Yaspa appoints Renuka Rawlins to lead policy & public affairs

Yaspa has appointed Renuka Rawlins as its new Head of Policy and Public Affairs.

Rawlins joins Yaspa after her tenure at Revolut, where she held the role of Government Affairs and Policy Manager. She will now lead Yaspa's Policy and Public Affairs team from the company's London head office.

Her responsibilities will include growing Yaspa's relationships with regulators in the UK, European Union, and worldwide. The appointment comes as Yaspa seeks to expand its role in the payments industry and increases its focus on sectors such as iGaming.

Regulatory relationships

Renuka Rawlins will play a significant part in developing Yaspa's relationships with industry regulators and policymakers. The company expects her to help shape relevant policy and foster industry collaboration as it expands its technology's applications across regulated markets.

A spokesperson from Yaspa confirmed Rawlins' remit would include work with industry stakeholders both in the UK and internationally.

Core offering

Yaspa's core product is its Intelligent Payments solution, which leverages open banking and artificial intelligence to help regulated businesses obtain deeper insights into their customers and improve cashflow through real-time bank payments. The technology has specific applications within online gambling, enabling companies to meet compliance requirements and support responsible gambling practices, as well as optimise the payments process for users.

The company's offering also includes payment and account verification services, with coverage across the UK and Europe. Yaspa's products are regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority.

Growth and expansion

Yaspa reports that it last month secured an investment round of USD $12 million, led by Discerning Capital. The company currently serves a range of partners across the UK and Europe and recently expanded its operations domestically, establishing a technology hub in Leeds. This site is intended to support Yaspa's global expansion plans.

In the US, Yaspa has set up a new entity in Atlanta, Georgia, and opened an office in the city in early August.

Leadership and team

The business is led by Chief Executive Officer James Neville, who co-founded Yaspa in 2017 following his tenure as Chief Technology Officer at Worldpay. Over the past 18 months, Yaspa has grown its staff from 15 to 70 employees, reflecting a period of significant expansion for the company.

Yaspa, a hyper-growth UK fintech specialising in payments and identity, has bolstered its senior team with the appointment of Renuka Rawlins as Head of Policy and Public Affairs. Rawlins joins from Revolut, where she served as a Government Affairs and Policy Manager. Renuka will lead the Policy and Public Affairs team from Yaspa's head office in London.

Rawlins' appointment underscores Yaspa's aim to maintain strong relationships with regulators and policymakers as it increases its focus on regulated sectors including online gambling and payments. Her experience is expected to support the company as it navigates complex compliance environments and showcases its technology to industry and government partners in multiple jurisdictions.

The company's continued investment in personnel and infrastructure, along with its recent funding round, indicates a strategy based on regulated market growth and ongoing innovation in payments technology.