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Elena Litani

RTP and Open Banking | ex: Founder, Synctera, KOHO, TD, IBM | Money 20/20 RiseUp | Women In Payments Innovation Award Winner

Elena Litani is a distinguished Tech, Payments & Product executive with a notable track record in the FinTech industry.

She holds a BSc in Computer Science from York University and an Executive MBA Education from Harvard University in IBM Business and Industry Insights.

With extensive experience in various leadership roles, Elena has served as the Head of Real Time Payments and Open Banking Products, Canada at Visa, Vice President of Product - Global Expansion at Synctera, and Chief Product Officer, Co-Founder at Pillar.

Her expertise extends to advisory and interim CxO positions, having worked at Consulting firms, and as a member of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee at Payments Canada.

Elena Litani has also contributed significantly to the development of the industry in roles such as Vice President - Engineering and Payments at KOHO, Director of Product at nanopay Corporation, and in leadership programs like Rise Up Leadership Program at Money20/20.

Furthermore, she has a strong technology background, having held positions such as Senior Software IT Architect, Senior Technical Product Manager, Product Incubation Lead, and Software Developer at IBM.

Elena Litani's achievements have been recognized with awards like the Innovation award at Women in Payments and her participation in industry events like Open Banking Insights on Clubhouse.

Her involvement and contributions to the tech and payments sector demonstrate a deep understanding of the industry trends and a commitment to driving innovation and growth.

Elena Litani is a prominent figure in the field, known for her leadership, expertise, and dedication to advancing technology, payments, and product development.

Highlights

Jul 23 · linkedin

🚀 I’m delighted to announce that I’ve joined Visa to lead the Real Time Payments (RTP) and Open Banking solutions in Canada.  As I journeyed through fintech and banking, while aiding consumers and small business owners, my passion for consumer-driven banking and real-time payments grew. I'm convinced of their potential to simplify transactions, reduce costs, and create innovative services that meet the distinctive needs of consumers and businesses.

I’m thrilled to contribute to Visa’s vision and drive these transformative initiatives in the Canadian market. A big thank you to the Visa Canada and North America teams for the warm reception. 🎉

May 27 · linkedin

This week is buzzing with fantastic events like the The Payments Canada SUMMIT and Open Finance Network Canada, covering important topics such as real-time rails, ISO 20022, innovation in business and consumer payments, and bringing fantastic speakers, industry leaders and innovators: Saba Shariff, Matthew Parker-Jones, Abraham A. Tachjian, Hamed H. Arbabi, Daniela Carnevale Aubry, Lisa Durnford, David Birch, Soumak Chatterjee and many more.

In other news, ICQ, the pioneering instant messenger that many of us cherished in their formative years, is shutting down after almost 28 years. It’s a nostalgic moment for many, and it’s important to reflect on why it couldn’t keep up:

✔️ Lack of Innovation: ICQ was slow to innovate and adapt to changing market trends. Competing services continuously updated their features and embraced mobile technology, leaving ICQ behind.

✔️ Technological Advancements: The platform struggled to meet modern user expectations. Newer messaging apps offered more features and a more user-friendly experience.

✔️ Increased Competition: ICQ faced fierce competition from services like AOL Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger, and Yahoo! Messenger. The emergence of social media platforms and messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and WeChat further diminished ICQ’s presence.

✔️Ownership Changes: Frequent changes in ownership, from AOL’s acquisition in 1998 to its sale to Mail ru Group in 2010, led to shifts in strategy that likely impacted its development and user retention.

ICQ’s story is a powerful reminder of the critical need for continuous innovation, embracing new technologies, and constantly trying new ideas to stay relevant.

https://lnkd.in/g4FWWbrx #innovation #icq #RTR

Elena Litani
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Location

Toronto, Ontario, Canada