Optty Expands Leadership as It Accelerates Payment Innovation

Optty, a leading global payments technology company based in Singapore, is making waves in the industry with its recent executive team and board expansion. The company has appointed Marie-Elise Droga, a renowned Payments and Customer Data Analytics expert, to its board of directors and e-commerce innovator Steven Ritchie as EVP and Chief Product and Information Officer. These strategic appointments are a significant step forward for Optty as it aims to revolutionize the payments landscape and strengthen its position as a leader in the industry.

Optty CEO Natasha Zurnamer welcomed Marie-Elise Droga, a global Payments and Customer Data Analytics expert, to the board of directors and e-commerce innovator Steve Ritchie as EVP and Chief Product and Information Officer. "We are thrilled to attract exceptional talent as Optty accelerates its vision of simplifying payment experiences for merchants and consumers through our breakthrough technology. Droga's and Ritchie's expertise is pivotal to our journey and to extending our product offerings and global presence, "she said.

Optty is known for its revolutionary full-stack user interface, which eliminates the need for merchants to undergo costly integrations and seamlessly adapts to the ever-changing demands of emerging payment technologies. With the addition of Marie-Elise Droga and Steve Ritchie to its leadership team, Optty aims to extend its product offerings and expand its global presence.

Marie-Elise Droga expressed her excitement about joining Optty and being part of its mission to revolutionize the payments industry. She said, “Optty's secure, sophisticated, and user-friendly payment ecosystem, driven by intentional design and technology, will benefit all stakeholders involved in the transaction process”. Droga is currently the Chief Commercial Officer of Consumer Edge, previously held several senior leadership roles at Western Union, and recently served as SVP and Head of Global Fintech Partnerships at Visa. With her extensive experience in the Payments and Customer Data Analytics field, Droga brings valuable insights to Optty.

Steve Ritchie emphasized Optty's groundbreaking approach to payment conversion. He said, “Optty's mission is to offer a wide choice of payments and prioritize efficiency, simplicity, speed, and global scalability. By providing merchants with a solid foundation in technology that can be deployed in real time, Optty aims to simplify the complexity of payment processes”. With Ritchie's expertise, Optty is well-positioned to drive innovation in the payments industry.

As a global payment powerhouse, Optty has integration connections to over 750 unique payment types, making it a leader in offering the most cost-effective payment options across different brands, countries, and currencies. The company's first true universal payment platform connects nine payment architectures and a portfolio of 125 brands. It includes leading Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) brands Afterpay, Zip, Tabby, Tamara, Grab, Klarna, and Affirm; wallets brands PayPal, Grab, and Alipay; and open banking providers Volt, Link, and Azupay.

Natasha Zurnamer, also the Founder of Optty, said Optty is setting industry standards and enabling partners to stay at the forefront of the payments landscape. She said, "The payment brand offering is no longer the merchant's choice; it is in the hands of the consumer. Payment integration amnesia for merchants is solved with Optty offering more pay methods, critical to loyalty and sales conversions. We are setting the standards and leading the pace across the industry, enabling our partners to be at the forefront”.

"Our comprehensive, cost-effective, and innovative solutions are a game-changer for merchants and consumers worldwide. Our interface is meticulously designed and saves merchants thousands in integration costs and payments management while addressing the dynamic nature of emerging and innovating payment methods and supporting global expansion", she added. 

Optty has already seen significant adoption from payment service providers, gateways, schemes, and banks that have chosen to white label its platform. The appeal lies in Optty's ability to seamlessly integrate and maintain emerging payment brands, regardless of complexity. Unlike other payment orchestrators, Optty's integration approach ensures immediate and secure settlement without disrupting the flow of funds, setting the company apart in the market.

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