Square’s European head John O’Beirne named new chair of Irish fintech body FPAI
John O’Beirne, CEO and executive director of Square International, the European division of US fintech Square, has been appointed chair of the Fintech and Payments Association of Ireland (FPAI).
John O’Beirne named new FPAI chair (Image: FPAI)
Established in 2015, FPAI, an affiliate of the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI), serves as the “representative body for the fintech sector in Ireland”. The organisation says its membership “reflects the full spectrum of Irish fintech”, from start-ups to domestic and multinational banks.
O’Beirne succeeds Ruth McCarthy, head of compliance, risk and policy at Fexco, who has led FPAI since 2022.
Commenting on the organisation’s focuses under his leadership, O’Beirne states: “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,” adds O’Beirne.
Prior to joining Square in December 2023, O’Beirne spent over 15 years working within the Bank of Ireland Group, holding several leadership positions including head of risk, head of mortgage underwriting and restructuring, and director of products and digital relationships.
He also led the bank’s mortgage business between 2016 to 2022, before acting as director of its business banking division for two years.
