Motie Bring

Tell us your story:

"Nobody dreams of a career in payments or fintech when you are young but the moment I landed my first job in the industry I knew I had found my calling. Now, with over two decades of experience in the payments industry, including a number of executive positions at Worldpay, Nuvei and now as CEO of PPRO, I think it’s pretty clear I am passionate about the industry. Being given the opportunity to lead PPRO as the Chief Executive Officer a year ago, after being at the company for just 8 months is my proudest moment to date. I feel like in payments, I am able to contribute, shape and influence a hugely dynamic industry that directly impacts people’s lives."

Impact:

"I came out at seventeen years old, and coming out was hard for me - the process of self-acceptance, the fear of rejection by the people I loved. So, from there, I decided to never go back in the closet. I bring this openness and honesty into everything I do, and that includes my career.

Being gay is not who I am but part of what has made me become who I am today. As the CEO of a global fintech company, it is my duty to ensure that I contribute towards building a more inclusive financial services sector - one that I wish existed when I started out in the space over twenty years ago.

Like many others, I strongly believe that prioritising diversity at the leadership level and focussing on efforts to improve recruitment processes is essential to create an inclusive culture. We have made a concerted effort to improve our recruitment processes by implementing stronger diverse hiring practices and have since seen a significant shift in female representation in leadership roles, including the new CMO, CISO and CLCRO. This commitment ensures leadership reflects the diversity of employees and customers we serve globally.
I also participate in initiatives during Pride Month and throughout the year, such as virtual events and gestures of solidarity to help foster an open dialogue and a stronger sense of belonging for the LGBTQA+ community which in turn feeds into the culture within our company. I actively contribute to the wider discussion in the media around LGBTQ+ inclusion and have been invited to speak on podcasts including Leaders in Payments and In check with Fintech to discuss the power of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) in fintech. I even participated in a panel in China hosted by a global bank to discuss inclusion.
At PPRO we have formed an internal committee to drive change from inside the company to reflect the world we see everyday. This actively creates a culture of inclusion which is reflected in our workforce. Training is at the core of our efforts, we are a global team, meaning we have a variety of cultures, religions and sensitivities we need to acknowledge and respect across the business. We take it all into account when building our training programmes and ensure we have a feedback loop to help us continually improve."

Advice:

"I’m always inspired by trailblazers who are unapologetically themselves. Their courage and authenticity fuel my own drive, both professionally and personally, reminding me to push boundaries and stay true to who I am.
Staying true to who you are is key to feeling fulfilled in your career. And my advice would be to bring openness and honesty into everything you do. Being who you are is what has made you the person you are today, and wearing your true identity on your sleeve shows authenticity and inspires others to do so. Confidence is key and as a professional, you need to be self-assured about the decisions you make, which is important when growing and expanding in any organisation, particularly an industry as dynamic as the payments world."