7 Payments Experts and Influencers to Follow
An important component of keeping your competitive edge as an entrepreneur is staying abreast with news and developments in the world of business, tech, and payments. Being aware of significant trends can help you anticipate changes in your market so you can plan accordingly.
One of the best ways to ensure that you’re keeping up with the latest is to follow the right people. And to help you do that, we’ve put together a roundup of the top payment experts and influencers that you should follow. These individuals continuously publish relevant and insightful content and they’re some of the best people to keep on your radar when you’re looking to stay in-the-know when it comes to the world of payments, business, and tech.
1. Karen Webster
CEO of PYMNTS.com and Market Platform Dynamics
Karen is the CEO of PYMNTS.com, a website that tackles that ins and outs of payments and commerce. She’s also the CEO Market Platform Dynamics, where she works closely with companies in the realm payments, financial service, technology, and more. Plus, as an advisor to various industry players, Karen has a deep understanding of the inner working of the commerce space.
Must read:
2. Ken Paterson
Vice President of Special Projects for the Mercator Advisory Group
Ken Paterson is an expert in credit-related topics, including reward programs, collections practices, small business credit, and more. He has more than 25 years experience in the payments space, having worked on market research, consulting, and strategic planning with Visa International, Isaac and Company, and Bank of Boston. As a trusted expert in the payment space, Ken’s commentary has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and PYMNTS.com
Must read:
- Who’s the Real Challenger? The Paradoxes of Digital Consumer Banking in the U.S.
- Mobile Payments: Getting Past the Speed Bump
3. Tom Groenfeldt
Freelance writer, content creator
A freelance writer who contributes to several industry and mainstream publications, Tom Groenfeldt covers topics like business, finance, and technology. He does a great job of translating complex ideas into clear and easy-to-read content pieces. Check out his articles on publications such as Forbes, International Finance Magazine, and Banking Technology Magazine to get a glimpse of his excellent work.
Must read:
- Credit Card Fraud Is Down, But Account Fraud That Directly Hurts Consumers Remains High
- Expanding E-Commerce Keeps Attracting Fraudsters, Forter Finds
4. Jim Marous
Financial Industry Publisher, Advisor & Global Speaker Co-Publisher at The Financial Brand
A figure who constantly offers financial wisdom and inspiration, Jim Marous is a speaker, author, and publisher of two top tier publications: The Financial Brand and Digital Banking report. The former is the #2 banking publication in the world, with more than 2 million readers, while the latter offers insights into the impact data and technology on the banking industry.
Must read:
- Top 10 Retail Banking Trends and Predictions For 2019
- 8 Technology Trends the Banking Industry Must Act On In 2019
5. Brett King
Speaker, Author, Futurist
An International Bestselling Author, futurist, and speaker, Brett King tackles the future of business and technology. He is also the host of “Breaking Banks,” the world’s first and foremost FinTech radio show. He founded Moven , a mobile startup that helps people understand and manage their spending.
Must read:
- Breaking Banks: The Innovators, Rogues, and Strategists Rebooting Banking
- Augmented: Life in the Smart Lane
6. Ron Shevlin
Director of Research at Cornerstone Advisors,
Ron Shevlin is the Director of Research at Cornerstone Advisors, a research and consulting firm that helps financial institutions stay at the top of their games. He’s also the author of the Amazon best-selling book, Smarter Bank, and he’s a regular speaker at the top events in the banking and fintech industries.
Must read:
- Americans Don’t Want A ‘Digital’ Bank
- The Coming Apple Credit Card Tsunami: Consumer Survey Finds Huge Demand For The New Card
7. Jim Bruene
Founder of Finovate Conferences, Fintech Labs UX, BUX Certified & The Online Banking Report
Jim Bruene is the founder and principal consultant at Fintechlabs, a company that offers digital banking product and design advice to banks, credit unions, and fintech providers. Jim also founded Finovate — conferences that showcase the latest innovations in banking and fintech.
Must read:
- Student Loan Repayments as a Service
- American Express 2.0? First Look at Brex, Fintech’s Youngest Unicorn
Your turn
This list is just the beginning and we’ll be keeping a lookout for more payments experts to watch. And now we want to hear from you! Who are some of the top financial and payments influencers that you follow? Let us know on Twitter!