“25 Years in Payments: A Pioneer’s Journey”

Fintex: Mr. Noël, you’ve been active in the payments industry for over 25 years. How did it all begin?

Frédéric Yves Michel NOËL:
Certainly. My journey started in the late 1990s, at a time when online payments were still in their infancy. I quickly realized that payment infrastructure would play a key role in the rise of e-commerce. That vision led me to found NordPay Financial Limited in 2010 in the United Kingdom.

Fintex: NordPay was a trailblazer in many ways. What would you say were its key milestones?

Frédéric Yves Michel NOËL:
With NordPay, we were among the first to offer business payment accounts, at a time when Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) platforms didn’t yet exist. We also became the first Visa/Mastercard-approved Payment Facilitator operating in France, working in partnership with a local French bank — a first of its kind.

Fintex: How have you seen the industry evolve since those early days?

Frédéric Yves Michel NOËL:
It has transformed dramatically. We’ve moved from relatively simple infrastructures to a full-fledged ecosystem blending technology, compliance, and user experience. Today, payments are not just a service — they’re a strategic layer embedded in many businesses.

Fintex: You’re now a senior consultant at ICE-PAY. What does this new phase involve?

Frédéric Yves Michel NOËL:
At ICE-PAY, we support European companies with their acquiring, issuing, licensing, and compliance projects. We also help structure complex fintech initiatives around BaaS, embedded finance, and onboarding flows like KYC and AML. My role is to leverage my experience to guide and accelerate those projects.

Fintex: And finally, what advice would you give to someone looking to enter fintech today?

Frédéric Yves Michel NOËL:
Be both visionary and precise. Payments is a field where innovation must go hand-in-hand with strong regulatory foundations. Understanding the needs of regulators, banks, and users — while staying agile — is key. It’s a fine balance, but a fascinating one.