Nuvei Voices: Meet Laura Poderienė

Laura Poderienė has spent her career at the intersection of law, financial regulation, and fintech - and her journey to VP Banking, MD, at Nuvei is unlike most. Having served on the Nuvei Board for four years, she recently stepped into a full-time leadership role heading the EU banking business. It’s a move that, she says, reflects the trust built over time - and the kind of opportunity that makes her confident about what comes next.

Where law meets finance and technology

From early in her career, Laura was drawn to the space where finance and technology converge. Starting in law and financial regulation - advising both traditional banks and emerging fintech companies - she built a deep understanding of how financial systems operate and how they change. As fintech grew across Europe, her focus shifted naturally with it.

"Payments is a space where finance and technology meet naturally - and Nuvei sits right at that intersection. Working across different roles and businesses over the years helped shape how I lead, combining regulatory knowledge with an understanding of how technology drives change. When I found Nuvei, it felt like the right fit."

From the board to the business

Before joining Nuvei full-time, Laura spent four years as a Board Member - focused on compliance, risk management, and ensuring the right governance frameworks were in place. It gave her an unusually broad view of the business before she had stepped into her current role.

“As a Board Member, the focus is on strategy and oversight rather than operations. You’re shaping direction and ensuring the right approach is in place. Moving into a full-time leadership role was a significant shift - but having that broader perspective from the start has been invaluable.”

For Laura, the move was a signal of the trust the Nuvei had placed in her and the work she had done.

“Transitioning from Board Member to VP Banking, MD, showed the confidence Nuvei had in me, and I really appreciated the opportunity. I’m excited to see where the journey goes from here.”

Holding all four corners

As VP, Banking, Laura leads Nuvei’s EU banking business - a role that touches almost every corner of the organisation, from product and customer experience through to operations, compliance, and resourcing. She sees her work not as running a standalone unit but as making sure the EU business pulls in the same direction as Nuvei globally.

“Banking business is a part of a global Nuvei proposition. For our customers, Nuvei is simply Nuvei - they don’t see the internal structures. So it’s important that what we build here supports the wider strategy and works seamlessly as part of the whole.”

Regulation as an enabler

One of the most consistent themes in Laura’s career is a belief that strong regulatory foundations don’t slow innovation down - they make it possible. In fintech, where the pace of change routinely outstrips regulation, understanding the rules deeply is what creates room to move creatively within them.

“When you understand the regulatory framework well, it becomes easier to find ways to enable the business while still operating responsibly. Regulation isn’t a barrier - it’s a foundation. And with the tools available to us today, we can manage risk effectively without compromising the pace of innovation.”

Confidence in the future with Nuvei

When Laura talks about what makes her optimistic about Nuvei’s future, and she highlights three things: stability, talent, and loyalty. Having watched the business closely for years before joining full-time, she speaks about these with a particular kind of conviction.

“There’s a consistency to the brand and the company’s values that I’ve seen hold across different chapters. The talent across the organisation is exceptional - there are so many skilled people to learn from. And the fact that people stay and they grow here over the long term, tells you something real about the kind of place this is.”

Life beyond the business

Outside of work, Laura recharges through sport and the outdoors. Basketball and tennis are regulars in her week, and mountaineering is a passion she sees as more than just a hobby - the planning, discipline, and determination it demands aren’t so different from what good leadership requires. She’s also an enthusiastic traveller.

For anyone considering joining Nuvei, Laura’s advice draws on everything she’s seen - from the boardroom to the day-to-day:

“Take advantage of the talented people around you. Stay curious, go the extra mile, and do your best work. There are real opportunities here for people who want to grow - and the people who thrive are the ones who lean into them.”‍