Payment Expert’s ID Check: Payments Professionals offers insight from industry leaders and experts on how they got their start in the financial industry, from their early years in education, to how they have been able to climb the corporate ladder.
This week, Kamran Hedjri, CEO of PXP, speaks openly on some of the hardships that come about working in fintech and payments but stresses it is part of the learning experience. He also details his journey across Europe and why his love for tennis helps him balance the highs and lows of his career.
Where did you go to university and what did you study? What impact did this have on your current journey?
After completing my A Level and O Level exams in the UK, I completed computer and management studies at the Vienna University of Technology and then strategic management studies at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland.
This gave me a solid foundation in both technology and management, including the importance of processes, setting KPIs, and building partnerships.
Were you part of any sports clubs or societies at university and has this influenced your educational and professional development?
Tennis is my passion. I play every weekend with friends and really value the time I spend playing and having a laugh. What I really value about tennis is the sense of competition. Every time you play, there is a winner and a loser, it is never a draw. Each point stands on its own and needs to be worked for – and there can easily be a very different result every time you play.
It also reminds you that setbacks are part of the game, and that they give you an opportunity to improve and do better next time. At the end of the day, you can be bad at playing tennis and still love the game.
Did you have any jobs outside of the industry before making your start in it and was this experience a motivation to get into the industry you aspired to be in?
During my studies, I began working as a programmer for a range of startup companies and did that for the first few years of my career until I joined Europay/Mastercard in Vienna.
This was a formative time in my career, as it solidified my passion for innovation and the creation of new things, as well as technology and the systems that support it. Most importantly, it was a lot of fun.
What was the first job you had in the industry and are there any lessons from this you still draw on?
My first proper role was at Europay/Mastercard in Vienna, where I worked in a variety of roles from Project Manager to Product Development and learned the ins-and-outs of card processing and payments. At this time credit cards and automated teller machines (ATMs) were really taking off, and the experience solidified the foundation of my knowledge of payment systems and my passion for the industry.
It was during this time that I learned a valuable lesson in how to adapt to problems as they arise. In one position at the company, I was responsible for all transactions going through our ATM systems.
A programming error within the team caused a surprising glitch: from Friday to Monday, no transactions were recorded. People continued using ATMs and withdrawing money, but none of it was logged in the system or reflected in the clearing files.
At the time, I thought that this mistake would be the end of my career. In fact, we fixed the problem and learned that while disasters will happen, you will get through it and come out stronger on the other side.
Who was your biggest role model outside of the payments industry who continues to inspire you in your current career?
I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work alongside exceptional professionals throughout my career who have shaped and influenced my journey. I’m grateful that many of these relationships continue today, and I find daily inspiration working with my talented team members.
Above all, I’m blessed with a supportive family who grounds me and reminds me of what truly matters – our wellbeing and creating a nurturing environment where we can all thrive together.
When was your first big break in the payments industry? Why was this such a significant moment for you?
At the start of 2000, the industry was starting to change, and we were seeing a lot of movement around and interest in startups. I joined an exciting and well-funded startup called Betandwin (now known as Bwin), where I was tasked with building their payment platform.
That was the start of a rollercoaster journey for me, as we created and spun-off a few companies on the issuer side of payments, including Vincento (now part of CQR Payment Group) and Kalixa. Following this, we acquired PXP and in 2019 we consolidated all these organisations to form the PXP company that we run today.
Was there a moment you faced in the industry that really challenged you? How did you overcome this?
As well as the story I have already mentioned, a challenging moment for me was at a role in the early 2000s when we noticed that every transaction going through the system was being approved, even if it was from the issuer side.
This was happening at a time when online card transactions were growing, and basically meant that people were getting free money.
We fixed the problem, and as the head of the team I took responsibility for the problem. The lesson here is that setbacks are a part of the journey. It is important to not get demotivated when something happens that seems to create a bump in the road. Accept it, consider your options, and start to deal with it.
Lastly, what is some advice you would give to an aspiring person looking to get a start in your respective industry?
Make sure that you love what you do, as this passion is what will keep you going throughout your career. You must also be prepared to learn every day, especially as the payments industry is so fast-moving and changing all the time.
If you want to succeed in fintech and payments, you need to keep up to date with every development happening by learning about and using the technology as part of your daily life.
