Management Update

Wise PLC

25 March 2024

 

This announcement contains Inside Information

25 March 2024

Management Update

Wise plc ("Wise"), the global technology company building the best way to move and manage the world's money, today announces the appointment of Emmanuel Thomassin as Chief Financial Officer and Director of Wise. He will replace Matthew Briers, who announced his intention to step down from the role last year and will now do so with immediate effect. Emmanuel will join Wise on 1 October 2024. Until then, Kingsley Kemish, currently Senior Group Financial Director, will serve as interim CFO.

Emmanuel has decades of experience leading the financial growth strategy of rapidly expanding private and publicly traded companies. He joins Wise from multinational tech company, Delivery Hero, where he has served as CFO for the past 10 years and been a member of the Management Board for the last seven years. A world-leading local delivery platform, the company started as a food delivery service in 2011 and has since expanded to over 70 countries across Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. He has also served on the board of Delivery Hero's technology incubator, Team Global Management GmbH, and on the supervisory boards of multiple other companies, including MetaDesign, where he served as CFO for five years from 2007 to 2012.

The Board and leadership team of Wise extend a warm welcome to Emmanuel in his new role.

Kristo Käärmann, CEO & co-founder, said:

"Since our founding in 2011, we've been laser-focused on solving the complexities of moving and managing money across borders. We have come a long way in this time, building new services from scratch that served 10 million customers in the last financial year alone. However, we're far from done. Around 95 percent of the world's cross-border payments for people and small businesses are still on a slow, opaque, cumbersome and expensive legacy financial system.

"I am pleased to welcome Emmanuel to the Wise team as we look to solve for this remaining 95 percent and to continue building from the strong financial foundations Matt put in place over the years. Matt has been a fantastic partner as we built the foundations of this business, and Emmanuel's deep experience in leading teams while scaling a fast-growth company globally makes him the ideal candidate to take up this challenge and join us on our mission as we enter our second decade."

David Wells, Chair of Wise Board, said:

"We're delighted to welcome Emmanuel as our new Chief Financial Officer after an extensive global search. A seasoned CFO, leader and board member with well over a decade's experience, Emmanuel has a proven track record of scaling companies in rapidly-evolving industries - from startups to public companies. I look forward to working with him as Wise continues on its path to reshape global financial services for the 21st century.

"The Board would like to thank Matt for his outstanding service and leadership over the last eight years, and wishes him the very best."

Emmanuel Thomassin, CFO designate, said:

"Wise has radically transformed market expectations of modern financial services - redefining the speed, price and ease with which people and businesses can move and manage their money around the world. And with its bold vision of money without borders, it is clear that Wise is still just at the start of its ambitious journey.

"I am pleased to have this opportunity to bring my experience of growing dynamic companies to Wise, and join the leadership team as Wise continues to build the network for the world's money."

Enquiries

Martin Adams - Senior Director, Owner Relations

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Lawrence Nates - Senior Manager, Owner Relations

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Sana Rahman - Global Head of Communications

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Brunswick Group

Charles Pretzlik / Sarah West / Nick Beswick / Daniel Holgersson

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About Wise

Wise is a global technology company, building the best way to move and manage the world's money. With Wise Account and Wise Business, people and businesses can hold over 40 currencies, move money between countries and spend money abroad. Large companies and banks use Wise technology too; an entirely new network for the world's money.

Co-founded by Kristo Käärmann and Taavet Hinrikus, Wise launched in 2011 under its original name TransferWise. It is one of the world's fastest growing tech companies and is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker WISE.

In fiscal year 2023, Wise supported around 10 million people and businesses, processing approximately £105 billion in cross-border transactions, and saving customers over £1.5 billion.

 

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