Our Team

Finastra Representative

Ben Abbassi

Managing Director, Large Enterprises, NA & EMEA

Ben Abbassi is a senior executive in Payments with experience in leading global teams that drive value creation and transform business operations. His track record covers Large Banks, Financial Intermediaries and Retailers across EMEA and North America.

Prior to joining Finastra, Ben Abbassi spent more than 10 years with ACI Worldwide where he held executive positions as Global Head of Services and Head of Sales Europe.

Matthieu Andrieu

Corporate Banking - Solution Consulting Senior Director

As the Senior Director of the Solution Consulting Group, Matthieu Andrieu is responsible for ensuring Finastra provides the cutting-edge solutions to our clients with strong focus on corporate banking: trade finance, supply chain management, lending, liquidity, or cash management.

Matthieu has worked in the financial software industry for 25+ years building up a wealth of experience particularly in the channels applications around the corporate digital customer experience. Matthieu’ strong technical background and breadth of experience has enabled him to work across Finastra’ solution portfolio and with other vendors to help define and deliver solutions combining a variety of components.

Prior to his current role, he has started is carrier with BNPParibas and funded a successful start-up named NEOMAlogic (2000-2006)

Computer Science Engineer – National School of Telecommunication (France) and Machine Learning Diploma from MIT (USA)

Andrew Bateman

EVP Lending

Andrew is responsible for the leadership and growth of Finastra’s Lending Business Unit.

With almost 30 years in financial services, he guides global teams in modernizing technologies through technical agility, supporting customers’ growth agendas. In addition, he is committed to promoting inclusion, diversity and sustainability within the industry, and strongly advocates for workplace wellbeing and open communication.

Previously Andrew has held positions across the globe with FIS and SunGard (later acquired by FIS). Most recently he was Head of Sales for Corporates and International Banking at FIS in London. In this role he oversaw the transformation of the sales organization, driving the growth of banking, payment and treasury solutions to banks, non-financial institutions and corporations. Prior to this he led the transformation of the Capital Markets division through the creation of a centralized Technology and Services function. He also served on the boards of Virtus Partners Fund Services in Ireland and Luxembourg; a credit-based alternatives fund solution provider acquired by FIS in 2020.

Sylvie Boucheron-Saunier

Chief Revenue Officer, Payments

Sylvie Boucheron-Saunier is the Global Chief Revenue Officer for Finastra’s Payments organization.

An experienced senior executive with a knack for recruiting and coaching top talents around the world to drive accelerated revenue growth. She has a strong technology background and deep knowledge of the financial services & payments industry, from various perspectives – successively worked for a bank, a card vendor, a processor & merchant acquirer, and software providers.

Sylvie joined Finastra from real-time payments solutions company ACI Worldwide where she has been for ten years holding a variety of leadership roles; showcasing strengths in rebuilding regions that had been neglected, diverse and highly complex. Sylvie is a strong advocate for the leadership and growth of women in the payments industry and continually looks for ways to provide mentorship, empower, while seeking inclusion and diversity in all roles. She is also passionate about giving back and helping to reduce poverty and inequalities particularly in Africa where she gives her time to NanoBNK, a FinTech offering digital banking solutions for unbanked populations in Africa, as well as a Board Member of the Anglo-African Group, present in several countries in Africa.

Sylvie has travelled the world and hold various degrees from her native country of France. She currently resides in Naples, FL where she pursues her passion of art and music. In her spare time, she enjoys visiting art exhibitions and going to rock concerts.

Siobhan Byron

EVP Universal Banking

Siobhan oversees Finastra’s Universal Banking business, including market leading core banking and digital solutions globally. She has deep technology industry expertise, and more than 25 years of experience in IT and channel management, as well as leading and growing prominent technology companies across a range of sectors such as financial services, insurance, manufacturing, and public sector.

She’s passionate about innovating to drive growth and unlock new revenue opportunities. A highly regarded technology executive and transformative leader, Siobhan champions Finastra’s open culture and is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion. She is the Executive Sponsor for the company’s LGBTQ+ and Friends initiatives, as well as supporting the Women@Finastra group.

She earned a prestigious place on Computer Dealer News’ ‘Top 20 Women of the Channel’ list for her work in the Canadian IT sector, as well as being named among CRN’s ‘Top 100 Women of the Channel’ for two years running. In 2025, Siobhan was named as one of the Top 100 Women list by FinTech Magazine. Siobhan has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Ulster, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Liverpool, as well as being a certified Project Manager (PMP). She has served on various boards including the Board of Directors for Oakville Hydro and Halton Children’s Aid Board of Directors.

Robert Downs

Chief Product Officer, Corporate Lending

As Chief Product Officer for the Corporate Lending business unit, Rob is responsible for Strategic product management for Finastra’s Corporate and Syndicated Lending, Trade Finance, Corporate Channels and Cash Management solutions. Rob leads the Corporate Product Management teams and is accountable for definition and execution of the strategic roadmap to ensure Corporate Lending products remain at the forefront of the market, continually evolving to meet the needs of our clients. Rob holds a degree in Computing from Leeds Beckett University and spent almost twenty years at Credit Suisse in various roles across Fixed Income and Lending Technology before joining Finastra in 2018.

Manish Joshi

VP, MAAP Sales & Partner Management, Corporate Lending

Manish B Joshi is the VP, MAAP Sales & Partner Management for Finastra’s Lending business unit.

He has been with Finastra for over 10 years, spread between Singapore and Dubai, and is responsible for overseeing the business unit strategy in the Asia Pacific and MEA regions, playing a pivotal role in the business’ expansion in these markets.

With over two decades of diverse experience in the financial technology industry, Manish worked with Oracle’s FSGBU business for over a decade before joining Finastra in Singapore in 2013. With deep understanding of the region and industry, he is very passionate about delivering excellent customer service and ensuring Finastra’s continued growth.

Manish holds a Master’s degree in Management. He loves driving in the country side in India and spending time with his wife and daughter.

Arun Kini

Managing Director, Payments, APAC

Arun Kini is the APAC Managing Director of Finastra’s Payments business, where he leads the development and execution of the firm’s broad suite of integrated payment solutions to help banks modernize and future-proof their payments infrastructure.

Arun brings with him over 25 years of experience in the Financial Services and Software Industry, with strong domain expertise in transaction banking, payments and revenue management. With a strong track record across various roles in product, pre-sales and sales across the Asia Pacific region, Arun has played pivotal roles in the uptake of payment and cash management products by global brands and clients.

Before returning to Finastra in 2022 as Regional Sales Director, Payments, APAC, Arun was with SunTec Business Solutions leading the Client Facing Group for Asia Pacific.

Boaz Krelbaum

CTO Payments

As CTO of Finastra Payments, Boaz leads the modernization and innovation of its payment and Financial Messaging solutions leveraging advanced technologies and practices. He has over 20 years of experience, leading and managing global cross-functional teams in development, product delivery, and operations. Before joining Finastra he was the General Manager of Cyber Fraud & Risk Management and CTO at Bottomline and before that, he was the founder of two start-ups that were acquired by large global companies.

Mohit Kumar

Director - Solution Consulting, EMEA & AMER

Mohit is a seasoned leader in the global payments industry, with nearly two decades of experience helping banks and financial institutions modernize and grow. Based in Amsterdam, Mohit currently heads strategic solution consulting at Finastra for EMEA and North AMerica, where he works closely with major banks to shape their digital transformation journeys. His focus is on building strong client relationships, simplifying complex challenges, and delivering impactful solutions that drive business success.

Throughout his career, including leadership roles at FIS Global and Tata Consultancy Services, Mohit has played a key role in launching innovative payment platforms, guiding banks through regulatory changes like ISO20022, and enabling seamless transitions to cloud-based services. He is also deeply involved in partner ecosystems, helping to build collaborative go-to-market strategies that expand reach and value.

Mohit brings the unique ability to connect technology with business outcomes, making him a trusted advisor to C-level executives and industry stakeholders. He frequently represents his organization at global forums and regulatory discussions, contributing to the future of payments infrastructure. He holds an MBA from Goethe Business School in Germany and is passionate about shaping the next generation of financial services.

Adam Lieberman

Chief AI Officer

Adam Lieberman, Chief AI Officer, leads the strategic enablement of artificial intelligence across Finastra’s lines of business.

Adam seeks to enrich the entirety of the organization through key AI capability, infrastructure, governance, and more to push the boundaries of what is possible and unlock new capability through AI technology.

Lekshmi Nair

SVP, Global CRO Lending

Lekshmi and her team are responsible for the strategy and execution of revenue growth and maximisation for the Lending Business Unit.

Lekshmi brings over two decades of experience in the financial services industry, having worked across the design, development, implementation, and sales of banking and trading platforms. Lekshmi has a deep understanding of our clients and the markets we serve and has been instrumental in executing complex and transformational transactions across the globe.

Prior to joining Finastra, Lekshmi worked in investment banking, starting her career at Barclays and moving to CIBC.

Shirley Powell

Head of Strategic Communications

Shirley Powell is Head of Strategic Communications for Finastra. Part of the Office of the CEO, she partners with Finastra leadership to drive clear, connected messaging across the business. A seasoned communications strategist with deep experience in media and tech, she supports executive leadership through growth and transformation.

Jonathan Power

Managing Director, Europe & Americas – Lending

Jonathan and his team are responsible for driving sales and account strategy in the Europe and Americas regions for the Lending business unit at Finastra. This covers Loan IQ, the world’s leading commercial lending platform and Trade Innovation, a front to bank solution for documentary trade and supply chain finance.

Jonathan brings over 25 years of experience in the fintech industry, in roles covering consulting, professional services, pre-sales, sales, sales leadership and P&L management. These positions have seen Jonathan work in the Middle East, Asia Pacific, continental Europe and the UK.

In his spare time, Jonathan enjoys supporting the sporting endeavors of his three children who play lacrosse, rugby and netball whilst enjoying the occasional game of golf.

Barry Rodrigues

EVP Payments

Barry is responsible for Finastra’s payments organization.

An experienced senior leader, he has a compelling track record of working in both early stage and growth businesses, spanning digital banking, credit cards, buy now pay later, merchant acquiring, corporate/virtual cards and networks.

Barry has built his 35-year career in financial services around the world in leading companies. Most recently he was a Senior Advisor at Boston Consulting Group. Prior to that, he was Chief Executive Officer at Barclays Cards and Payments where he oversaw the digital banks and credit card divisions in the US and Germany, as well as merchant acquiring, corporate card and point of sale businesses in the UK. He brings deep payments knowledge and strong leadership expertise to his role at Finastra.

Previously, Barry oversaw all payments products for Citibank on the consumer side of the business, where he and his team enabled first of its kind digital payment solutions. He also spent 25 years in payments-focused leadership roles at American Express. These include EVP and GM of American Express Bank UK (corporate banking, treasury, private banking and correspondent banking), GM of the Merchant Acquiring business in Asia, and President of Amex Global Network Services.
An experienced senior leader, he has a compelling track record of working in both early stage and growth businesses, spanning digital banking, credit cards, buy now pay later, merchant acquiring, corporate/virtual cards and networks.

Barry has built his 35-year career in financial services around the world in leading companies. Most recently he was a Senior Advisor at Boston Consulting Group. Prior to that, he was Chief Executive Officer at Barclays Cards and Payments where he oversaw the digital banks and credit card divisions in the US and Germany, as well as merchant acquiring, corporate card and point of sale businesses in the UK. He brings deep payments knowledge and strong leadership expertise to his role at Finastra.

Previously, Barry oversaw all payments products for Citibank on the consumer side of the business, where he and his team enabled first of its kind digital payment solutions. He also spent 25 years in payments-focused leadership roles at American Express. These include EVP and GM of American Express Bank UK (corporate banking, treasury, private banking and correspondent banking), GM of the Merchant Acquiring business in Asia, and President of Amex Global Network Services.

Barry holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from London Guildhall University, as well as an MBA from George Washington University.

Sebastian Siebert

Sales Director, Payments EMEA Mid-Markets Continental Europe

With over 25 years of experience in banking and fintech Sebastian specializes in payment processing, financial connectivity, and fraud detection, with a strong focus on the Swiss and EU markets. He has a proven track record of helping organizations navigate complex financial ecosystems through secure, scalable, and innovative solutions.

At SIBOS 2025, Sebastian is looking to connect with industry peers, explore emerging trends in cross-border payments, and share insights on driving growth in the mid-market segment. His consultative approach and deep market knowledge make him a valuable partner for companies seeking to enhance their payment infrastructure across Europe.

Madhav Soundalgekar

Principal Solutions Consultant, Lending

A banking technology domain specialist with more than 25 years of industry experience across retail and corporate banking. A passionate fintech advocate, Madhav has been responsible for leading product and services sales, delivering innovative solutions through System Integrators and banking software providers for different kind of financial institutions - from Tier-1 global banks, Fintech providers to niche SME lenders in the UK.

Previously having led global sales & delivery teams delivering transformational solutions, today as a Principal Solution Consultant and technology evangelist for Finastra, he focus’ on leading client propositions addressing complex business challenges using a combination of specialist solutions (Finastra platforms) and fintech partners of Finastra.

Mike Stawchansky

Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Innovation Officer

Mike is responsible for Finastra’s customer technology and innovation initiatives. He oversees the customer technology senior leadership team, championing operational excellence in this space. He also drives the company’s customer technology and generative AI (Gen AI) innovation initiatives.

He has over 25 years of experience in building modern technology stacks and cloud transformation. In particular, he is passionate about Gen AI and the innovative potential it holds for the financial services industry. At Finastra he is building on the success of the company’s comprehensive internal learning program to bring external, customer-facing solutions to market which encapsulate Gen AI benefits.

Mike previously worked at Collibra, a privately held Data Intelligence platform, where he was SVP of Platform and Production Engineering. Prior to Collibra he spent nearly eight years at Salesforce where he held various roles facilitating Public Cloud transformations for Pardot, Sales Cloud, and finally at MuleSoft as VP of Systems Engineering. Before his time at Salesforce, Mike managed multiple datacenter migrations and virtualization efforts at WebMD.

Mike has a B.S. in Information Technology, Magna Cum Laude, from Southern Polytechnic State University, Marietta GA.

Born and raised in Florida, Mike currently splits his time between Lakeland, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia. An avid sci-fi reader, he lives with his wife and their two cats, and together they enjoy road-tripping, theme parks and movies.

Radha Suvarna

Chief Product Officer, Payments

A Product and Business leader with over 27 years of diversified experience across Payments, Cards, and Consumer Lending for Consumer and Commercial client segments. Built and transformed various functions and businesses across multiple geographies including U.S. and Asia.

Currently the Chief Product Officer for Payments at Finastra, responsible for the overall strategy, execution and build-out of payment processing engines and Financial messaging solutions.

Prior to this, Radha was the EVP/Head of Enterprise Payments for Citizens bank, with responsibility for Enterprise Payment platforms, Consumer payment products, Treasury payments strategy, and Payments innovation. During this time, Radha was the Chair of Secure Token Exchange board at The Clearing House (TCH). Before joining Citizens, Radha spent over 20 years at Citi. He was the head of Digital Payments & Lending for US Consumer bank at Citigroup, with responsibilities for end-to-end mobile/ web products for money movement, digital commerce, unsecured loans, and associated industry partnerships with big-tech and fintechs.

Radha held number of diversified roles prior to that, including P&L ownership for Credit Cards/Loans/Merchant Acquiring portfolio for Citibank Singapore, Citi Asia Network relationship lead with Visa/ MC, and Credit Risk Manager at Citibank US.

Carlos Teixeira

Global Head, Business Strategy, Lending

As Head of Business Development and Strategy at Finastra, Carlos leads the company’s strategic growth initiatives and global go-to-market efforts across Lending. He partners with financial institutions worldwide to shape transformative strategies that drive innovation, unlock new revenue streams, and accelerate digital adoption.

With over 25 years of experience in Corporate Banking, Carlos brings a unique blend of industry insight and technology expertise. Prior to his current role, he served as Senior Industry Principal, advising C-level executives on market trends, digital transformation, and platform modernization across global markets.

Carlos began his career in transaction banking with leading European banks before joining Finastra in 2005. Since then, he has spearheaded major trade finance implementations across India, the Middle East, and Africa, and has been instrumental in shaping Finastra’s digital solutions strategy.
A passionate advocate for innovation, Carlos closely follows developments in AI, machine learning, Ecosystems and blockchain, with a focus on how these technologies can enable sustainable finance and scalable, cost-effective transformation for clients

Achim Thienel

Product Director, Universal Banking Europe

Achim Thienel works for the Product Management team at Finastra in Europe as an expert for core banking in the cloud covering German speaking countries. With over 20 years’ experience in the financial services industry he specializes in banking processes front-to-back supporting global solutions, cloud operations, partner management, sales and marketing. He is also Managing Director at Finastra in Frankfurt. Before he joined Product Management he was part of the sales team as Account Manager for RBI and other clients for Finastra’s core banking solutions.
Prior to Finastra he was Manager Customer Services at a German core banking vendor. He holds a Master of Technical IT from the Technical University of Esslingen.

Serge Tohme

Vice President & MD EMEA , Treasury and Capital Markets

Serge Tohme serves as Vice President for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) at Finastra, a global leader in financial technology. In this role, he is responsible for driving the strategic growth and expansion of Finastra’s Treasury & Capital Markets business across the region.
Under Serge’s leadership, Finastra continues to advance its mission of empowering financial institutions to transform their business models through innovative technology that delivers measurable value. His efforts have contributed to Finastra’s strong market presence in EMEA, aligning closely with the company’s global leadership across multiple technology domains.
With over 20 years of experience in financial services and banking technology, Serge brings deep industry expertise across key areas including front-to-back treasury solutions and enterprise risk management. Prior to joining Finastra, he served as Vice President of Sales at FIS, where he led commercial operations and delivered significant growth across the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey.
Earlier in his career, Serge held various sales and account management roles at Thomson Reuters and began his professional journey with Citibank’s Global Transaction Services. During his tenure at Citibank, Serge was honored with the Citigroup Quality Excellence Award.
Serge holds a bachelor’s degree in Banking & Finance from the Lebanese American University and an Executive MBA from London Business School.

Chris Walters

Chief Executive Officer

Chris is responsible for leading Finastra, including its strategic direction and growth. He drives the business to continually deliver on customers’ rapidly expanding needs through technological innovation.
A leader of technology and data businesses, Chris is a growth-focused CEO, particularly passionate about customer experience. He has extensive experience guiding teams operating in dynamic markets to deliver revenue growth with a customer and team-centric approach. Throughout his career, he has led both public and private equity-owned businesses to build talented teams and innovative, scalable products.
Chris also focuses on building strong cultures with engaged teams.

He’s an advocate for continuous learning and a skills-based approach at all career stages. Under his CEO leadership, Avantax, a tax focused wealth management business, was awarded ‘Great Place to Work’ certification in 2023, ahead of its acquisition by Cetera Financial Group, following a period of strategic transformation and financial excellence.

Chris most recently held the role of CEO at Pluralsight, a leading online workforce development platform. Other senior executive roles in technology, finance and consulting businesses include Chief Executive Officer of Encompass Digital Media, a global technology services firm supporting the aggregation and distribution of video content, Chief Operating Officer for The Weather Company and a stint at Bloomberg L.P. between 2008 and 2012, most recently as the Chief Operating Officer of the Bloomberg Industry Verticals Group.

Chris was also a Partner at McKinsey & Company and a Senior Partner at Activate Consulting, advising technology, data, information services, and investment companies on maximizing growth organically and via M&A.

He currently serves on the Board of PrizePicks, one of the fastest-growing digital sports businesses in North America. Chris previously served on the Boards of Avantax and Year Up Atlanta. He holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Business from the University of Vermont.

Chris is married to Kati and they have two children. They enjoy travel, concerts and sports (particularly any Boston team).

Chris Weddell

Senior Director, Partner EcoSystem

Chris leads the Universal Banking Partner function at Finastra. His focus is on establishing enduring partnerships with companies that enhance the delivery, scope and value of Finastra’s solutions to clients around the globe. He has worked across the financial software industry for over 25 years building up a wealth of experience with deep expertise in Core Banking and Payments. Starting out in product development, he progressed to work extensively on implementation projects and sales engagements enabling him to establish himself as a trusted adviser.

Prior to his current role, Chris has held senior roles in Pre-Sales, Professional Services, Product Management and Development.

PR

Caroline Duff

Global PR Director

Caroline oversees global public relations (PR). With over 15 years’ experience in financial services and technology communications, she is particularly passionate about generating consistently impactful and measurable results for the business. Skilled in strategic PR delivery, leadership of teams across continents, and cross-functional collaboration, as well as crisis management, she orchestrates campaigns which enhance the profile of Finastra around the world. These include the influential annual State of the Nation research initiative which harnesses the opinions of 1,000+ experts to explore transformation within the financial services sector.

Sofia Romano

Head of PR, EMEA

Sofia Romano is Head of PR for EMEA at Finastra. She is responsible for leading strategic communications and media engagement across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, bringing a decade of experience in financial services, technology, and fintech communications. With a passion for storytelling and a deep understanding of the financial technology landscape, Sofia has a proven track record of driving impactful campaigns and crafting compelling narratives that resonate with different audiences across multiple regions.

Prior to joining Finastra more than four years ago, she worked at several specialist communications agencies, where she was responsible for driving media strategy and engagement for a diverse range of clients.

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