Transaction Trends

2021 ETA Strategic Leadership Forum (ETA SLF) took place in Carlsbad, Calif., Sept 27-29. With the rarity of face-to-face meetings over the past 18 months, the event provided payments and fintech senior executives with the opportunity to reconnect, exchange ideas, and do business in person.

The compelling programming focused on how the payments and fintech industry is becoming more personalized and how the expansion of financial products and services is catering to the diverse needs of consumers. From the future of payments to the challenges of cryptoassets, from the possible role of a Central Bank Digital Currency to the public policies shaping the industry, and from the implications of how DEI is building better businesses to the explosive growth of buy now/pay later, ETA SLF attendees experienced a snapshot of where the industry stands as we emerge from the pandemic as well as a roadmap to where it is poised to go during this time of explosive growth.

Here are a handful of our favorite photos from the 2021 ETA SLF. View the full photo album here.

Guy Harris, Head of Merchant Services at Bank of America and President of ETA’s Board of Directors, welcomes ETA SLF attendees.

Brian Lamb, Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion, and Lia Cao, Managing Director, JPMorgan Chase, discuss how a company — and an industry — can thrive with a vibrant culture that promotes equality both inside and out.

Rehman Baig, VP Payments Partnerships, at Adyen, moderates a discussion with Zahir Khoja, General Manager, North America, Afterpay and David Sykes, Head of US, Klarna on the trajectory of buy now/pay later.

Kevin Feagan, Everyware; Austin Talley, Everyware; Kristin Enevoldsen, Fifth Third; Joe Tarkington, Fifth Third participate in the annual ETA SLF Golf Tournament.

Great food, outstanding weather, and old friends — a perfect recipe for reconnecting.

Some conversations are just better in person. The weather in Carlsbad, Calif., provided a great backdrop for a variety of networking events.