VocaLink invests in growth and mobile payments - expands Strategy & Business Development Division with three senior hires

London, 16 January 2013: VocaLink, the international payment provider, today announces three senior hires. Nick Millar joins as Strategy and Customer Insight Director, Jim Wadsworth as Product Development Director and Phil Harrison as Commercial Director, Alternative Payments. The new hires report to Paul Stoddart, Managing Director of Strategy & Business Development.

Nick Millar joins VocaLink from Visa Europe, where he was Head of Strategy. In his new role, Nick will lead the Strategy and Customer Insight team, developing VocaLink's corporate strategy to maximise the value of core infrastructure capabilities and support emerging payment models.

Nick brings twenty years' experience in commercial banking and financial services from previous roles including Head of Strategy for Standard Chartered Bank's Global Consumer Banking arm, and as a consultant for A.T. Kearney in Singapore and London.

Jim Wadsworth brings over twenty years' experience working with market leaders in the payments sector. He joins VocaLink from Accourt, where he led its mobile and digital payments practice and advised a wide range of international clients. Jim is responsible for identifying and delivering new product and service opportunities and will also play a lead role in VocaLink's Alternative Payments programme. Jim brings extensive experience in mobile and payment innovation from previous senior roles at Barclaycard, JP Morgan, Vodafone and Simpay.

Phil Harrison joins VocaLink from Clairmail Mobile Solutions (now Monitise) where he was Managing Director for EMEA. He brings more than twenty five years of experience in retail banking and payment technologies. Phil has been responsible for international business development, delivery, operations and consulting for a number of early stage and established companies including Visa, ACI, Accenture, Western Union Bank and Advanced Payment Solutions. His role at VocaLink is to engage with banks to promote the company's Alternative Payments initiative.

Commenting on the appointments, Paul Stoddart, Managing Director, Strategy & Business Development Division at VocaLink, said: "I am delighted with these senior appointments to the Strategy & Business Development team; Nick, Jim and Phil bring a breadth and depth of industry experience and knowledge fundamental to VocaLink's growth plans.

The payments industry is changing rapidly, and VocaLink is uniquely positioned to be a leader in how these changes develop and are delivered, driving payments innovation forward in the UK and internationally and ensuring the highest class of payment services for our customers."

http://www.linkedin.com/in/philipmharrison