There are exciting changes afoot at Conferma, as the leading virtual payments provider announced the appointment of Kriya Patel, current CEO of Tap Global, as its new Non-Executive Director. Patel's arrival comes as part of Conferma's strategic plan to streamline its position in corporate travel payments and expand in other markets.

Boasting an impressive 25-year career in the fintech, card services, and payments sectors, Patel's wealth of expertise, knowledge and industry connections are slated to be instrumental in helping Conferma achieve these ambitious goals. His appointment also aligns with a significant rebranding initiative by Conferma in February, aimed at simplifying the process for companies across the globe to connect and conduct business.

Manchester-based Conferma, a stalwart in the propelling growth of virtual payments for nearly 20 years, has strengthened its commitment to delivering more streamlined, efficient payment solutions. This commitment has remained resolute following its acquisition by travel technology company, Sabre, and investment from Mastercard.

Since joining Conferma in February 2023, CEO Jason Lalor has placed tremendous focus on fortifying the company's unrivalled payments ecosystem in the corporate travel sector while also looking towards expansion in new markets, namely Accounts Payable and procurement.

On the subject of Patel's appointment at such a pivotal moment for the company, Lalor said: “I’m delighted to be welcoming Kriya into our business at a crucial juncture. Kriya is a successful and experienced fintech executive, whose expertise in payments will be a significant asset as we look to scale the business. We’ve made important strides in the past twelve months and everybody at Conferma is focused on using our technology to enable global businesses to connect and pay through virtual cards. Being able to call on somebody like Kriya, with his insight and connections in the payments industry will be extremely valuable as we look to take the next step.”

In response to his new role at Conferma, Patel said: “What excites me about Conferma is that it really feels like the start of the journey. The business has all the right foundations; brilliant product technology, great people and backing from industry heavyweights. There is clearly a massive opportunity to grow, and I can’t wait to be a part of it and see what we can achieve.”

Patel's impressive career includes being at the helm of Tap Global and previously Transact Payments, founding the highly successful prepaid cards subsidiary - Newcastle Card Solutions, and operating his own payments, finance, and fintech-focused consultancy, Kriyative Solutions. Patel previously also undertook advisory roles at the board of The Emerging Payments Association and was chair of the Gibraltar E-Money Association.