Shenela Tavarayan

As a payments leader with over a decade of experience, I specialize in building and scaling products that transform how Canadians pay and get paid. I’ve led national initiatives that connect banks, acquirers, merchants, and regulators—turning complex payment infrastructure into simple, trusted, and user-friendly experiences. From launching Canada’s first domestic digital wallet (KONEK) to raising multi-millions in capital, I’ve built partnerships that unite seven major FIs, acquirers, and fintech innovators under one interoperable network. My work focuses on modernizing payment acceptance, driving policy alignment with the Department of Finance, and improving the payment experience for merchants and consumers. I thrive at the intersection of innovation, compliance, and commercial growth—bringing structure to complexity and results to strategy. Recognized for: – Launching Canada’s first bank-backed jurisdictional wallet – KONEK – Driving nationwide debit innovation (SoftPOS, tokenization, contactless expansion) – Governing high-stakes committees (Director+ and SVP+ representation) across Canada’s payment ecosystem – Speaking at national and global events (PCI SSC, Moneris, RCC, Elevate, TechTO) – Championing diversity as Co-Founder of Interac’s Women’s ERG (200+ members) I’m passionate about shaping secure, inclusive, and interoperable payment ecosystems—where innovation meets trust. Let’s connect if you’re building the next evolution of Canadian payments, exploring wallet innovation, or advancing merchant experience.