Paris, 15 march 2022. iBanFirst, global financial services provider delivering solutions across banking borders, announced today that Sonia Boudier, former Société Générale Chief of Staff, will join as Chief of Tech and Strategy Officer and new member of the executive team.
In this new role, Sonia will report directly to Pierre-Antoine Dusoulier, founder and CEO of iBanFirst. Her main objective will be to manage the company’s tech assets by driving innovation, leading the product roadmap, and steering the overall growth project portfolio. By capitalising on the data and contributing to the development of a new generation core banking system, Sonia’s mission will help the company scale, improve its process, and bring more value to its clients.
Sonia has a solid track record and extensive experience and knowledge advising international companies and banks on how to plan and improve their IT processes. Working for nearly 10 years at a global management and strategy consulting firm, she assisted CIOs in developing innovative solutions to improve internal functions and accelerate major changes. She joins from Société Générale where she worked for 7 years and held the position of Chief of Staff to the CEO for the last 3 years. At Société Générale, her role placed her at the heart of the company’s transformation projects, working closely with several departments on the bank’s digital transformation.
Sonia Boudier said: “I am delighted to join iBanFirst in this new role. In recent years, Société Générale has been fostering close relationships with the global financial ecosystem and intensified its interactions with startups. In addition to its acquisitions of startups like Shine and Treezor, Société Générale has developed many partnerships with fintechs specialising in niche areas of banking. It is in this context that I discovered the intrinsic value of fintechs and the potential for collaboration. I was particularly impressed by iBanFirst’s growth, its technological innovations, and its client focus. I see great potential in this sector and iBanFirst has strong assets to make the difference. This career change also corresponds to my growing desire to discover the entrepreneurial world and further fuels my enthusiasm to join this dynamic and promising company.”
Commenting on Sonia’s appointment, Mr Dusoulier said: “I’m delighted to welcome Sonia to our top leadership team. She will bring her extensive experience in digital transformation within the banking and financial sector. The growth equity deal signed in 2021 with Marlin Equity Partners has helped iBanFirst grow at an astonishing rate. Present in 9 countries and boasting triple-digit growth, our technological innovation strategy is now more than ever at the heart of our development. Sonia will play a central role as we continue to develop and grow as the global leader in SME B2B cross-border payment services.
Historically, fintechs first set out to disrupt the status quo and challenge the banking world. While open banking announced a turning point in the relationship between fintechs and banks by enabling new players to enter the ring, we’ve seen that it has had its limits. Today, fintechs are reaching maturity and banks are embracing digital transformation: both sides are ready to enter a new era that will be defined by synergy and collaboration rather than competition. I believe the arrival of Sonia testifies to this profound shift and further consolidates our ambition to become the global leader in multicurrency B2B payment services.”
About iBanFirst
iBanFirst is a global financial services provider delivering solutions across banking borders. As an alternative to the traditional bank offer, iBanFirst helps international SMEs to thrive while simplifying their daily operations. To do so, iBanFirst has developed a cutting-edge core banking platform enabling fast, secure and cost-effective multicurrency transactions. Thanks to iBanFirst, financial teams can make and receive payments in over 30 currencies and hedge foreign exchange risks.
Founded in Paris in 2013, iBanFirst is a French company headquartered in Belgium. It is regulated as a payment institution, passported throughout the European Union, and serves thousands of customers all over Europe. Member of the SWIFT network and SEPA certified, iBanFirst holds AISP and PISP accreditations under PSD2. The company has raised €46m from Xavier Niel and leading European venture capital funds, such as Elaia and Bpifrance Large Venture, among others. In May 2021, iBanFirst completed a growth equity funding round with Los Angeles-based private equity firm Marlin Equity Partners
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