In this special 30th-anniversary episode, Dave is joined by Abdeslam Alaoui, co-founder and CEO of HPS, to reflect on three decades of transformation in payments and digital finance. He shares how HPS has evolved from a regional firm into a global powerhouse, quietly powering everyday transactions around the world—from mobile payments to digital loans—without most users even knowing.

The conversation explores HPS’s commitment to innovation, its ethos of invisibility, and the company’s rigorous cycle of reinvention every ten years. Abdeslam offers insight into the strategic thinking that led HPS to adopt English as its operational language from day one and the importance of maintaining technological freshness through continuous redevelopment.

Looking forward, Abdeslam discusses the shift from products to experiences in financial services, the growing integration of AI, and HPS’s acquisition of CR2, enabling a seamless “glass-to-ledger” customer experience. He highlights the power of orchestration, hyper-personalisation, and dynamic digital engagement as key trends shaping the future.

The episode concludes with reflections on Africa’s role in leapfrogging legacy financial infrastructure, the opportunity AI presents to transform education and financial inclusion, and a provocative suggestion: that payments may well eat banking as revenue models shift from account-based income to transaction-driven services.