John O'Beirne has been appointed chair of Fintech & Payments Association of Ireland (FPAI), the representative body for the fintech sector within Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI).

O'Beirne is CEO and executive director of payments group Square International, and he has more than 20 years' experience in the financial services industry, having served in roles in Ireland, the UK and Europe.

A former CEO of Bank of Ireland Mortgage Bank for six years, O'Beirne spent nearly three years as BOI's director of business banking before joining Square in late 2023.

"I am honoured to step into the role of Chair of FPAI at such a crucial time for the fintech sector," O'Beirne said of his appointment.

"As new technologies like AI are poised to reshape financial services, FPAI will promote ongoing dialogue between stakeholders to ensure Ireland is well-positioned to harness the benefits these advancements offer. We will also be working closely with members on regulatory priorities as the industry navigates the evolving landscape."

O'Beirne replaces Ruth McCarthy of Fexco Corporate Payments in the role, and he added that he intends to strengthen connections between fintechs, technology companies, and banks and identify opportunities for shared growth as FPAI chair.

"Ireland continues to be an attractive base for both domestic and global fintechs, such as Square, to establish and scale their operations across Europe and beyond, positively impacting the economy, customer choice and employment," he continued.

"Looking ahead, I’m excited to be opening our annual FPAI FintechNation Conference, on September 19th at the Convention Centre Dublin, which will showcase this diverse and growing ecosystem, as well as the scope of expertise to be found here."

Photo: John O'Beirne. (Pic: Supplied)