## Mansour Aaron Karimzadeh

Mansour Aaron Karimzadeh is the Founder and President of Smart Commerce International Ltd. (SCIL), a consulting and advisory firm specializing in payments, banking technology, digital transformation, digital identity, cybersecurity, and emerging financial technologies.

With more than 30 years of international experience, Mansour has advised financial institutions, payment processors, fintech companies, technology providers, governments, and industry organizations on strategy, innovation, and technology transformation initiatives. His expertise spans payment systems, card and transaction processing, EMV and contactless payments, mobile and digital payments, digital identity, fraud management, payment security, digital currencies, blockchain technologies, and quantum-safe security strategies.

Throughout his career, Mansour has led and contributed to major payment modernization and technology transformation programs across North America, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Australia. He is recognized for his ability to bridge business strategy, technology innovation, and market development to help organizations navigate the rapidly evolving payments ecosystem.

Prior to founding SCIL, Mansour led a smart card consulting and software company that was subsequently acquired by ACI Worldwide, where he held executive leadership roles including Vice President of Operations and Director of the Smart Cards Business Unit. He has also served as a Board Member of the GlobalPlatform Association and Chair of its Marketing Center.

Mansour is an internationally recognized speaker, trainer, and industry thought leader. He has contributed to numerous industry initiatives, including service on the Steering Committee of the U.S. Payments Forum and leadership roles within its Communications and Education activities.

Cathy Lawton is an accomplished banking and payments executive with extensive experience in the design, development, and implementation of innovative electronic payment solutions for major financial institutions. Throughout her distinguished career, including more than 12 years as a Senior Vice President at JPMorgan Chase, she has played a leading role in advancing payment technologies and integrating emerging payment capabilities into retail banking environments.

Her expertise spans retail banking, debit card programs, payment processing, digital banking initiatives, smart card technologies, and customer-facing financial services solutions. Cathy has successfully led large-scale payment transformation initiatives, helping financial institutions improve operational efficiency, enhance customer experiences, and introduce innovative payment products and services.

Among her notable achievements are the implementation of one of the first fully integrated Mondex smart card programs, the deployment of debit card and electronic payment systems, and the development of online banking applications that helped shape the evolution of digital financial services. She has worked closely with business leaders, technology teams, and industry stakeholders to deliver complex projects from strategy and planning through implementation and operational deployment.

Cathy brings a unique combination of strategic vision, business leadership, and practical payments expertise, enabling organizations to successfully navigate the rapidly evolving financial services and payments landscape.

JJan Dart is a highly experienced payments and financial technology executive with extensive expertise in payment systems, payment architectures, transaction processing, product development, business strategy, and large-scale technology deployments. Throughout his career, he has worked with financial institutions, payment processors, technology providers, and industry stakeholders to design, implement, and optimize innovative payment solutions.

His areas of specialization include card payments, EMV migration, contactless payments, mobile banking and payment strategies, NFC technologies, digital payment ecosystems, and payment infrastructure modernization. Jan has successfully led numerous complex projects involving the development, deployment, and commercialization of payment products and services, helping organizations improve operational performance, customer engagement, and market competitiveness.

As a strategic advisor, Jan provides guidance on product strategy, market development, technology adoption, and implementation planning, with a particular focus on emerging payment technologies and digital transformation initiatives. Prior to his consulting career, he co-led a smart card consulting and software company that was acquired by ACI Worldwide, where he subsequently served as Vice President of Operations and Director of the Smart Cards Business Unit.

Fred Namdar is an experienced technology and payments professional with deep expertise in the design, development, and implementation of advanced payment processing platforms, digital payment solutions, and high-performance transaction systems. Throughout his career, he has successfully delivered technology solutions for financial institutions, payment service providers, fintech companies, and e-commerce organizations.

His expertise spans payment processing architectures, mobile and digital payments, distributed applications, systems integration, transaction security, and enterprise software development. Fred has extensive experience designing scalable, resilient, and high-throughput platforms capable of supporting complex payment and commerce environments while meeting demanding performance, reliability, and security requirements.

In addition to his payments expertise, Fred has led the development and deployment of large-scale web-based and e-commerce applications, helping organizations improve operational efficiency, customer experience, and business growth. His ability to combine technical innovation with practical business objectives enables clients to successfully implement technology strategies that deliver measurable results.

Fred brings a strong combination of technical leadership, architectural expertise, and hands-on implementation experience to payment modernization, digital transformation, and next-generation commerce initiatives.

Sam Boutros is a seasoned payments industry professional with extensive expertise across the payment ecosystem, including card payments, account-to-account payments, payment processing, and financial services technology. He possesses a comprehensive understanding of the end-to-end payment lifecycle, from authorization and transaction routing through clearing, settlement, and reconciliation.

Throughout his career, Sam has worked with financial institutions, payment processors, and technology providers on the design, implementation, and optimization of payment systems and infrastructure. His areas of specialization include payment switching, EMV smart card technologies, contactless and mobile payment solutions, payment network integration, and transaction processing modernization initiatives.

Combining deep industry knowledge with practical implementation experience, Sam helps organizations navigate evolving payment technologies and operational challenges while improving efficiency, security, and customer experience.

Sam is fluent in English, French, and Arabic, enabling him to effectively support clients and projects across diverse international markets.

Mary Blair is a highly experienced payments and product development consultant with more than 25 years of expertise spanning the payments industry, financial services, and telecommunications sectors. Recognized for her strategic insight and practical approach, she has helped financial institutions, payment organizations, and technology providers successfully develop, launch, and optimize innovative payment products and services.

Her expertise includes card issuance and acceptance, debit, credit, and prepaid payment programs, EMV migration, contact and contactless technologies, digital payments, transaction processing, wireless POS solutions, and vendor and partner management. Mary has extensive experience guiding organizations through the complete product lifecycle, from market assessment and business case development to implementation, deployment, and commercialization.

Having led numerous payment transformation and smart card initiatives across Canada, the United States, and international markets, Mary is particularly skilled at aligning business objectives with technology solutions, building strategic partnerships, and delivering successful outcomes in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.