GoCardless Promotes Two EMEA Leaders As It Affirms Its Commitment to Europe

Bank payment company GoCardless has elevated two executives to its newly formed EMEA leadership team as it seeks to expand its footprint in the market.

Borja Valiente has been named VP of Sales and General Manager, EMEA and Hamish Wood as the VP of Customer Success, EMEA. The two will be part of a new, integrated go-to-market team responsible for driving the company’s expansion across the UK, Ireland and continental Europe.

A native of Spain, Borja joined GoCardless in 2016. In his new role he will be responsible for revenue growth and new customer acquisition across the EMEA region. In addition to key personnel covering the UK, Borja’s leadership team in Continental Europe includes Luis Fernandez de la Regata Lestrade, Country Manager of Spain; Clementine Destrez, Sales Manager – Emerging and Corporate, EMEA; and Thibaut Arnould, Sales Manager – Mid-Market and Enterprise, EMEA.

Hamish, who joined GoCardless in 2019, will be responsible for building a customer-centric culture within GoCardless and helping businesses maximise the benefits of the global bank payment platform to fuel their growth. He will lead a team of over 45 Customer Success and Implementation Managers globally, with nine dedicated to the EMEA region.

The news affirms GoCardless’ commitment to Europe, a region which saw revenue growth of nearly 50% in FY24.

GoCardless reported a 69% growth in turnover in France, driven by strong traction in the energy, insurance and business services sectors. The year was also marked by a number of new signatures and renewals with customers such as Aircall, a centaur specialized in mobile telephony, and the humanitarian association SOS Méditerranée.

In Spain, GoCardless recorded 25% revenue growth and a 91% increase in transaction volumes processed.

Borja said: “I’m incredibly excited to take on this new challenge and lead our integrated sales team across EMEA. Europe is a vital region for GoCardless, and I look forward to working with our talented team to drive revenue growth and expand our customer base even further.”

Hamish said: “Our customers are at the heart of everything we do. With a unified Customer Success team covering the region, we can continue to act as true partners. I’m confident that we can create a best-in-class team to accelerate both our growth and that of our customers.”

Pat Phelan, Chief Revenue Officer, said: “Borja and Hamish are exceptional leaders, and their appointments underscore our commitment to strengthening our presence in EMEA. Their combined expertise will be instrumental in delivering on our strategy in the region.”