What are the prevalent issues facing the EU card market?At this moment there are two main issues: one is the financial crisis that, as for the other industries, is affecting also the payment card business, putting pressure on costs and margins and influencing credit management.
The other one is the fragmentation of the market in several domestic and local brands, while in an open European market, consumers are asking for a common treatment and a similar offer despite the country they are.
Consumers have a good reason to trust card-based payments because ...First of all, payment cards are the easier and quick payment method and the penetration of the acceptance points is nowadays very high. Moreover, the security of this payment method is constantly improving. Last but not least, payment cards allow not only payments but a wide range of additional services connected to the card (loyalty, money transfer, light bank account, authentication, etc.).
What is the role of credit cards for online payment development in Europe?In this scenario, the main role for credit cards is to be the main character and to keep this role also in the future.
In your opinion, will plastic become obsolete as card info gets incorporated into mobile devices?I think that plastic will not become obsolete since not all its functions will be incorporated in mobile devices. Plastic and mobile are not replaceable goods. There will be always several occasions in which we will need to use plastic because mobile will not accomplish that purpose. Moreover, the business case and business model of mobile still needs to be clearly defined.
What changes that occur over the next five years do you believe will affect the card industry the most?-Full implementation of SEPA-NFC/mobile-New schemas and new operators (Telco, Big retailers, etc.) to enter in the market.
What are the barriers to innovation in the European payments landscape and how can they be overcome?Just to quote the main ones: strict regulation and legislation in the payment industry that can be faced only with innovative solution compliant with these rules, and the consolidation in some mature markets that prevents the adoption of new technology and new products.
About Gabriele Boni:
Gabriele Boni is CIO at SiNSYS, the first pan-European initiative in card processing, currently managing a portfolio of 30 million cards and 700.000 merchants in 12 European countries. As Chief Information Officer, Boni is in charge of defining the IT strategy, monitoring and improving company efficiency and quality and implementing new services and products. As the head of the Solution Design department, he is managing more than 160 people.
Gabriele started his career in IBM working as system engineer from 1982 to 1994. In 1997 Gabriele joined SSB (currently SIASSB) as Business Analysis and Marketing Manager with the responsibility for the domestic and international cards and the relationship with the customer for the definition of the requirements. From 2000 he was charged also of operation responsibilities (for dispute and fraud management) and business development.
With the incorporation of SINSYS, Gabriele has been appointed as Head of the Issuing Competence Centre where he successfully migrated 30 million of cards from more than 10 different platforms on SINSYS issuing platform. In 2008 he has been appointed CIO of the company.
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