The General Assembly of the European Payments Council (EPC), a representative body of European payment service providers, has re-elected Javier Santamaría as its chair and Narinda You as its vice-chair.
Their mandates take effect immediately and will run for the next two years – a period during which exciting changes are expected in the payments industry.
Javier Santamaría has chaired the EPC since June 2012, and has been a member since its creation in 2002. Formerly vice-president at Bank Santander, Javier Santamaría will from now on be an independent chair, for the first time in the EPC’s history.
The upcoming two years of Javier Santamaría’s new mandate promise to be as challenging as the last four years for European payment service providers and other actors, with the implementation of the revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2), the beginning of instant euro credit transfers in Europe, and the entry into the market of new players.
Council
Javier Santamaría commented: “Chairing the EPC is an honour and a great responsibility. We must be conscious that even small steps and decisions now may have a fundamental impact in the long term future. With payments becoming increasingly faster, mobile and streamlined, I am convinced we will witness critical developments in the sector in the next two years. Being given such a role in this context is, simply, thrilling.”
The main role of the chair is to lead the two governance bodies of the EPC (its Board and General Assembly), and to represent it externally, in particular towards European institutions.
Narinda You is head of Strategy and Market Issues at Crédit Agricole Payment Services. She is also renewed in her function as vice-chair. She added: “I look forward to further working with Javier Santamaría to help the EPC and its members meet the challenges of the next two years whilst maintaining an active dialogue with all other stakeholders.”
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