Shaping the cash cycle of the future

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."

Barbara has been working at Narodowy Bank Polski for thirteen years. She began her career at Poland’s central bank as Deputy Director of the Cash and Issue Department, where she currently holds the position of Director.

Throughout her work at NBP, she has been involved in the introduction of a new series of circulation banknotes, changes in the denominational structure, and the development of new regulations governing cooperation with the cash market. She was responsible for the Hryvnia Exchange Program in Poland, which was later adopted as a model by other European countries. She is a member of the Executive Committee of the Central Bank Counterfeit Deterrence Group (CBCDG) and serves as the Chair of the Cash Circulation Council in Poland. She graduated from the University of Szczecin and completed postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Management at the University of Warsaw.

Professor Franz Seitz teaches Economics with a special focus on Monetary Policy and Financial Markets at Weiden Technical University of Applied Sciences in Germany. He is author of numerous articles in national and international journals. His main fields of research are monetary theory and policy, financial markets as well as payments markets, especially cash in circulation. For many years, Professor Seitz has been acting as a consultant in different projects for central banks, commercial banks and financial as well as non-financial corporations.

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.

Sina Grebrodt is a Senior Strategic Initiatives Expert and part of the Central Bank Solutions team at Koenig & Bauer Banknote Solutions, where she works at the intersection of currency innovation, central bank strategy, and sustainable cash management. With a focus on how cash supports financial inclusion and literacy, Sina explores the evolving role of physical currency. Her work bridges technology, policy, and social impact — highlighting how resilient, accessible cash systems remain essential for empowering individuals and fostering trust in the broader financial ecosystem.

Diederik Bruggink is Senior Director at the European Savings and Retail Banking Group (ESBG) where he is responsible for all payments topics worldwide. In that role, he also advocates the associations’ positions on payments with policymakers, regulators, standardisation bodies, industry associations, and enabling a constant member dialogue on developments, with a particular focus on innovation. He is Chair of the Cash Efficiency Working Group of the European Payments Council (EPC) and he was co-chair of the Euro Retail Payments Board (ERPB) working group on access to and acceptance of cash. He is also a Member of the Board of the European Payments Council and he is a member of the European Commission’s Payments Systems Market Expert Group and he was a member of the European Central Bank’s Market Advisory Group on the Digital Euro, to name a few.

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.

Jim Leroux is the CEO of Pin4, a global leader in cardless cash disbursement solutions, enabling secure, instant, and convenient cash payouts across ATMs and retail partner locations. With a presence spanning 200 countries and a network of over 500k cash pick-up points worldwide, Pin4 empowers businesses, governments, and humanitarian organizations to deliver cash quickly and reliably—even to individuals without payment cards or bank accounts. Jim has been active in fintech for over 30 years as an operator, investor, advisor and attorney, with a focus on new innovations in the payments and fintech industries.