketing & Communications. Seeley brings over 25 years in global brand, digital, and performance marketing while building teams to drive transformative marketing models. Seeley was most recently the Global CMO and Communications Officer at AfterPay and in marketing at CashApp.
Seeley will be responsible for overseeing the Global Marketing team across PayPal's family of brands, including Venmo. At PayPal, Seeley will be focused on making sure the PayPal and Venmo value propositions are clear, compelling, and simple for customers. He will also focus on bringing new energy to the PayPal and Venmo brands by leveraging the company's innovative history, powerful product portfolio, and continuing to build on customer trust.
"Geoff has a rich and impressive background leading marketing teams and building brands across some of the biggest global companies," said Diego Scotti, EVP and GM, Consumer Group and Global Marketing & Communications, PayPal. "Geoff brings over 25 years of expertise in transforming global consumer and B2B brands by leveraging cutting-edge digital and performance marketing and building strong teams focused on enhancing brand awareness and engagement with customers."
Seeley previously worked on Airbnb's Homes business, where he had responsibilities across regional brand marketing, product marketing, global media, brand partnerships, marketing analytics, and research. Additionally, Seeley worked with Unilever as Global Communications Planning Director, where he helped established, legacy brands transform their marketing models and technology, upleveling the brand experience for customers.
Related News
- 04:00 am

allpay cards, a pioneering entity in card manufacturing, proudly announces its collaboration with SPICA, an industry leader in the production of high-performance recycled and virgin PVC material. As the only card manufacturers in the UK with this set-up, this partnership marks a significant stride toward fostering sustainable practices within the card production industry.
SPICA is renowned for its commitment to producing top-tier Recycled PVC material, adhering strictly to the highest quality standards. With an unwavering focus on delivering excellence, SPICA ensures that the film utilised in card production stands as the epitome of global quality.
In a transformative move, SPICA has restructured its entire operational paradigm, transitioning from the conventional ‘TAKE-MAKE-DISPOSE’ model to the environmentally conscious ‘REDUCE-REUSE RECYCLE’ approach. Embracing this closed-loop system, SPICA harnesses skeletons, setup sheets, and printed sheets to regenerate new material, initiating an endlessly sustainable cycle. A comprehensive take-back scheme has been instituted, encompassing post-consumer and post-industrial waste, enabling markets to achieve a 100% circular approach.
As for the logistics, Spica not only take their products back for recycling, but they also take any other PVC waste products from allpay cards’ other suppliers. The process requires very strict guidelines to avoid contamination of different products at different stages of production, it requires great discipline from operators to change waste bins on machines as they go from one product to another to avoid contamination especially between white and coloured plastic.
The introduction of SICO-R PVC and Recycled film designed for diverse application fields, stands as a testament to SPICA’s commitment to sustainability. Opting for SPICA’s SICO-R signifies a conscious choice toward utilising 100% recyclable material, thereby enabling the production of cards that are entirely recyclable. By aligning with SPICA and selecting SICO-R, allpay cards embraces sustainability while delivering exceptional quality in card production.