The Core of Luxury dream machine reactor with Vassilina

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Tea for Two and Two for Tea

SPILL THE TEA ON PAYMENT

2 episodes

4 months ago

Tea for Two & Two for Tea is a podcast about payments—where the systems behind every transaction are up for discussion. Hosted by Jordan, it dives into the power dynamics, strategic tensions, and hidden stories shaping the global payment landscape. No hype, no trend-chasing—just thoughtful conversations between two voices, one episode at a time.

All content for Tea for Two and Two for Tea is the property of SPILL THE TEA ON PAYMENT and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

The Core of Luxury dream machine reactor with Vassilina

Tea for Two and Two for Tea

41 minutes

7 months ago

The Core of Luxury dream machine reactor with Vassilina

In this first episode of Tea for Two, and Two for Tea. I sit down with Vassilina Walford to explore payments from a treasury perspective. We discuss the limits of multi-acquiring, the overlooked role of finance in retail payments, the rise of the Chief Payment Officer, and how luxury brands are rethinking payments as a strategic enabler—not just a backend process. A thoughtful insider take on the complexities behind the checkout.

Be indulgent, on this first episode, i did some curious editing but don't be shocked, I had to choose the best pieces of this long and elaborated conversation with Vassilina.

A big shout out to Podcast studio in Lausanne: https://www.wetalk-studio.com/

Link on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Spillttp/membership
Link on my blog: https://spillthetp.com/spill-the-tea-the-blog/
Link on my Linkedin Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordangraison/
Link on my Linked'in Newsletter "Spill the tea - La Crème de la Crème" : https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7280961977936482305/

Link to Vassilina LInked'in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilina-lapteva-walford/
Link to Payment Vibes expertise : https://paymentvibes.com/

Episode breakdown:

⏱ 00:00 — Episode Intro

I introduce the vision behind Tea for Two and Two for Tea — a podcast to spill real insights into payments, far from the marketing noise. He sets the tone: independent, curious, and a bit cheeky. Guest of honour: Vassalina Walford, former Richemont treasurer turned payment consultant.

⏱ 03:45 — Treasury as a Background

Vassilina shares how she entered payments by investigating credit card fees. Coming from treasury, she brings a different lens — focused on cost, cash flow, and strategic oversight rather than tech or UX.

⏱ 10:34 — The Multi-Acquiring Strategy

A candid conversation on the risks and rewards of multi-acquiring. Vassilina challenges the standard playbook and advocates for a balanced, selective approach rooted in redundancy, not complexity.

⏱ 14:10 — Treasury Role in Payment

Why treasury and finance teams are often left out of payment decisions—despite being the most impacted. Vassilina discusses the gap between commercial visions and back-office realities, and how that’s slowly shifting.

⏱ 17:53 — The Ascension of Chief Payment Officer (CPO)

Is payment a tech, finance, or marketing topic? Vassilina argues for a dedicated, senior payment function—neutral, cross-functional, and close enough to the field to stay relevant.

⏱ 23:40 — Payments as Enabler for Luxury Retail

In global luxury, payment isn’t just a back-end process—it’s a market enabler. From Alipay in China to UPI in India, payment localization has become key to capturing demand.

⏱ 27:24 — Payment Taboo in Luxury?

Once considered almost inappropriate to talk about, payments are now part of luxury’s strategic toolbox. Vassilina reflects on shifting attitudes and the Gen Z-led transformation of luxury customers.

⏱ 29:19 — Omnichannel Promise in Payments

The myth of “frictionless” is debunked. Omnichannel is a consumer expectation but a technical challenge. Success depends on orchestrating backend ops as much as the front-end journey.

⏱ 36:02 — Wrap-Up (Perspectives)

Vassilina and I reflect on the evolution of payments and the need for holistic thinking—where operations, tech, finance, and customer experience finally speak the same language.