Introducing iGo’s People in Payments, where we spotlight the leaders shaping the future of the payments industry. In our first profile, Brian Bellingham, Chief Commercial Officer – Payments & Rewards, sits down to share his journey into payments, his go-to-market strategy launching the New Zealand business, and his perspective on the evolving payments landscape. From emerging trends to the significant growth opportunities ahead, Brian offers insights into what’s driving innovation and what the future of payments in New Zealand looks like.
1. Tell us about your path into the payments industry.
I entered the payments industry just before 2000, after starting my career in technology and account management roles. Over the past 25+ years I’ve worked across the payments value chain, from point-of-sale acceptance and card production/personalisation through to transaction processing, prepaid programs, gift cards, and loyalty solutions.
What has kept me engaged is the constant evolution of the sector. Payments sits at the intersection of technology, regulation, and consumer behaviour…it’s exciting because it never stands still.
I was drawn to iGoDirect because of its entrepreneurial mindset. The business has evolved from a legacy card printing and issuance provider into a digitally focused program manager and issuer, launching innovative first-to-market products such as web-to-wallet prepaid digital Visa solutions. That ability to adapt and move quickly in a highly regulated industry is what makes the company exciting to be part of.
2. What are the most significant payment trends you’re seeing in New Zealand right now?
Open banking is a major development in New Zealand. As standards mature, we’re seeing both local and international fintechs embedding payments into new platforms and workflows, particularly in SME, payroll, and digital marketplace environments.
Alongside that, the Digital Identity framework currently being developed in NZ has the potential to streamline onboarding and compliance processes, which could materially reduce friction in financial services. The combination of open banking and trusted digital identity may enable more sophisticated payment orchestration and embedded finance models over the next few years.
We’re also seeing continued demand for digital-first, instant issuance solutions. customers expect immediacy, and corporates are looking for faster ways to distribute funds, incentives, and controlled spend products.
3. How does the NZ payments landscape differ from Australia, and how has that influenced your approach towards GTM?
While the payments ecosystems in NZ and Australia are structurally similar, the regulatory frameworks differ materially, particularly around licensing, AML/CTF obligations, and scheme interpretation. Understanding and correctly implementing those nuances has been critical.
New Zealand is also a smaller, relationship-driven market. Reputation and execution matter. GTM here requires a focused approach – identifying where we can genuinely differentiate rather than simply replicating an Australian strategy.
Our approach has been to position iGo as a credible challenger by leveraging our enterprise experience while tailoring solutions to the scale and needs of NZ corporates. Speed to market and flexibility are key differentiators for us.
4. Where do you see the biggest opportunity for iGoDirect in NZ over the next 12 months?
The biggest opportunity lies in enabling corporates to launch branded digital prepaid programs quickly and compliantly.
There is strong demand for controlled spend, incentive, and digital disbursement solutions, particularly where customers want their brand to remain front and centre. Our ability to deliver a compliant, scheme-backed digital prepaid product in a matter of weeks, rather than months, is a compelling proposition.
As businesses look to modernise loyalty, rewards, and employee spend programs, we’re well positioned to deliver on speed, compliance certainty, and digital distribution.
5. What excites you most about the future of payments in New Zealand?
What excites me most is the calibre of people building in the New Zealand payments ecosystem. It’s a relatively small market, but we consistently see innovative platforms and fintech businesses emerging and competing internationally.
There’s a strong collaborative culture here, even among competitors. Watching founders and operators navigate regulatory complexity while still pushing forward with new ideas is inspiring.
New Zealand has the agility to move quickly, and as infrastructure like open banking and digital identity matures, I think we’ll see globally relevant innovation continue to emerge from this market.