Oscar has supported Trustly since 2009, first as a board member and since January 2013 in full-time executive positions. He was appointed CEO in 2016. He started his career at Goldman Sachs, where he spent close to five years in the Investment Banking Division based in London and Moscow. From 2007 to 2012, he was a Portfolio Manager at Alpcot Capital Management, where he was part of the team that developed and launched Europe’s first actively managed equity ETF.

1. How do you see open banking developing over the next 3 – 5 years?

Different Open Banking applications will continue to emerge on the back of demand from consumers increasingly going digital. We all get our salaries deposited into our bank accounts and at Trustly, we leverage Open Banking to make it as safe and as easy as possible for consumers to pay merchants directly from these bank accounts. It’s all about control and convenience for the consumer and getting rid of middlemen, high fees and risk for the merchant. In the next 3-5 years, I see Open Banking rolling out across the globe on the back of the benefits there are in putting the bank account back in the centre of people’s financial lives.

2. Where is Trustly focusing in terms of sectors and regions?

In terms of regions, we focus on Europe, the US and Canada. As for sectors, we serve merchants in the e-commerce, financial services, online gaming and travel industries, as well as billers who get paid on a recurring basis.

3. What are your hobbies – how do you relax?

Once upon a time, I was a promising basketball player but nowadays I settle with going for a run, outdoors if possible. Physical activity is my way of managing stress and re-calibrate the mind.

4. What are you reading or your favourite book?

I read mainly business books, fiction and biographies. My most recent read is a biography of Gustaf Mannerheim, one of the most fascinating figures of the 20th century. He made his career in the imperial Russian army, attended the coronation of the last Tsar, carried out covert missions in China and later fought Soviet forces during the second world war before becoming president of Finland.

The content of this article does not reflect the official opinion of Edgar, Dunn & Company. The information and views expressed in this publication belong solely to the author(s).

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