Andaria’s CEO, Nirav Patel, appointed as new PIF Chair

The Payments Innovation Forum, (PIF), the not-for-profit payments industry body, has announced the appointment of Nirav Patel, Group CEO at Andaria, as PIF Chair and Dr. Hartwig Gerhartinger, SVP & Global Head of Regulatory and Government Affairs at Paysafe as PIF Vice Chair in accordance with the association’s rotating governance model.

Nirav takes over from outgoing PIF Chair Matt Sloan, whose three-month term has come to an end. Matt remains in his role as a Non-Executive Director of PIF.

Nirav is the Group CEO at Andaria and brings with him 15+ years’ experience that includes developing strategies and leading the organization to maintain both growth and profitability. His role in Andaria includes leading the company’s mission to be the standard bearer for embedded financial services for businesses.

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.

Under the new model, the PIF Chair and Vice Chair rotate among PIF’s non-executive 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 PIF’s diverse and growing community of members. It also enables PIF to fast-track key elements of its member-driver strategic plan.

Speaking about his tenure as PIF Chair, Matt Sloan said: “It’s been a real privilege to lead the PIF board and to help shape the important work that PIF does on behalf of its members and the wider industry. Nirav brings deep industry expertise and will do a fantastic job in the role”.

Commenting on the handover, PIF Executive Director Diane Brocklebank said: “PIF’s approach to governance has been evidently beneficial and has allowed us to tap into a wealth of experience that we can share with our members. With the guidance of Matt and Nirav, we have been able to offer valuable insights and expand on crucial topics relevant to our industry.

It’s the unwavering dedication of Nirav, Hartwig, Matt, and all members of the PIF Board who bring their passion for payments, which ensures PIF remains a crucial ally for the industry.”

The PIF Board currently comprises 10 Non-Executive Directors and 1 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, 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

To learn more about Andaria, its leadership team, and its industry-leading solutions, visit here.