London, 8 January 2024 - The Payments Innovation Forum (PIF), the not-for-profit association promoting safe, sustainable innovation in payments, has announced the appointment of Dr. Hartwig Gerhartinger, SVP & Global Head of Regulatory and Government Affairs at Paysafe as Chair of the PIF Board, and Joseph Askham, Head of Legal, Risk and Compliance at Thredd as Vice Chair in accordance with the association’s rotating model of governance. Hartwig takes over from outgoing PIF Chair, Nirav Patel, whose three-month term has come to end. Nirav remains in his role as a non-executive director of PIF.
Dr. Hartwig Gerhartinger is the Global Head of Regulatory and Government Affairs at Paysafe and advises Paysafe on regulatory and licensing matters around the world. He also represents Paysafe with lawmakers and regulatory authorities globally. In his role, Hartwig also heads up Paysafe’s ESG function.
Joseph is Head of Legal, Risk and Compliance with Thredd, a leading next-generation payment processor supporting high profile, innovative fintechs and challenger banks with debit and prepaid transaction processing services worldwide.
Under PIF’s rotating model of governance, the PIF Chair and Vice Chair rotate among the association’s Board of Directors every three months with the Vice Chair moving to the Chair role on rotation. Adopted in September 2022, the shared leadership approach allows PIF to tap into the knowledge, experience and expertise of the PIF Board in a way that better serves the association’s diverse and growing community. It also enables PIF to fast-track key elements of its member-driven strategic plan.
Speaking about his tenure as PIF Chair, Nirav Patel said: "It has been an honour to lead the Payments Innovation Forum as Chair, and I am proud of the strides we continue to make in promoting safe and sustainable innovation in the payments industry. As I transition to my role as a non-executive director, I am confident that under the capable leadership of Dr. Hartwig Gerhartinger and Joseph Askham, PIF will continue to thrive and contribute to the dynamic landscape of payments."
Commenting on the handover, PIF Executive Director, Diane Brocklebank said: “We are thrilled to welcome Hartwig and Joseph to their new roles. Like Nirav before them, the new appointments are titans of the payments industry and take on the PIF helm at a time when the industry is focused on the need for more sustainable innovation in payments. With innovation comes excitement, but also scrutiny and more regulations to navigate. Our approach to governance is truly innovative as it allows us to tap into a wealth of expertise that both informs our approach to industry challenges and benefits our members.
The PIF Board currently comprises ten non-executive directors and one executive director:
- Dr. Boris Diakonov, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, ANNA Money (Absolutely No Nonsense Admin)
- Chris Ellis, Director, Bowsprit International
- David Walsh, VP, Original Content EMEA, Blackhawk Network
- Diane Brocklebank, Executive Director, Payments Innovation Forum
- Dr. Hartwig Gerhartinger, SVP, Global Head of Regulatory and Government Affairs, Paysafe
- Jason Field, VP, Account Management, Mastercard
- Joseph Askham, Head of Legal, Risk and Compliance, Thredd
- Matt Sloan, VP, Head of Business Development, EMEA, Discover Global Network
- Nirav Patel, Group CEO, Andaria
- Peter Sidenius, Director, Edgar, Dunn & Company
- Siobhan Moore, Partner, Keystone Law
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Notes to Editors
The Payments Innovation Forum (PIF) is a not-for-profit trade association promoting safe, sustainable innovation in payments that balances the interests of industry, regulators and consumers. Recognised as a leading industry advocate, our members are spearheading the development of innovative payment solutions for consumers, businesses and public sector organisations. With over 16 years’ industry experience, we offer our members a safe space to learn, connect and grow.
To learn more, visit https://www.paymentsinnovationforum.org/
Follow us on LinkedIn: Payments Innovation Forum
