Nichola Bruce
Newcastle Upon Tyne
Summary
A respected business leader with over 20 years’ experience defining and leading change for global financial institutions in the payments industry. More recently Nichola has expanded her range as an Executive leader of a Global Operations division in a Software and Payments business, where she has built a scalable global team and operating model.
Experience stretches across multiple themes and geographies including digital and business transformation; organisational leadership, design and optimisation; product delivery; corporate acquisition/integration. Nichola also holds an Advent Executive Leadership qualification gained through Harvard Business School.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
2013
2013
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work history
Group SVP - Global Operation
Xplor
HO Atlanta GA
06.2023 - 04.2025
- Accountable to the Executive team for Group Operations 500+ employees, $36m budget across Europe, NAM, APAC
- Software Core functions include Software Support for all verticals and geographies, Payment Operations for Clearent in NAM and recurring billing operations in Europe and APAC, as well as supporting Change, Service Excellence and Performance functions
- Built and launched a 3-year operational strategy focused on operational maturity, talent and sales through outstanding service
- Consolidated functions across various departments, achieved significant cost savings (>$10m)
- Implemented a revenue-based channel strategy for inbound contact ranging from premium support through to offshore digital services
- Maintained organisational compliance with applicable legislation and regulations.
Global Director - Business Change
Xplor
10.2021 - 06.2023
- Accountable for standing up a change organisation, standards and portfolio across Xplor for all verticals
- Portfolio of work included:
- New global payments platform initially focused on UK and Europe for BACS, SEPA and Xplor Fitness software vertical
- Internationalisation strategy for Tier 1 software products and rationalisation of non-strategic platforms
- M&A Integration
Chief Business Architect
Pollinate
City of London
09.2018 - 08.2021
- As a consultant, working with global banks who wanted to enter or reinvent themselves in the payments sector and either transform or build their payments business taking new products to market through the adoption of our platform and software
- Created an ‘acquiring in a box’ white label proposition which provides banks with the blueprint and tools to get up and running in payments
- Accountable lead for designing business services and operating model for NatWest who re-entered the payments sector with Tyl by NatWest in 2019
- Lead consultant to National Australia Bank Merchant Services EXCO for their digital transformation programme as well as helping them define a strategy to transform business banking
Head of UK Platform Delivery
Worldpay
City of London
06.2016 - 08.2018
- Accountable for taking the UK business through an industry leading payments platform transformation
- This included the seamless transition of >250k customers including major high street businesses
- Provided direction and insight at executive level to mitigate impacts across customer service, product and account management
- Led the operational transformation for >800 colleagues including business process redesign, business acceptance, technology deployment, training and engagement
- Responsible for the protection of business metrics for critical services, customer care and operations throughout the technical transition
Head of Business Enablement
Worldpay
City of London
11.2013 - 06.2016
- Accountable for the successful build and launch of a global business programme to promote active participation in the new platform build
- Led the implementation of an enterprise business services model which enabled functional ownership of core technologies and associated business processes
- Provided direction and insight to functional leaders across the business to help them understand the opportunities and implications of adopting the changes
Head of Operations Change and Transformation
Worldpay
Gateshead
04.2011 - 11.2013
- Responsible for the development and execution of the operations 5-year blueprint in support of the company’s strategic ambitions
- Short term (1 year) deliverables included a £5m cost reduction programme (staff and supplier costs) and optimisation of core services
- Through a team of hand selected experts, developed the blueprint for business operations which would inform the technology requirements for a new payment platform
Business Manager for CEO
Worldpay
City of London
12.2010 - 04.2011
- A short-term role to support the CEO with the development of key aspects of the newly divested company
- Be the face of the CEO for all escalated issues and new requirements pertaining to the new organisation including the integration of a newly acquired company
- Collaborating with senior operating partners from Bain Capital and Advent to develop goals for the board for the first 12 months
Senior Change Manager
RBSG Operations
Gateshead
10.2006 - 12.2010
- Multiple change management projects across technology and business domains
- Lead manager for a major restructure programme delivering revised structures in partnership with McKinsey
- Key accountabilities included union consultation, redundancy financial planning and communications strategy to 3,500 staff
- Operations programme lead across multiple subjects for the acquiring divestment, accountabilities included facilitation of all staff communications and TUPE activity (phased transition of 1500 staff), 250k customer contract novation and global licensing assessments
Education
MBA Year 1 - Certificate in Management
Open University
BA (Hons) - Business and Consumer Studies
Liverpool John Moores University
Higher National Diploma - Business and Finance
Skills
- Business restructuring
- Strategic leadership
- Strategic partnership building
- Systems integration
- Cost-reduction strategies
- Technology integration
- Leadership expertise
- Performance optimisation
- Budget management
- Financial modelling
- Talent acquisition
Certification
Advent Executive Leadership Certification - Harvard Business School - Dec 2023
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Group SVP - Global Operation
Xplor
06.2023 - 04.2025
Global Director - Business Change
Xplor
10.2021 - 06.2023
Chief Business Architect
Pollinate
09.2018 - 08.2021
Head of UK Platform Delivery
Worldpay
06.2016 - 08.2018
Head of Business Enablement
Worldpay
11.2013 - 06.2016
Head of Operations Change and Transformation
Worldpay
04.2011 - 11.2013
Business Manager for CEO
Worldpay
12.2010 - 04.2011
Senior Change Manager
RBSG Operations
10.2006 - 12.2010
BA (Hons) - Business and Consumer Studies
Liverpool John Moores University
Higher National Diploma - Business and Finance
MBA Year 1 - Certificate in Management
Open University
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