Paul Stephens

Fintech & Partnerships Leader | Driving Revenue Growth in Fintech | Specialist in VP & Head of Partnerships * Commercial GTM Roles

London, England, United Kingdom

About

I'm a commercial leader with 12+ years in payments and fintech, with a track record of building revenue, partnerships, and commercial teams from the ground up — and delivering exits. I've worked across the full spectrum: from scaling partnerships at Klarna during its UK growth phase, to leading commercial strategy through two successful acquisitions (Roqqett by Equals Group PLC, SmartDebit by The Access Group). I know how to build in ambiguous, fast-moving environments and how to operate with the rigour that established businesses require. My sweet spot is partnerships and commercial growth — finding the right channels, building the right relationships, and turning them into predictable revenue. Currently exploring VP and Head of Partnerships opportunities in payments, embedded finance, and fintech.

Experience

  • Fractional Advisory at Origin Online
    Jan 2026 - Present · 6 mos

  • Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) at SAPI
    Sep 2024 - Dec 2025 · 1 yr 4 mos

    Early stage embedded finance company providing financial solutions into the Fintech ecosystem. Linking SME businesses to the finance required for them to grow.

  • Commercial Lead at Roqqett
    Jan 2022 - Jul 2024 · 2 yrs 7 mos

    ACQUIRED BY EQUALS GROUP https://www.finextra.com/newsarticle/41383/equals-group-acquires-open-banking-platform-roqqett Led commercial function at an open banking payments startup from early stage through to successful acquisition by Equals Group PLC (AIM-listed). -Built and executed go-to-market strategy, establishing Roqqett's first commercial partnerships and merchant relationships -Drove revenue growth from launch through to exit-ready stage -Played a central role in the commercial elements of the acquisition process

  • Commercial Director at SMARTDEBIT LIMITED - (Acquired by Access Group)
    Nov 2020 - Dec 2021 · 1 yr 2 mos

    ACQUIRED BY THE ACCESS GROUP https://www.theaccessgroup.com/en-gb/about/news/the-access-group-acquires-smartdebit/ • Led the commercial workstream through due diligence and successful deal completion, resulting in acquisition by The Access Group within 13 months • Recruited to spearhead the commercial strategy during a private sale process for SMARTDEBIT LIMITED. • Designed and implemented a growth strategy to enhance the commercial appeal for acquisition.

  • Director of Strategy & Partnerships at Pay360
    Feb 2017 - Oct 2020 · 3 yrs 9 mos