The Payments Association has appointed Emma Banymandhub as its new Chief Executive Officer, as the UK-based trade body accelerates plans to expand internationally following nearly two decades focused primarily on the domestic payments sector.
The appointment comes during a pivotal period for the organisation, which represents more than 250 companies across the financial services and payments industries. The association said Banymandhub has the unanimous backing of its board to lead what it described as the next phase of growth and international development.
Banymandhub previously served as Chief Operating Officer at the association, overseeing a period in which the organisation tripled its headcount and expanded its commercial operations. Her promotion follows investment by Nineteen Group in 2025, a move that strengthened expectations around scaling the association’s global footprint.
“We’re so excited to see how Emma leads the group in its next chapter of international growth,” said Alison Jackson. “We’re confident she can further enhance this strong and highly respected platform, and create a robust foundation for future growth.”
The Payments Association has spent the past 18 years building influence within the UK payments industry, working closely with institutions including the Bank of England, the Financial Conduct Authority, HM Treasury, the Payment Systems Regulator, Pay.UK and UK Finance.
Under Banymandhub’s leadership, the organisation plans to export its existing community and events-driven model into international markets while maintaining its role in shaping UK payments policy and industry standards.
Focus on Events, Community and Industry Influence
Banymandhub has more than 17 years of experience in scaling commercial events and building industry-focused communities. According to the association, she has advised or led more than 20 organisations on growth and commercial performance initiatives.
During her tenure as COO, she played a central role in expanding PAY360, which the organisation describes as the UK’s largest payments-focused conference and event platform. She also oversaw the Pay360 Awards and a broader programme of member-focused engagements and networking initiatives.
Tony Craddock said Banymandhub’s appointment reflects the association’s strategy of doubling down on industry engagement while broadening its geographic reach.
“Emma’s promotion is exactly what our community needs,” Craddock said. “She brings an enthusiasm for the unbeatable combination of community and events that makes us different.”
He added that her appointment marks the beginning of “a more influential, more international and more powerful force for good in the payments industry.”
Expansion Comes During Rapid Payments Industry Change
The leadership transition comes as the global payments industry undergoes structural changes tied to real-time payments infrastructure, open banking adoption, embedded finance and cross-border settlement modernisation.
Trade bodies and industry associations are increasingly competing to shape regulatory frameworks and establish influence across multiple jurisdictions, particularly as governments intensify oversight of payment providers, fraud prevention standards and digital asset integration.
The Payments Association has previously been involved in industry discussions around Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud reimbursement rules, where it said its engagement contributed to shifts in regulatory and government approaches.
The association currently operates seven stakeholder working groups focused on areas including regulation, financial inclusion, economic crime, cross-border payments, open banking, digital currencies and ESG-related initiatives.
These groups include participation from payments executives, financial firms and industry stakeholders seeking to influence policy and operational standards across the sector.
International Ambitions
Banymandhub said her focus will be on expanding the organisation’s international presence while preserving its community-oriented structure.
“I’m honoured to lead The Payments Association into its next phase of growth, with a clear focus on strengthening our global presence while deepening the sense of community that sits at the heart of our industry,” she said.
She described payments infrastructure as “the invisible engine that keeps societies functioning and economies moving,” adding that even brief disruptions in money movement systems could have widespread economic consequences.
Banymandhub also said the organisation intends to position itself as a global industry network capable of connecting payments companies, policymakers and technology providers across multiple regions.
“I believe The Payments Association can become a truly global community for the payments ecosystem,” she said.
The association’s international push comes as competition intensifies among industry forums, fintech events businesses and payments advocacy groups seeking to establish relevance beyond domestic markets.
While the UK remains one of the world’s most developed fintech and payments hubs, organisations operating within the sector are increasingly looking abroad for growth opportunities as digital payments adoption accelerates across Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.
Analysis: The Payments Association Isn’t Just Changing CEOs — It’s Trying to Reinvent Its Entire Identity
This isn’t a routine executive reshuffle.
That’s the first thing people are going to miss.
When trade bodies change CEOs, most of the time it means continuity. Same conferences. Same policy papers. Same LinkedIn ecosystem talking to itself.
This feels different.
The Payments Association isn’t just replacing leadership. It’s trying to evolve from a UK lobbying-and-networking machine into something global. That’s a much harder move than the press release makes it sound.
And honestly? I think that’s the real story here.
The UK Payments Market Has Become Crowded
Let’s be blunt.
The UK fintech scene already has too many industry bodies, networking groups, events companies and “ecosystem builders” fighting for the same executive attention.
Everybody wants:
- sponsorship revenue
- policy influence
- event traffic
- executive memberships
- regulator access
At some point, growth inside the UK starts flattening.
That’s probably why this international push is happening now.
Not because the domestic business is weak — but because the ceiling is becoming visible.
PAY360 Is Bigger Than Most People Realize
One thing I’ll give them credit for: PAY360 became a serious industry event.
Not “conference circuit serious.” Actual industry serious.
Payments executives show up. Banks show up. Regulators show up. Infrastructure firms show up.
That matters.
Because in payments, relationships are half the business model.
People outside the sector underestimate how much deal flow happens through closed-door dinners, side meetings and regulatory networking events. A surprising amount of the industry still runs on proximity and trust.
That’s where Emma Banymandhub’s background starts making sense.
She’s not a policy technocrat. She’s an operator focused on scaling communities and commercial platforms.
Different skillset entirely.
And probably the right one if international expansion is the goal.
This Looks More Like an Events-and-Influence Play Than a Policy Expansion
That distinction matters.
When I read the announcement, I didn’t come away thinking:
“They want to become a global regulatory authority.”
I came away thinking:
“They want to become the Davos-style connector layer for payments.”
Big difference.
Because exporting policy influence internationally is brutally difficult. Every region has different regulators, political dynamics and payment infrastructure realities.
But exporting conferences, executive communities and sponsorship ecosystems?
That’s scalable.
Especially after the Nineteen Group investment.
That part shouldn’t be ignored.
The Nineteen Group Deal Probably Changed the Strategy
This is where the timing gets interesting.
Nineteen Group isn’t just some passive investor. They specialize in events businesses.
That changes incentives.
Once events-focused capital enters the picture, growth expectations shift fast:
- more international editions
- more sponsorship inventory
- more executive memberships
- more regional summits
- more monetizable communities
You can almost see the roadmap already.
Middle East next feels obvious, honestly. Especially given how aggressively Gulf states are investing into fintech infrastructure and digital payments rails right now.
Singapore wouldn’t surprise me either.
The APP Fraud Mention Wasn’t Random
That section in the release stood out to me immediately.
The reference to Authorised Push Payment fraud reimbursement rules wasn’t there accidentally. That was signaling.
Translation:
“We don’t just run events. Regulators listen to us.”
That matters because trade bodies survive on perceived influence.
If banks, fintechs and payment providers believe you can shape policy outcomes, membership becomes valuable.
If you lose that perception, you become another networking club with badges and cocktails.
Payments Infrastructure Is Becoming Political
This is the bigger backdrop nobody in the release fully addressed.
Payments used to be boring infrastructure.
Now it sits at the center of:
- digital identity
- CBDC discussions
- stablecoin regulation
- sanctions enforcement
- AI fraud prevention
- cross-border settlement competition
Money movement is geopolitical now.
And because of that, every serious payments organisation wants a seat near regulators.
That’s why international expansion matters more in 2026 than it would have five years ago.
The Industry Is Quietly Consolidating Around Influence Networks
I’ve noticed something over the last year.
Payments firms aren’t just buying technology anymore. They’re buying access.
Access to regulators.
Access to policymakers.
Access to banking partners.
Access to local market operators.
That’s why industry associations are becoming strategically important again after years of feeling stale.
The companies that control high-level industry networks suddenly matter more.
Emma Banymandhub’s Real Challenge Isn’t Growth
It’s relevance.
Because scaling internationally is easy to say in payments.
Actually building meaningful influence outside your home market? Different game entirely.
Every region already has entrenched players:
- Singapore fintech ecosystems
- Gulf banking networks
- EU policy groups
- US payments lobbies
Breaking into those circles takes years.
Sometimes decades.
The Community Angle Is Probably the Smartest Part
One thing I do think they’re getting right: leaning into community instead of pure lobbying.
Because honestly, payments executives are exhausted by generic fintech conferences.
Everyone says the same things now:
“Embedded finance.”
“AI-driven fraud prevention.”
“Financial inclusion.”
“Seamless experiences.”
Corporate wallpaper.
The organisations that survive are the ones that create actual relationship gravity.
That’s harder to fake.
Why This Expansion Push Could Actually Work
I wouldn’t dismiss this move.
The timing is decent.
Global payments infrastructure is fragmenting:
- Stablecoins are entering mainstream finance
- Cross-border systems are modernizing
- Instant payments are becoming expected
- Regulators are coordinating more internationally
That creates demand for cross-market industry coordination.
And if The Payments Association can position itself as neutral connective tissue between fintechs, regulators and infrastructure providers, there’s room for them.
Big room, actually.
What I’d Watch Next
Not the speeches.
Not the branding.
Watch where they expand first.
That tells you everything about the actual strategy.
If they go:
- Dubai → they’re chasing fintech capital flows
- Singapore → they want Asian infrastructure relevance
- Brussels → policy influence play
- New York → institutional credibility push
The geography will reveal the business model faster than any press release ever will.
And honestly, that’s the only part that matters now.