Former PPRO CEO launches Davos of Payments
Global Payments Industry Leaders to Convene at Exclusive Foresight'26 Summit in London
LONDON, May 6, 2025 – Former PPRO CEO Simon Black today announced Foresight'26, an invitation-only summit bringing together 100 of the world's leading payments industry CEOs, with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Banking Circle revealed as inaugural launch partners. The landmark event will take place in London on February 4-5, 2026, focusing on long-term industry trends and the future of the global payments ecosystem.
"After 16 years as a payments CEO, I recognized a critical gap in our industry – the absence of a forum where top leaders can step back from daily operations to consider the forces shaping our collective future," said Simon Black, Founder and Chair of Foresight. "This isn't another trade show or sales conference. We're creating an intimate setting where payments CEOs can engage with original insights, build strategic relationships, and collaborate on industry-defining challenges."
"We're delighted to welcome BCG and Banking Circle as our launch partners," Black added. "Their commitment underscores the industry's need for a dedicated forum where payments leaders can engage with forward-thinking content and build relationships that drive growth and innovation."
BCG, a global management consulting firm, brings strategic expertise in payments industry transformation to the collaboration.
"The payments ecosystem is experiencing unprecedented change, from embedded finance to AI-driven innovation," said Kunal Jhanji, Managing Director and Partner at BCG and Leader of Payments and Fintechs across EMEA and South America. "Foresight'26 offers a unique opportunity to engage with the industry's most influential leaders in an intimate setting focused on substantive dialogue rather than sales pitches. We're pleased to support this initiative that prioritizes strategic thinking and meaningful connection."
Banking Circle joins as a launch partner, bringing considerable industry experience to the forum.
"As the payments industry continues to evolve rapidly, having a dedicated forum for top-level strategic discussion becomes increasingly valuable," said Anders la Cour, co-founder and Group CEO at Banking Circle. "Foresight'26 fills a critical gap by creating an environment where payments leaders can step back from daily operations to consider the forces shaping our collective future. Banking Circle is excited to support this innovative approach to industry collaboration."
Anticipation for Foresight'26 is already building within payments and Fintech circles.
João Del Valle, CEO and co-founder of EBANX, commented on the announcement: "The payments industry has lacked a truly elite gathering focused on forward-thinking content and peer-level networking. Foresight'26 promises to fill this gap by bringing together decision-makers who are shaping the future of payments globally. I'm looking forward to the strategic discussions and unique perspectives this event will foster."
Foresight'26 will open with an exclusive reception and dinner at an iconic London venue, followed by a full day of interactive sessions. The agenda will explore strategic topics through exclusive insights crafted in partnership with world-class thought leaders. Additional partners and distinguished speakers will be revealed later this year. Foresight promises to be an unparalleled platform for the world's payments leaders to shape the future of the industry.
For more information about Foresight'26, visit www.paymentsforesight.com or contact [email protected].
About Foresight
Foresight was established by Simon Black to accelerate the development of the payments industry by fostering innovation, collaboration, and forward planning. Simon has 16 years of experience as a payments CEO at PPRO and Sage Pay, building an industry network across five continents.
About Boston Consulting Group
Boston Consulting Group is a global consulting firm that partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. Since its founding in 1963, BCG has been a pioneer in business strategy. Today, we work closely with clients to empower their organizations to grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and drive positive societal impact.
About Banking Circle S.A.
Banking Circle S.A. is a public limited liability company (Société Anonyme) and a credit institution (e.g., a bank) headquartered in Luxembourg and regulated by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) as its home regulator. Banking Circle S.A. has branches in Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Norway and the UK, and subsidiaries in Liechtenstein, Singapore, and Australia. As a fully licensed bank, Banking Circle S.A. combines pioneering technology and the established central bank clearing system to provide ultra high-speed access to global, multi-currency instant payment schemes. Banking Circle S.A. enables payments companies and banks of any scale to seize opportunities in the new economy—quickly, at low cost. Through bespoke, flexible, scalable, and future-proof solutions, Banking Circle S.A. is enabling financial institutions to help their customers transact across borders in innovative ways.Banking Circle is a tech-first payments bank designed to meet the global banking and payments needs of payments businesses, banks, and marketplaces. Through our API, we deliver banking services to help payments businesses unlock their potential, with solutions including multi-currency accounts, FX, local clearing and cross-border payments.