Next-Generation Payments 2026

Raja Bula is a Senior Manager of Product Marketing for Wearable and Embedded Payment Solutions at Infineon Technologies. With 20 years of industry experience, he has contributed to consulting national authorities on implementing payment systems in closed and open-loop environments. Raja possesses extensive expertise in system integration for transit fare collection and closed-loop payment solutions. He has held leadership roles in standardization bodies and has been a sought-after speaker at prominent payment conferences. Currently, he drives the roadmap, strategy, and product portfolio development for secure ICs in payment solutions across diverse use cases, shaping the future of digital transactions.

Oliver Manahan is the Director of Engagement and Operations for EMVCo. His responsibilities include leading EMVCo’s industry engagement strategy, optimising relationships with Associates, Subscribers, regulators and other key external stakeholders, and overseeing day-to-day EMVCo business operations.

Oliver has over 25 years’ experience across the payments industry. Before taking on his current position at EMVCo, Oliver was a Senior Director, Business Development at Infineon Technologies. Oliver has also held senior positions at Mastercard and Visa, working across Emerging Payments and Chip Initiative departments, where his remit included delivering EMV® Chip and Contactless solutions.

In addition, Oliver has held various chair, board and committee positions across leading industry organisations including the EMV Migration Forum, GlobalPlatform, Secure Technology Alliance and the US Payments Forum.

Oliver holds a High Honours Diploma in Computer Programming and Analysis from Seneca College, Toronto.

Max Ebdy is a seasoned payments and identity technology leader with extensive experience helping financial institutions and government organizations modernise how they issue and manage secure credentials. As Sales Director, APAC, Max works closely with banks, fintechs, and regulated entities to enable next-generation payment experiences — from digital-first onboarding to instant issuance and secure identity verification.

With a background spanning both enterprise and high-growth environments, Max brings a unique blend of commercial acumen and innovation leadership. He has partnered with institutions across the region to deploy solutions that reduce friction, enhance security, and accelerate time-to-activation for cards and digital credentials.

Max frequently speaks on topics including instant issuance, tokenisation, digital identity, and the evolving expectations of consumers in an always-on, instant-access world. His insights reflect deep regional experience and a passion for building secure, scalable, customer-centric payment journeys.