In this episode of The Issuer Academy podcast, host Merusha Naidu is joined by Carl Raven, Head of Issuer Enablers at Visa, and Thomas Benjaminsen Normann, Product Director of Digital Services at Paymentology. Together, they dive into what it really means to innovate in issuing, from AI agents and tokenization to flex cards, cloud-first infrastructure, subscription managers, and ecosystem partnerships.

What You’ll Learn:

How cloud infrastructure is becoming non-negotiable for scalable, reliable issuing platforms
Why tokenization is evolving from a security layer to an intelligent control mechanism for AI-driven commerce
The shift from cost-first to tech-first decision-making in issuer partnerships
How to balance rapid innovation with infrastructure stability through configurable solutions
Why transaction controls at the token level are an underutilized opportunity for enhanced user experience
How to prepare for the explosion of tokens per card as AI agents and digital commerce evolve

Carl Raven is Head of Issuer Enablers at Visa, specializing in ecosystem partnerships and payment innovation. With vast experience in financial technology, he focuses on helping issuers navigate the evolving landscape of digital payments and cloud infrastructure.

Thomas Benjaminsen Normann serves as Product Director of Digital Services at Paymentology and CPO at MeaWallet, bringing dual expertise in processing and digital wallet solutions. Based in Oslo, he has been key in developing tokenization strategies and mobile payment solutions since 2012.

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Episode Resources:

Carl Raven on LinkedIn
Thomas Benjaminsen Normann on LinkedIn
Visa Website
Merusha Naidu on LinkedIn
Paymentology Website