When you ask Associate Manager Jannika Gustafsson what makes her work exciting, she doesn’t hesitate. It’s the change and variety within Payments, a field that is constantly evolving and connected to every part of the financial ecosystem. With experience across commercial, regulatory, and tech-driven initiatives, Jannika’s leadership brings structure, clarity, and momentum to banks undergoing transformation.
Before joining 421, Jannika started her career in the banking sector as a management trainee at a Swedish niche bank. She later moved into the Payments domain, working with a range of different areas, from card payments to regulation-based changes. Eventually, her drive to broaden her perspective brought her into consulting.
I really enjoy working with structure and order, and the challenge of combining them with innovation. Finance is a highly regulated space, but you still get to be creative because it is always changing, which makes it a perfect match for me.
Staying one step ahead
During her time at 421, Jannika has worked with project management at several large clients in the banking sector. Her experience has led her to gain valuable insight into the art of project management as well as understanding the forces of change in the financial sector. In order to truly understand the underlying need for change and to create value for the customer, Jannika emphasizes the need to be able to shift focus between overarching programme and project deliverables and dive into the nitty-gritty details. One thing is for certain today: the pace of change is faster than ever, and banks need to stay ahead of the curve.
The amount of change happening within Payments and the banking industry right now is huge. Even when something isn’t fully regulated yet, banks need to prepare for what’s coming due to the pace of change in society as a whole. For instance, the reality today is that banks are faced with greater cybersecurity and fraud threats than ever before. Banks have to ensure that they are doing what they can to stay one step ahead, something that is partly driven by regulation and partly by banks’ internal need to future-proof their organizations.
Drawing from her previous commercial, regulatory, and tech-driven projects, Jannika has found a common denominator: all require proactivity, clear structure, and the ability to look across teams and functions.
While commercial and regulatory projects follow slightly different dynamics, one aspect remains constant: there’s always more to do than you think. Even with a defined timeline, you have to be proactive and create momentum from day one. But with experience, you learn which areas to prioritize and generally to leave no stone unturned.
“We are driven by change”
With the amount of change and the pace of change itself, many banks lack the capacity and expertise to drive large transformations on top of their everyday responsibilities. That’s where 421’s role becomes critical. She explains that she and her colleagues help elevate the bank’s perspective, clarify what the change means, and ensure the bank ends up in a better place than before.
To be frank, we don’t have a big brand to hide behind; we are the brand. That means we all want to do our absolute best job every time. We are proud to say that 421 stands for quality, for being great to work with, and for leaving a strong impression both through our delivery and in our relationships. It can be challenging, but we are driven by change, and we love to be right where things happen.
How is your organization preparing for change in the Payments landscape? Contact us and let’s find the best way ahead.
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