Symposium 2025 Agenda

 

8:00am – 8:30am⏐Networking Breakfast​

8:30am – 8:40am⏐Empowering Banks and Fintech Pioneers to Drive Financial Inclusion and New Solutions 

Prepaid platforms have evolved to become a robust foundation for financial innovation and are driving the next wave of fintech innovation, enabling banks and entrepreneurs to deliver inclusive, customer-centric financial services. Today’s program will focus on how Canadian banks, fintech entrepreneurs and governments can accelerate innovation by leveraging prepaid platforms to create impactful financial solutions that and meet the demands of a rapidly digitizing society.

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Speakers: 

• Jennifer Tramontana, Executive Director, CPPO

• Maria Riesenberg, VP Market Development​, Mastercard

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8:40am – 9:15am⏐Fireside Chat — Building Blocks for Fintech Startups

Prepaid platforms have evolved to become a robust foundation for financial innovation and are driving the next wave of fintech innovation, enabling banks and entrepreneurs to deliver inclusive, customer-centric financial services. Today’s program will focus on how Canadian banks, fintech entrepreneurs and governments can accelerate innovation by leveraging prepaid platforms to create impactful financial solutions that and meet the demands of a rapidly digitizing society.

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Speakers:

• Pratap Raya, Vice President, Global Acceptance Strategy, Mastercard

• Layial El-Hadi, Executive Director, Fintech Cadence

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9:15am – 9:50am⏐Prepaid Platforms for Financial Inclusion

Prepaid platforms can offer an alternative to a traditional bank account to reach underbanked and underserved populations from new Canadians to small business owners, offering them accessible financial services.

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Panelists:

• Stu Szabo, Co-Founder & CEO, My Beacon

• Lawrence Lewis, Founder, One Feather​ 

• Kartik Kamat, VP - Payments, Analytics, and Fraud Strategy & Ops, EQ Bank

• Balinder Ahluwalia, SVP Market Development, Canada

Moderator:

• Erica Alini, Personal Economics Reporter, The Globe and Mail 

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9:50am – 10:10am⏐From Concept to Impact: The EQ Bank Card Journey

 Discover the story behind the EQ Bank Card – from the vision that inspired its launch to its journey of reshaping customer experience, and the invaluable lessons learned along the way. Join us to explore how the EQ Bank Card is revolutionizing banking convenience and empowering its users.

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Speakers: 

• Daljit Singh, Principal Personal Banking Payments, EQ Bank

• Kartik Kamat, VP - Payments, Analytics, and Fraud Strategy & Ops, EQ Bank

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10:10am – 10:30am⏐Networking Break

 

10:30am – 11:05am⏐Banks, Credit Unions and Fintechs: Partners to Competitors 

What is next for the bank/fintech partnerships that have served the industry to this point. How will open banking change things? 

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Panelists: 

• Liam Mason, CRO, Peoples Group​ 

• Shiv Ganeshan, Senior Director and Head of Product, Visa Direct Canada 

Moderator:

• Claire Brownell, Future of Finance Reporter, The Logic 

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11:05am – 11:25am⏐ Innovative Use Cases and Success Stories: KOHO Banking Case Study

Koho, one of Canada's pioneering neobanks has moved into the second of three phases to secure a Schedule 1 banking licence. Get a deep dive on their succesful journey to date and what is coming next

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Speakers: TBA

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11:25am – 12:00pm⏐Fraud Fallout: Trends, Bottom-line Impact, and What to Watch Out For

​Industry leaders share insights and dive into the complexities of payments fraud. Learn about real-time trends and common pain points, the motivation behind a fraudster's tactics, and the solutions and importance of balancing fraud strategies with the customer experience.

 

Panelists: 

• Dennis Maicon, VP of Banking and Payments, DataVisor 

• Quintin Stephen, Global Business Lead/Director - Authentication, Giesecke+Devrient

Moderator: 

• Ajay Singh Tomar, Director, Security Solutions, Mastercard 

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12:00pm – 1:00pm⏐Networking Lunch 

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1:00pm – 1:20pm⏐Keynote Address — Innovating Amidst Regulation: Charting the Future for Fintechs

• John Landry, Peoples Group CEO

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1:20pm-1:40pm | Fireside Chat —  Peoples Group CEO John Landry and CPPO Executive Director Jennifer Tramontana ​

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1:40pm – 2:15pm⏐Square Peg: Round Hole - Keeping up with Right-Size Regulations

The perpetual challenge of being regulated in a high-growth technology industry is ensuring regulations keep up with commercial advancements and adequately safeguard, not hinder responsible growth. Communicate directly with our regulators that face this reality and their approaches to this challenge.

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Panelists:

• TBA

Moderator:

• Noah Niznick, Senior Director, Government Engagement, Visa

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2:15pm – 2:50pm⏐Growth in Prepaid Disbursements and Expense Management: Lessons from Other Markets

Canada is behind the curve when it comes to robust digital disbursements. This session will highlight key strategies and technologies driving growth, including automation, digital platforms, and data analytics. Attendees will learn from international case studies, gaining insights into successful models and lessons about how these practices enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and streamline financial operations. ​​​​

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Panelists: 

• Jeff Johnson, CRO, Payouts Network 

• Aaron Bright, Head of B2B Business Development, Galileo Financial Technologies

• Ed Woodson, Chief Legal Officer, Onbe 

Moderator:

• Brian Tate, President & CEO, Innovative Payments Association

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2:50pm – 3:10pm⏐Networking Break

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3:15pm – 3:50pm⏐Reinventing the Bank Account

How are payment choices influenced by loyalty and the unique role of prepaid systems? This session delves into how prepaid solutions can harmonize various payment methods on a single platform, enhancing user experience and driving customer retention. Discover innovative approaches to integrating prepaid options in modern banking and traditional loyalty payments.

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Panelists: 

• Rasha Katabi, CEO & Founder, Brim Financial

• Bill Warshauer, CRO, Tillo 

• ​Manuel Catedral, Vice President of Business Development, Collinson

• Tim Morris, Chief Banking Officer, Neo Financial

Moderator: 

• Dina Vardouniotis, CEO, Payments and Partnerships Inc.

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3:50pm – 4:25pm⏐BaaS and Prepaid: You Can’t Have One Without the Other

The interdependence between Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) and prepaid solutions to offer flexible and scalable financial products is essential. But there are risks including security vulnerabilities, compliance challenges, and operational complexities. Attendees will gain insights into how to navigate these risks while leveraging the benefits of BaaS and prepaid systems to drive innovation and enhance customer experiences.

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Panelists: 

• Pamela Draper, President, Digital Commerce Payments

• Hamed Arbabi, CEO & Founder, VoPay

• Lisa Durnford, General Manager, Canada, Synctera 

Moderator:

• Brooke Fitts, Head of Payment Products & Strategy, Kotapay​

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4:25pm – 5:00pm⏐Investing in the Future

Launching and scaling companies in payments and financial services could be a growth area for Canadian innovation, competition and productivity gains. So why do we lag in start-up and scale-up investment and what should we be doing? Hear from experts dedicated to entrepreneurial growth in Canada and get their straight-talk on what we need to do differently.​

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Panelists: 

• Michael Buhr, Executive Director, C100 

• Jan Christopher Arp, Founding General Partner, Holt Xchange

• Philippe Daoust, VP Innovation, National Bank of Canada

Moderator:

• Michelle Beyo, CEO & Founder, Finavator

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5pm – 6pm⏐Networking Reception