To help more businesses expand their international customer base using the latest online payment methods, PPRO Group, a leader in cross-border e-payments and one of the fastest growing FinTech companies in Europe, has further strengthened its senior management team.

Andreas Hartmann joins the company as Chief Product Officer, responsible for driving product strategy, including roadmaps, engineering and product innovation in the rapidly evolving global e-payments landscape.  Ian Ladd Gibbon takes on the critical role of Director of Compliance and Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO).  In this capacity, Ian will not only ensure that PPRO Group, as an FCA-authorised institution, remains compliant with key legal and regulatory frameworks, he will also oversee the company’s fraud and money laundering detection, prevention and reporting activities.

PPRO Group provides worldwide access to more than 110 alternative payment schemes, as well as offering processing, collection, settlement and reconciliation services to world-leading payment service providers (PSPs) and market place customers, including Alipay and financial institutions.  In 2015, PPRO Group became the first non-bank acquirer of the Dutch payment system iDEAL, offering both acceptance and processing functionality. This means that PSPs can now connect either to PPRO Group’s standard iDEAL interface, or through PPRO Group’s own API.

Simon Black, CEO of PPRO Group says: “The world of e-payments is evolving, with ever more devices and payment methods, set against an often inconsistent and fragmented   cross-border regulatory framework designed to keep businesses and customers safe.  Among other things, the anonymity offered by the internet makes e-payments a prime target for those seeking to raise or clean illicit funds and PPRO Group is determined to maintain the highest standards of compliance. To meet the opportunities and challenges presented by all these trends, we have made these two strategic senior appointments to our management team.  We are delighted to welcome Andreas and Ian on board, and their arrival leaves us ideally placed for an exciting 2016.”

The company ended 2015 on a high note in a number of ways.  It won two sought-after Emerging Payments Awards for “Entrepreneur of the Year” and “Leading Emerging Payments Organisation of the Year”. PPRO Group’s founder, Tobias Schreyer received a commendation for his entrepreneurial spirit that was “instrumental in evolving PPRO Group’s offering in response to rising demand for alternative payment methods.” 2015 also saw PPRO Group continue to extend its alternative payment hub, connecting the fast growing community of PSPs and financial institutions with the increasing number of national and international alternative payment methods.