About the event
In September 2020 the European Commission adopted its Retail Payments Strategy, setting out ambitions to create a “broad and diversified range of world-class payment services and instruments, supported by a competitive and innovative payments market” for Europe.
This online debate organised by Forum Europe in cooperation with Ant Group will look at how these ambitions can be achieved, focussing on how European businesses can leverage innovations in payments to boost economic growth, develop new revenue streams, particularly internationally, and further their digital transformation in the process.
Speakers will include senior policymakers alongside representatives of businesses that are engaged in driving their operations forward through payments innovations and digital transformation.
Confirmed Speakers
Eric Ducoulombier – Head of Unit B3 – Retail financial services, DG FISMA, European Commission
Roland Palmer – Head of Alipay North-West Europe, Ant Group
Gianfranco Bisagni – Co-CEO Commercial Banking, Central Eastern Europe, UniCredit
Hanzhong Jiang – Team Leader, Business Development Asian Markets, Dirk Rossmann GmbH
Confirmed speakers:
Eric Ducoulombier, Head of Unit B3 -
Retail financial services, DG FISMA, European Commission
Eric Ducoulombier is, since 1 January 2019, Head of the Retail and Payments Unit in the European Commission (DG FISMA). Before that he was in charge of the Unit dealing with Inter-Institutional affairs and Planning in DG FISMA. Eric joined the European Commission in 1992. He holds a Master Degree in Law.
Eric Ducoulombier
Head of Unit B3 -
Retail financial services,
DG FISMA, European Commission
Gianfranco Bisagni, Co-CEO, Commercial Banking, Central Eastern Europe, UniCredit
Gianfranco started his career in the Italian UniCredit network in the mid-1980s, moving shortly thereafter to the Chicago office and then to New York, where he took over as Branch Deputy Chief Manager, responsible for all the Representative Offices in North and South America.
In 2001 he transferred to Asia, where he was responsible for Corporate Banking Asia Pacific & Chief Manager of the Hong Kong branch.
In 2010 he was appointed Head of Corporate & Investment banking and Private Banking at UniCredit Tiriac Bank Romania.
From 2011 to 2015, he served as Head of Corporate & Investment banking CEE and as Deputy Head of the CEE Division.
Gianfranco was Co-Head of the CIB Division from September 2016, after having been Deputy Head since April 2015.
In March 2019 he was appointed Co-CEO of Commercial Banking, Central Eastern Europe, whilst retaining shared oversight of the CIB division, along with the Co-CEO of Commercial Banking, Western Europe.
Gianfranco is Member of the Executive Management Committee of UniCredit.
Other:
- Chairman of the Supervisory Board UniCredit Bank Austria
- Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of UniCredit Bank Russia
- Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board UniCredit Bank Hungary
- Supervisory Board Member of Zagrebačka Banka d.d.
Education:
- Degree in Business Administration
- Certificate in Corporate Governance (IDP-C) – Insead
Gianfranco Bisagni
Co-CEO
Commercial Banking, Central Eastern Europe,UniCredit
Roland Palmer, Head of Alipay, North-West Europe, Ant Group
Roland Palmer is currently Head of Alipay for North-West Europe (UK, France, Netherlands and Nordics). He has had leadership roles for Alipay in Europe since the summer of 2018. Roland and his team are focused on Alipay’s business in the region, including all online, offline and remittance business. He works with financial partners and key customers across the region to enable them to tap into the opportunity provided by both Chinese online shoppers, Chinese travellers and Chinese students and residents in Europe.
Previously Roland was with Alibaba since 2016. Originally he joined as Managing Director for Alibaba Benelux, where he was responsible for all Alibaba Business Units across the three markets. From 2017 to 2018 Roland then set up and led the Europe business for the Tmall Direct Import business, helping brands and merchants across Europe sell their products to Alibaba who then sold them to the Chinese consumers.
Roland brings an extensive knowledge of European retail, e-commerce and FMCG, having worked as CEO of European retail business Blokker Holding as well as having ten years FMCG experience at both Unilever and Coca-Cola. He has also worked in consulting, at Bain & Company.
Roland Palmer
Head of Alipay,
North-West Europe, Ant Group
Hanzhong Jiang, Team Leader Business Development Asian Markets, Dirk Rossmann GmbH
Hanzhong Jiang is the team leader for the unit Business Development Asian Markets at Rossmann. In this role he is responsible for the growth strategy and brand awareness of Rossmann across Asia as well as the relationship building with B2B partners. As a result, he also is heading the cooperation with Alipay, leading Rossmann to become one of the largest German partners as their service is available in over 2.300 stores.
Prior to joining Rossmann, Hanzhong was working at Amazon Germany as a Brand Specialist. Hanzhong graduated from School of International Business in Bremen and East China Normal University in Shanghai majoring International Business Management.
Hanzhong Jiang
Team Leader,
Business Development Asian Markets, Dirk Rossmann GmbH
Emmanuel Suissa, Chief Partnership Officer, Printemps Paris
Emmanuel started his career in the Luxury hotel industry, in Sales & Marketing representing leading hotel chains within European Markets: Peninsula, Warwick, Lotte, Imperial, Barriere, Steigenberger, Taj.
He moved to a real estate company, and opened 4 hotel properties in Paris, some affiliated to Golden Tulip hotel chain.
In 1998, Emmanuel moved to the Destination Management industry and was Managing Director Sales & Operations of Tumlare Mice & Sport-Paris for 15 years overlooking 20 destinations in Europe. During these years, he led strategic accounts in the leisure and MICE segments and handled the finest Incentives, Kick off meeting, product launches and was the leading operator of the UEFA Champion’s league in handling official trips of Manchester United, Bayern Munich , Chelsea , Arsenal, Liverpool, Olympique Lyonnais and many more. He was also appointed by the French Tennis Federation for the worldwide promotion of the French Tennis Open – Roland Garros.
During his tenure at Tumlare corporation, he opened sales offices in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South East Asia as well as US & Brazil, boosting sales to European destinations.
In 2014, Emmanuel joined Value Retail, a pioneer in the Shopping Tourism Industry, operating the Bicester Village Shopping Collection with 11 Luxury shopping destinations across Europe & China. As Director of Tourism Marketing & Greater China Commercial Director, Emmanuel looks after worldwide markets and domestic markets in developing cross border digital marketing strategic partnerships with key industry players as Airlines, Train companies, hotel chains, banks, credit cards, mobile payment, travel & lifestyles magazines which contribute to drive qualified & premium audience to the Village collection.
Emmanuel was member of the board of Atout France Business Tourism Cluster for the past 12 years
In 2021, Emanuel joined the Printemps Group as Chief Partnership Officer.
Emmanuel Suissa
Chief Partnership Officer,Printemps Paris
![Fiona-Maxwell[3]](https://eu-digitalpartnerships.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Fiona-Maxwell3.png)
Fiona Maxwell - Moderator, Senior Correspondent, MLex
Fiona Maxwell is a financial services senior correspondent at MLex in London. She began her career as a reporter for Risk.net, writing about EU post-crisis regulation, and later worked for POLITICO in Brussels, covering the intersect between financial policy and politics. Prior to joining MLex, Fiona worked at the Bank of England as a policy adviser in the prudential policy directorate.
Fiona Maxwell - Moderator
Senior Correspondent,MLex
Agenda
15 March 2021 | 12:00 - 13:15 CET
Sponsors and Partners
Virtual Event
This event will be taking place using Forum Europe’s virtual solution. For more details, please visit forum-europe.com.
