News from the Wire
PayFuture appoints Sanda Laicena as Group Chief Legal Officer
Wednesday, May 07, 2025 — 16:59:35 (UTC)
London, UK. 7th May 2025: PayFuture, the innovative payments platform connecting global businesses with emerging markets, has appointed Sanda Laicena as Group Chief Legal Officer (CLO). With over 30 years of experience spanning financial services, fintech, and legal sectors, Sanda has held senior leadership positions at both established financial institutions and high growth fintech companies across diverse international markets.
Sanda began her career in banking, gaining valuable front-office experience while still a law student. Early on, her sharp legal acumen led her to transition into a distinguished legal career, first as a lawyer at the law office, then the central bank, and then into managerial legal roles at major financial institutions. Her expertise encompasses a broad range of financial services, including regulatory compliance, licensing, international business and finance law, corporate governance, and international market expansion.
In 2012, Sanda transitioned from traditional banking to the fintech sector, taking on the role of Head of Legal at 4finance Group. Over six years, she built the company's legal and compliance function from the ground up. She played a key role in scaling operations across more than 15 countries, securing over 40 financial licences across the EU, LATAM, and the US. Sanda also led legal work on multiple acquisitions, including banking acquisitions, and supported the launch of innovative, tech-driven financial products. Throughout, she ensured compliance with complex and evolving regulatory frameworks. Her strategic leadership was instrumental in transforming 4finance Group from a startup into a leading global player in consumer lending and fintech.
Sanda’s expertise was further demonstrated during her time as Chief Legal Officer at Luminor Group and General Counsel at Pyypl. In Luminor, she directed legal functions across Baltic countries, managing a team of around 50 legal professionals and advising the board on a wide range of complex legal and regulatory matters. In Pyypl, she oversaw company-wide regulatory compliance efforts across MENA markets, anti-money laundering (AML) initiatives, and licensing processes.
As PayFuture’s Group CLO, Sanda will leverage her extensive experience in the regulatory and operational aspects of fintech to help guide the group’s legal strategy, develop the group’s legal function, and drive growth across the group’s expanding international footprint. Her leadership will be crucial in streamlining legal processes, securing new regulatory approvals and enabling PayFuture to successfully navigate the complex legal landscapes of emerging markets and launch operations in new countries.
Manpreet Haer, CEO and Co-Founder of PayFuture, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Sanda to PayFuture during such a pivotal phase of our growth. Her deep expertise in fintech and financial services, coupled with her proven leadership in managing legal and regulatory complexities, will be instrumental in supporting our global expansion. Sanda’s insight will help us uphold our commitment to compliance, operational excellence, and continued innovation.”
On her appointment, Sanda Laicena added: “I am thrilled to join PayFuture at this exciting time of growth and opportunity. With my experience in building high-performing legal teams and navigating complex regulatory environments, I look forward to helping PayFuture expand its reach globally, while ensuring that legal frameworks and internal processes remain agile and aligned with business needs.”
With her proven track record in leading legal functions at multinational organisations, managing complex acquisitions, and addressing regulatory challenges, Sanda is poised to play a key role in PayFuture’s strategic growth as it continues to expand its footprint in the global payments market.
For more information about PayFuture, visit: www.payfuture.net/
ENDS
About PayFuture
PayFuture is an innovative payment platform designed to unlock access to local payment solutions in emerging global markets. Through a single integration, PayFuture enables online merchants to instantly connect with the most popular payment methods in each region, simplifying market entry and growth. As internet usage accelerates in these markets, so do the opportunities for e-commerce merchants to tap into previously underserved customer bases and drive growth.
PayFuture offers complete payment processing solutions alongside our trusted gateway services — helping merchants manage transactions end-to-end. Our platform enhances the customer journey, improves approval rates, and optimises conversion recovery, empowering businesses to expand globally and capitalise on new opportunities.
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Source: Company press release. 
Categories: Appointment
