Historically, payment has been defined merely as a "last step" in the buying journey — the aftermath of the immersive and exciting elements that make a brand or retailer stand out. Klarna is changing that; the "buy now, pay later" company was recently valued at $10.65 billion in an investment round led by Silver Lake and garnered investment from Macy's. Klarna also has an impressive roster of brand and retailer partners in its corner, and coupled with partnerships with the likes of Cosmopolitan, these relationships point to Klarna's evolution from a B2B fintech company to an end-to-end B2C experience provider.

During this episode, host Alicia Esposito sits down with David Sykes, who is the Head of Klarna US, to discuss:

• Why the payment experience gets such a bad rap;
• The inspiration behind Klarna's approach to virtual brand experiences;
• The influence and impact of the "buy now, pay later" market during the recession; and
• Accounting for engagement, business ethics and accountability in a time of industry transformation.