Davide is a Consultant within EDC’s San Francisco office. He initially joined EDC’s London office as a Business Analyst in late 2018, following his studies at Imperial College London, where he graduated with a Masters in Biomedical Engineering.‍

1. Why did you join EDC? What attracted you to the company and the Payments Consulting industry?

‍We live in a world where digital technologies drive innovation and become the foundation our society relies on. After my technical studies in engineering, I was looking for a role within an industry poised for significant innovation and growth due to the rise of new technologies. Edgar, Dunn & Company (EDC) advises some of the world’s leading companies within the Payments and Digital Finance industries, often making the headlines due to their significant growth and digitalisation of consumer habits.

‍2. What were your expectations when you first joined, and how right (or wrong) were you?

‍In terms of project work, I was expecting to work with large banks and financial institutions. In reality, a lot of the work came from a wide range of different players, all attempting to disrupt the market with innovative products/services competing with incumbents. EDC being a global consulting firm specializing in payments, I was expecting to work in a fast dynamic environment, working in small teams and gaining significant experience following a steep learning curve. That expectation was met, and each project has been an opportunity to learn and build on my knowledge.

‍3. What is unique about EDC, which make it respected within the payments and consulting industry?

‍At EDC, there is a strong focus on ensuring the work delivered to clients is of the highest quality in all of its practices such as airline and travel, issuing, acquiring, retail, M&A and Advance Payments. Furthermore, EDC has helped companies overcome their challenges and develop strategic recommendations to become leaders in their respective industries.

‍4. What is your current role? What do you do (anonymously talk about a project you enjoyed)?

‍As a Consultant, my role consists of taking initiatives in solving the problems our clients face, working closely with the Directors and Managers who oversee the direction of the projects. I am given much freedom in managing my own time on multiple projects. My favourite project to date is the Regulatory Impact of the MIF regulation for Mastercard, a holistic investigation of the impact the regulation would have on issuing & acquiring banks, merchants, and consumers. The study consisted of financial modelling, interviews with banks, merchants, fintech, consumer and merchant surveys, resulting in EDC’s opinion on the regulation. I am also heavily involved in the Retail practice and enjoy projects involving EDC’s proprietary Cost of Payment Acceptance (CoPA) models, which have helped countless merchants generate additional revenues and reduce their costs.

‍5. What do you do in your spare time? What are your personal objectives in the next year(s)?

‍Before the pandemic, I used to play football 2-3 times a week with different teams, including an 11-side league on Saturdays. I am now going on runs and cycles to make up for that!I enjoy reading and spending as much time outside, although I also love movies and understand the process behind some of the decisions made in production. I recently transferred from London to San Francisco, and my objective for the next year is to explore and learn as much as I can about the city and California!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).