Judges

Colin Payne is a distinguished leader in financial innovation, currently serving as the Head of Innovation at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Chair of the Global Financial Innovation Network (GFIN) convening over 90 national regulators to build a powerful, collaborative network.

In these roles, he spearheads strategic initiatives to foster growth through responsible innovation, such as the newly launched AI Lab, Sandboxes and TechSprint Programme.

Before joining the FCA, Colin was the Senior Director at PwC, where he delivered programs across the GCC, including national payment strategies and digital asset initiatives with Central Banks in the region.

He has also held Partner and EVP positions at EY and Capgemini with an early tenure at Apple working with Steve Jobs.

With over 30 years at the forefront of technology and change, Colin has built an award-winning portfolio designing and deploying world-class innovation.

He has held honorary positions at Kings College and Middlesex University.

Liz Lumley is an independent journalist, podcaster, keynote speaker, and moderator. She is a global specialist commentator on global financial technology or “fintech”. She has spent over 30 years working in the financial technology space, most recently as deputy editor at The Banker. She was also a director at VC Innovations and architect of the FTT Festival, managing director at Startupbootcamp FinTech London, and an editor at financial services and technology newswire, Finextra. She was named Journalist of the Year for Technology and Digital Finance at State Street’s UK Press Awards for 2022.

Emma brings 27 years of expertise in product development, leadership, and business growth, with a strong foundation in exhibitions and conferences. Throughout her career, she has worked with over 25 organizations, both as an employee and a freelancer, helping to expand event portfolios and drive revenue growth.

At The Payments Association, Emma has excelled in building and leading high-performing teams across production, marketing, sales, and operations. Her efforts have culminated in award-winning events such as PAY360, the largest event dedicated to payments. Known for her strategic focus on balancing profitability with exceptional attendee experiences, Emma has been a key contributor to the organization’s accelerated growth and success. 

Esra Kasapoglu is an enterprise transformation and AI executive who works with fintech and financial services leaders to turn ambitious ideas into scalable, trusted outcomes. With experience spanning regulated industries, she brings a practical perspective on how innovation strengthens institutions and markets, delivers value, and improves customer outcomes.

Esra has served on national boards and the FCA Innovation Advisory Group and has been recognised as one of the Top 100 UK Public Sector Leaders in AI and Data. Drawing on experience across Big Tech, professional services, systems integrators, and national innovation bodies, she enjoys supporting teams solving meaningful problems and building solutions that can scale responsibly and last.

Janine Hirt is the CEO of Innovate Finance (IF), the industry body representing the world-leading UK FinTech sector. Having joined the initial IF leadership team in 2015 first as Head of Community then Ecosystem Director, she moved into the COO role in 2017 before stepping up to lead the organisation in 2021. Janine is passionate about driving transformation to create a more democratic, transparent and inclusive financial services sector for all. Her professional career has been marked by roles that sit at the intersection of policy, international relations, and industry, including senior positions at Chatham House, (the Royal Institute of International Affairs) and the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce.

Janine has been selected as one of the top 50 most influential women in UK tech by Computer Weekly for the last three years running and has been included in the Women in Trade Association Powerlist for the past two years.  Janine is a regular speaker at international conferences and has been featured in broadcast media and print publications including Sky News, BBC World News, ITN Business, CityAM, Forbes, and the Financial Times.

Janine received her BA Magna Cum Laude from Boston College, JYA at Oxford University, and her MSc from the London School of Economics. Janine is an American, British, Swiss and German national who calls London and NYC home. 

Jordan Dargue is a founder, senior executive, investor, NED and seasoned investment expert. Her boundless passion for innovation, coupled with a remarkable track record of achievements, positions her within the realms of growth and investment.

Jordan’s transformative influence is evident through her leadership in orchestrating multi-million equity-based investment rounds, cultivating award-winning investor networks, and offering unwavering support to thousands of SMEs on their journey toward expansion and investment. Jordan is co-founder of Lifted Ventures. Lifted exists to increase the flow of early stage capital to female founders and promote the significant business benefits of backing women. The Lifted Ventures flywheel has an angel network at its core, alongside education, community and consultancy.

Previously Jordan was co-leader and board director of multi award winning NorthInvest, and in 2020 she co-founded Fund Her North and Women Angels of the North, a collective of women in VCs and Angel investors who support female founders to get equal access to finance.

Luke Sculthorp FCICM is Commercial Director UK & Ireland at My DSO Manager, an award-winning credit-management SaaS platform enabling organisations to accelerate cash flow and reduce risk through smarter collections and dispute control. A former credit manager and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management, Luke is a recognised voice in the global credit community, speaking on how data, business intelligence and technology strengthen working capital performance and protect supply chains in uncertain economic conditions. He bridges board-level priorities with operational execution, helping teams translate policy, credit insight and customer behaviour into practical actions that reduce DSO and improve resilience. Luke also serves as Vice Chair of the CICM Yorkshire Ridings Branch and regularly contributes to industry events and professional development initiatives.

Polly Tsang is senior financial regulatory manager at ICAEW, leading policy work on AI, sustainability, and digital assets in financial services.

She produces thought-leadership for ICAEW’s 180,000 members, overseeing consultation responses, and convening industry, regulators, and international standard-setters to address emerging issues such as cryptoasset regulation, sustainability disclosure requirements, AI governance, and open finance.

A fellow chartered accountant, Polly regularly speaks at industry events and previously specialised in structured finance and securitisation at PwC London, having qualified in the banking, capital markets and investment management sectors.

Sarah Kocianski is a fintech advisor, strategist, researcher and analyst with over a decade of experience working with global organisations, scaleups, and startups in the financial services industry.

Her expertise lies in helping organisations understand the opportunities and challenges they face and the markets they operate in. She was previously CEO of Fintech Wales, Head of Insight at Founders Factory and Head of Competitor Insight at 11:FS.

She has been featured on Innovate Finance’s Women in Fintech Powerlist multiple times, is a committee member at Unlock VC and a regular contributor to Forbes.