Damisa Appoints Finance Veteran Nick Watkins as Chairman Ahead of Series A Fundraise

Quick Summary

Damisa has appointed finance veteran Nick Watkins as Chairman of the Board to steer its upcoming Series A fundraise. Watkins, formerly of Goldman Sachs and UBS, will oversee the company's expansion of its stablecoin-based cross-border payments infrastructure into high-growth global markets.

How does Nick Watkins strengthen Damisa’s leadership?

Nick Watkins brings over 30 years of institutional finance expertise to the Damisa board. Having held senior leadership roles at Goldman Sachs, UBS, and Partners Group, Watkins provides the operational discipline required for a regulated fintech to scale. His current role as CFO at OCEAN and his advisory position at Evoco AG further solidify his standing as a strategic treasury expert.

“I am honoured to join Damisa as Chairman and work alongside such a talented team,” Watkins says. “I look forward to drawing on my experience across start-ups and global financial institutions to support the company during this next stage of growth. My ambition is for Damisa to become the standard for global B2B cross-border financial infrastructure.”

• 30+ years experience in global treasury and finance.
• Former Global Head of Service Provider Management at Partners Group.
• Current CFO role at OCEAN, providing deep liquidity and capital insights.

What does this mean for Damisa’s Series A fundraise?

The appointment is a strategic precursor to Damisa’s Series A fundraise, scheduled to commence later in 2026. By securing a Chairman with blue-chip financial pedigree, Damisa signals to venture capitalists and institutional investors that it possesses the governance and rigour necessary for rapid global expansion. The company is currently scaling its stablecoin-based payment rails to disrupt traditional B2B settlement times.

“Nick has spent three decades working at the highest levels of global finance. He understands the rigour required to operate infrastructure at scale, as well as the discipline needed to do it well,” Lawrence says. “His judgement and experience will be invaluable as we grow across our core markets and prepare for a Series A funding round. We are delighted to welcome him as Chairman.”

How is Damisa transforming cross-border payments?

Damisa is solving the friction of emerging market liquidity by utilizing stablecoin rails for B2B transactions. While traditional banking corridors often take days to settle, Damisa’s infrastructure facilitates settlement in hours across more than 70 different currencies. This always-on financial infrastructure is specifically designed for businesses operating in high-growth regions where legacy systems often fail.

• 70+ currencies supported across fiat and stablecoin pairs.
• Real-time visibility into B2B treasury and settlement flows.
• Regulated infrastructure ensuring compliance across multiple global jurisdictions.

FF NEWS TAKE:

The appointment of Nick Watkins is a clear signal that Damisa is moving out of the 'startup' phase and into institutional-grade territory. By bridging the gap between stablecoin-based cross-border payments and traditional finance (TradFi) leadership, Damisa is positioning itself as a safe, regulated bet for its upcoming Series A fundraise. This move definitely moves the needle, adding significant credibility to the stablecoin-for-business use case.