Shaping the cash cycle of the future

Alejandro Zamora-Pérez is an economist at the European Central Bank and the Chair of the European Research Network on Currency Analysis (EURECA), a central-bank network advancing research on physical currency. His work focuses on the demand for physical currency, access to cash and payment inclusion, and central bank digital currency (CBDC). His publications have been referenced in analyses for the European Parliament, the European Commission, the OECD and European national authorities, and covered by major international media outlets such as the Financial Times, The Economist and CNN.

Barry is student of the evolution and economics of payments and cash, the fundamentals which drive cash behaviour and economics, and works to apply this to make a difference at the intersection of traditional payments, emerging payments and cash. He has been involved in the industry since 2002, for 15 years with Standard Bank as Head: Cash Services.

In 2018 he started Rohrs and Associates and advises Cash Ecosystem participants (Fintechs, Banks, Cash In Transit companies). Barry participates in industry think tanks and assist clients optimising payments and cash operations and developing new solutions at the intersection of cash and digital.

He maintains an extensive network in the cash industry across Africa and internationally.

Guillaume Lepecq is a globally recognized expert in payments and cash, with over three decades of experience shaping the future of monetary systems. As the co-founder of CashEssentials (est. 2018), he established a leading think tank dedicated to exploring the evolving role of cash in society, advocating for its continued relevance. CashEssentials has become a trusted platform for research, policy analysis, and dialogue on the future of cash, engaging with central banks, financial institutions, and policymakers worldwide. Guillaume’s career spans consulting, corporate leadership, and thought leadership. For 20 years, he has advised European financial institutions on cash and payment strategies. Earlier, as Director of Corporate Relations at the Association for the Monetary Union of Europe (1993–2001), he contributed to the strategic efforts That led to the adoption of the euro. Guillaume has written influential publications, including "Cash Essentials – Beyond Payments," "The Future of Cash," and "Managing the Changeover to the Euro."

Dr. Andrzej Nowak is Head of Open Innovation at SICPA. His current focus includes the future of currency – whether in physical or digital form, privacy-preserving digital trust, fintech, and innovation systems. He contributes to the Bretton Woods Committee working groups on the Future of Finance and on AI, and serves as an expert for Innosuisse, the Swiss innovation agency.

Earlier, Andrzej led an innovation lab at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. There, he defined and put in place new elements of CERN’s 10-year technological horizon, led several Open Source efforts and founded educational initiatives for young scientists and engineers.

Andrzej also held roles in management consulting in private banking, at the chip maker Intel, as a founder of a fintech company, and as an evaluator for the EU Research Executive Agency. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.

Economist at Banco de España since 1993, with experience in branch operations, securities settlement, and cash management. He worked at Iberclear (Spanish Central Securities Depository) from 2003 to 2015, coordinating connections to Target2 and T2S. Since 2015, back in Banco de España, he has focused on cash operations, serving as Head of the Coins Unit (2018–2020) and currently leading the Cash Policies Division, with direct responsibilities on cash issuance, analysis, statistics, regulation and procedures, management of cash central reserves and distribution of cash among Banco de España dependencies or, through international transports, within and outside the Eurosystem.

Scott is a seasoned executive with 20 years of experience in the cash management industry, including leadership roles in operations, strategy, and business development.

With overarching responsibility for group transformation and growth at Australia’s largest cash management organisation, Scott played a pivotal role in driving strategic transformation programs and overseeing key divisions such as precious cargo and security fleet innovation. Scott was key to the transformation of the cash industry in Australia. He has also been actively involved in industry leadership, including as Chair of the Asian Cash Management Association’s Security Committee.

Scott holds a Bachelor of Economics from Macquarie University, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and is known for his pragmatic leadership and commitment to best practices.

Stefan Wikman is a senior European leader in the cash management and cash logistics industry, with nearly three decades of operational and executive experience. He is currently Head of Cash Operations at Bankomat AB, where he leads operations and delivery. Prior to this, Stefan spent more than 15 years in key leadership roles at Loomis, including Executive Director of Operations for Loomis UK, Regional Operations Director, Vice President of Operations in Sweden, and Head of Global Operations, driving performance, efficiency and transformation across multiple markets. Earlier in his career, he held management roles at Securitas Värde AB and served as CEO of Cash Flow Security AB. Stefan’s career reflects deep expertise in secure logistics, operational excellence, and leading large-scale, mission-critical service organizations across Europe.

Marc Schwartz, born in 1963 in Paris, is Chairman and CEO of La Monnaie de Paris, the French National Mint. He is also a lecturer in media and cultural economics at Sciences Po, a leading Social Sciences University in Paris.

Marc Schwartz started his career as an Auditor with the National Court of Audit (Cour des comptes) in 1988 and joined the Treasury Department in 1992. He became, in 1997, special advisor to the minister for Economy, Finance and Industry and to the secretary of State for Budget.

He joined the media group France Télévisions in 2000, as CFO, then deputy CEO. In 2010, he became a senior partner with the international audit and consulting firm Forvis-Mazars, in charge of Public Sector and Media. He returned to the Cour des Comptes in 2014 and was appointed Chief of Staff to the minister of Culture in 2017, before joining Monnaie de Paris in 2018.

He holds a BA’s in economics and public finance (Sciences Po), certificates of finance and international finance from the London School of Economics (LSE), a master in corporate finance from Conservatoire national des Arts et métiers (CNAM), and a master of public administration from Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA).

Marc Schwartz is the author of various articles on monetary and financial issues and of two books: The French Financial System (Montchrestien, 1992) and The New Currency War (Odile Jacob, 2025), co-authored with Pr. Christian de Boissieu.