Judging panel 2027
Jonathan Easton, Editor, FStech
Alessandro Hatami, Managing Partner, Pacemakers.io
Janthana Kaenprakhamroy, CEO, Tapoly
Milena Maneva, Head of BC & Resilience, BGC Group & Cantor Fitzgerald
Joe McHale, Investor, Finch Capital
Steve Rackham, Founder, Consultant, 3Co Consulting
Alessandro Hatami, Managing Partner, Pacemakers.io
Alessandro is a strategist, author and Non-Executive Director specialising in the digital transformation of financial services. He is founder and Managing Partner of Pacemakers.io, an advisory firm helping banks, fintechs and investors navigate innovation, transformation and strategic partnerships in payments and banking. Previously, he was Digital Payments and Innovation Director at Lloyds Banking Group and a senior executive at PayPal, following roles at GE Capital and PayPoint.
He is also Senior Advisor to ItaliaFintech and a frequent collaborator with the European Digital Finance Association. Alessandro co-authored Reinventing Banking Investopedia’s Best Book on Banking (2022) and Inclusive Finance (2025), and writes and speaks on how technology is reshaping money, trust and inclusion.
● LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/aehatami/
● Medium: medium.com/@a_hatami
● Personal: www.ahatami.net
● Pacemakers: www.pacemakers.io
Janthana Kaenprakhamroy, CEO, Tapoly
Janthana Kaenprakhamroy is the CEO of Tapoly, an award-winning on-demand insurance provider for SMEs and freelancers. Named one of Forbes’ Top 6 Women Founders to Watch and a Top 100 Influencer by the National Sales Awards 2025, she has also received Innovator of the Year (UK Fintech Awards 2023) and Insurance Leader of the Year (Women in Finance Awards 2021). Janthana serves on the board of BIBA and has a background in accounting and internal auditing, having worked at UBS, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan, and BNP Paribas.
Milena Maneva, Head of BC & Resilience, BGC Group & Cantor Fitzgerald
Milena Maneva is a recognised resilience leader with 17 years of experience across financial services, brokerage, legal, and real estate sectors. As Head of Business Continuity & Resilience, EMEA at BGC Group and Cantor Fitzgerald, Founder of ResilienceArc and Chair of the Institute of Strategic Risk Management (ISRM) London Chapter, she helps organisations navigate disruption, strengthen resilience and turn complex risks into strategic opportunities.A trusted advisor to senior leaders and boards, Milena specialises in business continuity, crisis management, risk governance and enterprise resilience. Recognised for her contributions to the resilience profession, Milena has also served as a judge for numerous talent industry awards. As organisations face increasing uncertainty, she remains focused on advancing resilience through thought leadership, innovation, and cross-industry collaboration, helping leaders build organisations that are prepared, adaptable and future-ready.
Joe McHale, Investor, Finch Capital
Joe is a member of the investment team at Finch Capital, a leading European growth equity fund specializing in finance and business technology. As part of the investment team at Finch Capital, Joe is heavily involved in sourcing and evaluating new investment opportunities, as well as working closely with existing portfolio companies such as eflow Global. Joe has a background in Private Equity and holds a Master's degree in Economics from the London School of Economics.
Steve Rackham, Founder, Consultant, 3Co Consulting
Steve has spent over two decades at the intersection of enterprise technology and financial services — an industry defined by its sophistication, its regulatory complexity, and its extremely high standards for the people and companies it works with.As former CTO for Financial Services at NetApp, Steve built a track record of enabling technology organisations to engage effectively with some of the most demanding and regulated buyers in the world. Steve has presented at events globally and know first-hand what it takes to communicate complex ideas with clarity and conviction — whether in a boardroom, on a conference stage, or inside a sales cycle.
Nick Rudd, Director of Consulting, MMT
As Director of Consulting at MMT, Nick Rudd helps our enterprise clients achieve their digital ambitions and realise the value of their innovation initiatives at speed and scale. Nick is an active advocate of sustained digital transformation and agile best practice, and is keen to connect with people who are looking to embrace technology and push the boundaries of digital engagement.
