The Change Beneath the Change: What’s Driving Real Financial Transformation?

In this episode of The Issuer Academy podcast, host Merusha Naidu is joined by Leda Glyptis, Author, Advisor, Chair of Bourn AI and Professor at the University of Loughborough, Pauline Molloyi, Acting COO at OM Bank, South Africa's newest digital bank, and Anna Porra, CRO at Paymentology. Together, they navigate redesigning financial systems for true inclusion and impact in South Africa and beyond.

What You’ll Learn:

How to drive financial inclusion beyond just creating digital products
The "Change Beneath the Change" principle for transforming legacy systems while maintaining operational stability
How to leverage data responsibly to empower customers while building trust and managing risk
Why simplicity and standardisation are key to driving digital payment adoption in cash-heavy markets
The critical mindset shift needed to design inclusive financial products that serve diverse communities effectively

Leda is an author, advisor, professor, and Chair of Bourn AI. With decades of experience in financial technology transformation, she is known for her expertise in legacy system modernisation and digital banking innovation. Her pragmatic approach to technology adoption and emphasis on business value over technical novelty have influenced numerous successful digital banking launches globally.

Pauline is the Acting COO of OM Bank, a new digital bank in South Africa. With vast experience in the South African payment network, she is recognised as an institution in the industry. Pauline brings deep expertise in digital banking transformation, financial inclusion, and customer-centric system design. Her leadership at OM Bank focuses on reimagining banking experiences through innovative personalisation and data utilisation strategies.

Anna serves as Chief Revenue Officer at Paymentology, bringing extensive experience in payment processing and emerging market solutions. Her expertise centers on developing accessible financial products and enabling financial inclusion through innovative credit models. Anna's work focuses on helping financial institutions build scalable, cost-effective payment solutions that serve diverse population segments.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode, and don’t forget to rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify - we appreciate all feedback from our listeners!