The European Payments Consulting Association was founded in 1998 by Hugo Godschalk of Paysys (Germany), Peter Jones of PSE Consulting (UK) and Jens Lindboe Larsen of Pluscon (Denmark).  The founder members realised that in forming a collective independent expert consulting group they could deliver greater capabilities and resources for individual businesses, particularly when bidding in to new clients.  Since that date the EPCA has grown steadily adding members to the original founders now including: Connective Payments (Netherlands), Galitt/ADN (France – part of Steria Group),  Invendor (Hungary), Demtech (Spain), Cleveradvice (Italy), Radian (Russia) and Vedicard (Latvia). The combined EPCA group turnover is in the order of €17m and the number of payments consulting specialists approximately 80.

The objective of the Association is to add value to each member’s consultancy businesses by co-operating on a pan- European basis through the marketing/promotion of the EPCA and members brands and services.

The four key goals of the Association are:

• To co-operate, sharing knowledge, skills, resources and support.
• To promote members to large pan-European clients
• To develop opportunities in the European Payments Sector that generate revenues for members.
• To build the EPCA brand name for Payments consulting excellence through promotion and advertising.

A summary of the key benefits that EPCA delivers to members, is as follows.

• Membership of a large collective independent consulting group which enables individual members to project Pan EU research, scale, resources, assets and capabilities in their offers proposals and presentations to clients.
• Access to an information sharing group enabling members to tap into the extensive payments experience a large group of highly professional payments consulting companies typically on a bilateral no cost basis.
• Partnering/participation in “own country research” and consulting assignments working with other members who share assignments to generate revenues.
• Collective bidding, for Pan European research and other assignments, again working with a member as the prime contracting party. Opportunities to speak at members client’s events – breakfast sessions, 1- and 2-day conferences – to promote your payments knowledge.
• Attendance at the twice per annum EPCA Forums – dinner and 1-day conferences – in-depth presentations and good networking opportunities.
• Participation in EPCA marketing initiative and programmes designed to attract Pan EU/ROW corporate clients to use members specialist consulting services.
• Access to the memberships substantial collective LinkedIn networks enabling the distribution of your views and opinions on EU payments market.
• Links to the EPCA website designed to attract new business for members.
• Use of the EPCA logo which all members can display on their company websites, presentations and proposals.

The general requirements of membership of EPCA are as follows:

• Nominate a senior person to represent the member and attend EPCA Forums.
• Host an EPCA Forum (the dinner and the hotel – both of which EPCA funds) on a cyclical basis, every 3/4 years.
• Provide messages/content for EPCA Marketing Initiatives and member promotion.
• Share information and knowledge on reciprocal basis with other EPCA members.
• Carryout research and consulting assignments for other members on a bilateral basis. Participate in the twice yearly of EPCA Forums and present on topics that are of interest to members.
• Pay core annual membership fees and additional Marketing Initiative costs
• Deliver consulting assignments impartially to the highest possible standards.
• To operate as independent consultants and not to promote third-party products or receive commissions, discounts or kickbacks from suppliers or other parties.

There are no territorial restrictions on members.   Members can seek, bid for and execute assignments in any members countries and across the EU/ROW.

Each year a member is elected as Chair of the EPCA.  The role includes:

• Owning the EPCA strategy and marketing initiatives pipeline and being responsible for their execution/implementation in that year
• Representing the EPCA and being responsible for external communications
• Helping recruit new EPCA members
• Chairing the twice yearly EPCA Forums
• Acting as a focal point and providing leadership for the association during the year
• Agreeing the EPCA Forum speakers, topics and agenda
• Proposing new initiatives, improvements and associated business cases.

Many members have senior staff with over 30 years’ experience in the payments business. The group is card centric, but increasingly the Forum discussion topics cover B2B, Instant Payments, Open Banking etc.  Each company has a specialisation.  Gallitt for example is one of France’s highly respected technical consulting companies, PSE in card acquiring and processing, Connective Payments in new business and operational models Paysys in statistics supporting industry groups and Cleveradvice in card issuing. Throughout the year members also have regular bilateral communications and correspondence with each other.

From time to time the EPCA members review strategy and market positioning to ensure the Association meet the needs of members.  Previously marketing initiatives have included:

• Developing an EPCA communications program.
• Expanding improving the EPCA website content, corporate messages and new member data.
• Regular social media (LinkedIn) marketing of EPCA members services to large International/Pan European corporates, merchants and other players.

EPCA is not:

• A – trade Association or lobbying group
• A “route to market” for members – although members can help with introductions
• A company that bids wins, executes or delivers consulting assignments in its own name

• Contact the EPCA Administration – see Contact Information – to obtain Membership Application Documents and Association rules.