Shaping the cash cycle of the future

Diederik Bruggink is Senior Director at the European Savings and Retail Banking Group (ESBG) where he is responsible for all payments topics worldwide. In that role, he also advocates the associations’ positions on payments with policymakers, regulators, standardisation bodies, industry associations, and enabling a constant member dialogue on developments, with a particular focus on innovation. He is Chair of the Cash Efficiency Working Group of the European Payments Council (EPC) and he was co-chair of the Euro Retail Payments Board (ERPB) working group on access to and acceptance of cash. He is also a Member of the Board of the European Payments Council and he is a member of the European Commission’s Payments Systems Market Expert Group and he was a member of the European Central Bank’s Market Advisory Group on the Digital Euro, to name a few.

Sina Grebrodt is a Senior Strategic Initiatives Expert and part of the Central Bank Solutions team at Koenig & Bauer Banknote Solutions, where she works at the intersection of currency innovation, central bank strategy, and sustainable cash management. With a focus on how cash supports financial inclusion and literacy, Sina explores the evolving role of physical currency. Her work bridges technology, policy, and social impact — highlighting how resilient, accessible cash systems remain essential for empowering individuals and fostering trust in the broader financial ecosystem.

Jim Leroux is the CEO of Pin4, a global leader in cardless cash disbursement solutions, enabling secure, instant, and convenient cash payouts across ATMs and retail partner locations. With a presence spanning 200 countries and a network of over 500k cash pick-up points worldwide, Pin4 empowers businesses, governments, and humanitarian organizations to deliver cash quickly and reliably—even to individuals without payment cards or bank accounts. Jim has been active in fintech for over 30 years as an operator, investor, advisor and attorney, with a focus on new innovations in the payments and fintech industries.

Matthee le Cointre is strategist at Geldmaat, where he drives innovation across the cash value chain. He leads initiatives in payments strategy, exploring alternative transactions and digital currencies, and contributes to policy development around the digitale euro. His work includes strategic foresight on the future of cash, scenario planning, and shaping Geldmaat’s long-term positioning in the payments landscape.

Guillaume Lepecq is a globally recognized expert in payments and cash, with over three decades of experience shaping the future of monetary systems. As the co-founder of CashEssentials (est. 2018), he established a leading think tank dedicated to exploring the evolving role of cash in society, advocating for its continued relevance. CashEssentials has become a trusted platform for research, policy analysis, and dialogue on the future of cash, engaging with central banks, financial institutions, and policymakers worldwide. Guillaume’s career spans consulting, corporate leadership, and thought leadership. For 20 years, he has advised European financial institutions on cash and payment strategies. Earlier, as Director of Corporate Relations at the Association for the Monetary Union of Europe (1993–2001), he contributed to the strategic efforts That led to the adoption of the euro. Guillaume has written influential publications, including "Cash Essentials – Beyond Payments," "The Future of Cash," and "Managing the Changeover to the Euro."

Ronan McClintock is a Manager at the Bank of England on the Wholesale Cash Oversight team. He has worked in Notes Directorate for over 20 years starting in research, design and manufacturing working closely on the transition to polymer banknotes. More recently he has worked on the future arrangements for wholesale cash distribution in the UK. Before joining the Bank of England, Ronan earned a BSc in Physics from the University of Nottingham.

Olivier has been holding an expert position at that banknote issue and circulation section of the European Central Bank since 2001. He has been responsible for determining the annual banknote requirements and print volumes of the Eurosystem. He is coordinating banknote transfers among central banks with the objective to ensure that banknote demand is met efficiently. Olivier is in charge of coordinating cash-related matters in preparation of new Member States joining the euro area. Olivier holds a degree in business administration. Before he joined the ECB, he worked at Deutsche Bundesbank branches and at the Bundesbank’s cash policy department.

Dr. Andrzej Nowak is Head of Open Innovation at SICPA. His current focus includes the future of currency – whether in physical or digital form, privacy-preserving digital trust, fintech, and innovation systems. He contributes to the Bretton Woods Committee working groups on the Future of Finance and on AI, and serves as an expert for Innosuisse, the Swiss innovation agency.

Earlier, Andrzej led an innovation lab at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. There, he defined and put in place new elements of CERN’s 10-year technological horizon, led several Open Source efforts and founded educational initiatives for young scientists and engineers.

Andrzej also held roles in management consulting in private banking, at the chip maker Intel, as a founder of a fintech company, and as an evaluator for the EU Research Executive Agency. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.