Strategic Finance for Payments and Fintech Platforms

ScalePoint is an independent strategic finance advisory practice focused on complex, platform driven payments and fintech businesses, combining operating judgement with financial discipline

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Tension

Strategy Risks Outrunning Its Economics

In high complexity payments ecosystems, volume can scale while margins drift and assumptions go untested

In complex payments ecosystems, growth can scale while margins drift and assumptions go untested. As integration, regulatory and capital pressures increase, the gap between high level intent and operational and financial reality widens. Volume expands. Capital is committed. The underlying economics are not always examined with equal rigour.

Response

Embedding Financial Rigour at the Front End of Strategic Decisions

Working alongside leadership teams to translate intent into disciplined operational and financial execution

We examine growth trajectory and return logic at the macro level, and test the unit economics that ultimately determine outcomes at the micro level.

Whether shaping new initiatives or optimising established businesses, the focus is on ensuring that value drivers are properly understood and optimised.

By connecting the two, we ensure execution remains economically coherent and trade offs are explicit.

Differentiator

The Operator’s Advantage

Strategy informed by operating and financial reality

With more than two decades in fintech strategy and senior operating roles, underpinned by early training in investment banking and corporate development, my background bridges strategy, finance and execution. I approach strategic questions from a strategy perspective, but with a clear understanding of capital structures, unit economics and financial consequence.

The advice given is shaped by having operated inside businesses, managed growth targets and navigated board level scrutiny directly. Engagements are led personally, ensuring direct access to a partner who understands both the strategic ambition and the financial discipline required to deliver it.

Impact

Client Contexts and Case Studies

Strategic Value Creation
Quantifying a Platform Pivot into Enterprise Value
The Problem
An international FX and payments firm pivoting toward a platform-led model lacked a quantified bridge between strategic ambition and financial outcomes. The narrative was compelling, but enterprise value impact remained undefined and unmeasured.
The Strategy
Designed a quantified enterprise value creation plan, defining capital priorities, investment sequencing, and people costs. Worked directly with the C-suite to assign ownership and translate strategy into accountable financial metrics.
The Impact
Converted a conceptual platform shift into a transparent value roadmap. Secured executive alignment and established a measurable path toward sustainable enterprise value growth grounded in operational delivery.
Strategic Partnership Economics
Restoring Commercial Alignment in a Platform Relationship
The Problem
A strategic platform partnership began to underperform as volumes, pricing assumptions and implementation costs diverged from the original investment case, creating tension between commercial expectations and operational reality.
The Strategy
Assessed the underlying operating and financial logic of the relationship, isolating incentive misalignment and cost allocation drift. Reconstructed the economic model to provide a clear, fact-based foundation for renegotiation.
The Impact
Equipped leadership with a defensible economic position, enabling constructive renegotiation. Reset performance expectations, realigned incentives, and restored a commercially sustainable partnership trajectory.
Regulatory Risk and Revenue Protection
PSD2 Compliance and European Revenue Recovery
The Problem
A major US hotel franchise faced $60 million in non-compliant revenue exposure across more than 200 European properties due to fragmented payment processes and complex PSD2-SCA requirements.
The Strategy
Partnered with treasury and operational leaders to map payment flows, isolate compliance gaps, and negotiate provider solutions. Designed and implemented a unified, regulation-compliant payments architecture across jurisdictions.
The Impact
Secured $60 million in at-risk revenue while modernising the digital guest journey. Enabled mobile check-in and loyalty integration, embedding regulatory compliance within a scalable European payments framework.
Investment Appraisal and Commercial Due Diligence
Forensic Assessment of an AI-Native Fraud Platform Pre-IPO
The Problem
A private equity client evaluated a high-growth global AI fraud platform ahead of IPO. The central question was whether performance reflected structural advantage or short-term valuation expansion.
The Strategy
Led forensic commercial diligence, stress-testing AI-driven unit economics, scalability, and competitive durability. Modelled long-term yield stability and EBITDA resilience to assess seven-year hold viability against exit expectations.
The Impact
Identified material long-hold risks and margin friction inconsistent with the investment thesis. Recommended a disciplined no-go decision, preserving capital despite subsequent public market validation.
Strategic Value Creation
Quantifying a Platform Pivot into Enterprise Value
The Problem
An international FX and payments firm pivoting toward a platform-led model lacked a quantified bridge between strategic ambition and financial outcomes. The narrative was compelling, but enterprise value impact remained undefined and unmeasured.
The Strategy
Designed a quantified enterprise value creation plan, defining capital priorities, investment sequencing, and people costs. Worked directly with the C-suite to assign ownership and translate strategy into accountable financial metrics.
The Impact
Converted a conceptual platform shift into a transparent value roadmap. Secured executive alignment and established a measurable path toward sustainable enterprise value growth grounded in operational delivery.
Strategic Partnership Economics
Restoring Commercial Alignment in a Platform Relationship
The Problem
A strategic platform partnership began to underperform as volumes, pricing assumptions and implementation costs diverged from the original investment case, creating tension between commercial expectations and operational reality.
The Strategy
Assessed the underlying operating and financial logic of the relationship, isolating incentive misalignment and cost allocation drift. Reconstructed the economic model to provide a clear, fact-based foundation for renegotiation.
The Impact
Equipped leadership with a defensible economic position, enabling constructive renegotiation. Reset performance expectations, realigned incentives, and restored a commercially sustainable partnership trajectory.
Regulatory Risk and Revenue Protection
PSD2 Compliance and European Revenue Recovery
The Problem
A major US hotel franchise faced $60 million in non-compliant revenue exposure across more than 200 European properties due to fragmented payment processes and complex PSD2-SCA requirements.
The Strategy
Partnered with treasury and operational leaders to map payment flows, isolate compliance gaps, and negotiate provider solutions. Designed and implemented a unified, regulation-compliant payments architecture across jurisdictions.
The Impact
Secured $60 million in at-risk revenue while modernising the digital guest journey. Enabled mobile check-in and loyalty integration, embedding regulatory compliance within a scalable European payments framework.
Investment Appraisal and Commercial Due Diligence
Forensic Assessment of an AI-Native Fraud Platform Pre-IPO
The Problem
A private equity client evaluated a high-growth global AI fraud platform ahead of IPO. The central question was whether performance reflected structural advantage or short-term valuation expansion.
The Strategy
Led forensic commercial diligence, stress-testing AI-driven unit economics, scalability, and competitive durability. Modelled long-term yield stability and EBITDA resilience to assess seven-year hold viability against exit expectations.
The Impact
Identified material long-hold risks and margin friction inconsistent with the investment thesis. Recommended a disciplined no-go decision, preserving capital despite subsequent public market validation.
Strategic Value Creation
Quantifying a Platform Pivot into Enterprise Value
The Problem
An international FX and payments firm pivoting toward a platform-led model lacked a quantified bridge between strategic ambition and financial outcomes. The narrative was compelling, but enterprise value impact remained undefined and unmeasured.
The Strategy
Designed a quantified enterprise value creation plan, defining capital priorities, investment sequencing, and people costs. Worked directly with the C-suite to assign ownership and translate strategy into accountable financial metrics.
The Impact
Converted a conceptual platform shift into a transparent value roadmap. Secured executive alignment and established a measurable path toward sustainable enterprise value growth grounded in operational delivery.
Strategic Partnership Economics
Restoring Commercial Alignment in a Platform Relationship
The Problem
A strategic platform partnership began to underperform as volumes, pricing assumptions and implementation costs diverged from the original investment case, creating tension between commercial expectations and operational reality.
The Strategy
Assessed the underlying operating and financial logic of the relationship, isolating incentive misalignment and cost allocation drift. Reconstructed the economic model to provide a clear, fact-based foundation for renegotiation.
The Impact
Equipped leadership with a defensible economic position, enabling constructive renegotiation. Reset performance expectations, realigned incentives, and restored a commercially sustainable partnership trajectory.
Regulatory Risk and Revenue Protection
PSD2 Compliance and European Revenue Recovery
The Problem
A major US hotel franchise faced $60 million in non-compliant revenue exposure across more than 200 European properties due to fragmented payment processes and complex PSD2-SCA requirements.
The Strategy
Partnered with treasury and operational leaders to map payment flows, isolate compliance gaps, and negotiate provider solutions. Designed and implemented a unified, regulation-compliant payments architecture across jurisdictions.
The Impact
Secured $60 million in at-risk revenue while modernising the digital guest journey. Enabled mobile check-in and loyalty integration, embedding regulatory compliance within a scalable European payments framework.
Investment Appraisal and Commercial Due Diligence
Forensic Assessment of an AI-Native Fraud Platform Pre-IPO
The Problem
A private equity client evaluated a high-growth global AI fraud platform ahead of IPO. The central question was whether performance reflected structural advantage or short-term valuation expansion.
The Strategy
Led forensic commercial diligence, stress-testing AI-driven unit economics, scalability, and competitive durability. Modelled long-term yield stability and EBITDA resilience to assess seven-year hold viability against exit expectations.
The Impact
Identified material long-hold risks and margin friction inconsistent with the investment thesis. Recommended a disciplined no-go decision, preserving capital despite subsequent public market validation.
Strategic Value Creation
Quantifying a Platform Pivot into Enterprise Value
The Problem
An international FX and payments firm pivoting toward a platform-led model lacked a quantified bridge between strategic ambition and financial outcomes. The narrative was compelling, but enterprise value impact remained undefined and unmeasured.
The Strategy
Designed a quantified enterprise value creation plan, defining capital priorities, investment sequencing, and people costs. Worked directly with the C-suite to assign ownership and translate strategy into accountable financial metrics.
The Impact
Converted a conceptual platform shift into a transparent value roadmap. Secured executive alignment and established a measurable path toward sustainable enterprise value growth grounded in operational delivery.
Strategic Partnership Economics
Restoring Commercial Alignment in a Platform Relationship
The Problem
A strategic platform partnership began to underperform as volumes, pricing assumptions and implementation costs diverged from the original investment case, creating tension between commercial expectations and operational reality.
The Strategy
Assessed the underlying operating and financial logic of the relationship, isolating incentive misalignment and cost allocation drift. Reconstructed the economic model to provide a clear, fact-based foundation for renegotiation.
The Impact
Equipped leadership with a defensible economic position, enabling constructive renegotiation. Reset performance expectations, realigned incentives, and restored a commercially sustainable partnership trajectory.
Regulatory Risk and Revenue Protection
PSD2 Compliance and European Revenue Recovery
The Problem
A major US hotel franchise faced $60 million in non-compliant revenue exposure across more than 200 European properties due to fragmented payment processes and complex PSD2-SCA requirements.
The Strategy
Partnered with treasury and operational leaders to map payment flows, isolate compliance gaps, and negotiate provider solutions. Designed and implemented a unified, regulation-compliant payments architecture across jurisdictions.
The Impact
Secured $60 million in at-risk revenue while modernising the digital guest journey. Enabled mobile check-in and loyalty integration, embedding regulatory compliance within a scalable European payments framework.
Investment Appraisal and Commercial Due Diligence
Forensic Assessment of an AI-Native Fraud Platform Pre-IPO
The Problem
A private equity client evaluated a high-growth global AI fraud platform ahead of IPO. The central question was whether performance reflected structural advantage or short-term valuation expansion.
The Strategy
Led forensic commercial diligence, stress-testing AI-driven unit economics, scalability, and competitive durability. Modelled long-term yield stability and EBITDA resilience to assess seven-year hold viability against exit expectations.
The Impact
Identified material long-hold risks and margin friction inconsistent with the investment thesis. Recommended a disciplined no-go decision, preserving capital despite subsequent public market validation.