Former Coinbase and OakNorth Execs Join FINOM as Digital Bank Targets SME Growth

Digital banking platform FINOM has named two new executives to its leadership team as part of its European operations development. The Amsterdam-headquartered company appointed Kristjan Kaar as Chief Product Officer (CPO) and Elke Karskens as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).

FINOM Announces Executive Team Changes for European Operations

Kaar joins FINOM from OakNorth Bank, where he oversaw product development initiatives. His department achieved notable customer satisfaction metrics, according to company statements. In the past, he also worked for more than seven years at Bloomberg, most recently as Head of Funds and Portfolios.

"FINOM's momentum in European SME banking presents an exciting opportunity to revolutionize how entrepreneurs manage their finances," said Kaar. "We are focused on creating intuitive products that become indispensable to our customers, enhancing our positive impact on European small businesses."

Karskens brings experience from previous positions at Coinbase and Meta, where she worked on platform scaling and market development. Her background includes various marketing leadership roles spanning two decades in the technology sector.

She was with Coinbase for three years, including serving as Country Director for the Benelux and Nordics regions. However, she spent the most time at the company behind Facebook, where she held the role of Director of Partnerships for the past five years. Her experience also includes working at Skype as a Platform Marketing Manager.

"FINOM's mission goes beyond providing financial services – we're empowering entrepreneurs to focus on growing their businesses while we simplify their financial operations," said Karskens. "By combining deep customer insights with innovative marketing strategies, we'll strengthen FINOM's position as a trusted partner for small businesses across Europe.

The appointments follow FINOM's €50 million Series B funding round and coincide with the company's reported growth to 100,000 customers across five European markets. These developments occur as various financial technology firms continue to expand their services in the European SME banking sector.

Organizational Context

The new appointments are part of broader organizational changes at FINOM during 2024. The company has made several other management additions, including Alessandro Camilotti as Chief Financial Officer and Rob Allen, former Revolut executive, as Head of Sales. The board of directors has also seen new appointments, including Kseniia Kutyreva, Peter De Caluwe, and Frank Stockx.

"As FINOM continues its growth, strengthening our executive team with world-class talent is crucial," said Andrey Petrov, CEO and co-founder of FINOM. "Elke and Kristjan’s exceptional expertise and leadership will be instrumental in accelerating our product development and market expansion to serve one million European SMEs by 2026."

FINOM, which operates as an Electronic Money Institution (EMI), has implemented various operational changes throughout 2024, including the introduction of local IBAN services in several European markets. The company's platform provides business account services, payment processing, invoicing systems, and expense management tools.