Damisa appoints Nick Watkins as Chairman ahead of raise

Damisa has appointed Nick Watkins as Chairman of the Board as the cross-border payments company prepares for a Series A fundraising round.

Watkins will advise the leadership team and support operational development as the business expands internationally. Its core payment corridors are now live, and it is building out regulated infrastructure for business payments into and out of higher-growth markets.

The appointment adds an executive with more than three decades of finance and treasury experience. Watkins has held senior roles at Goldman Sachs, Partners Group and UBS. At Partners Group, he spent almost nine years in senior management and most recently served as Global Head of Service Provider Management.

He is currently Chief Financial Officer at OCEAN and sits on the advisory board of Evoco AG.

Damisa provides cross-border payments, settlement and treasury services for businesses. It supports transactions in more than 70 fiat and stablecoin currencies and focuses on emerging and high-growth markets.

The timing is notable as the company moves towards a new funding process. Bringing in a chairman with treasury and institutional finance experience suggests Damisa is seeking stronger governance and operational depth ahead of approaching investors.

Watkins described the role as part of the company's next stage of development.

"I am honoured to join Damisa as Chairman and work alongside such a talented team," said Nick Watkins, Chairman of the Board at Damisa. "I look forward to drawing on my experience across start-ups and global financial institutions to support the company during this next stage of growth. My ambition is for Damisa to become the standard for global B2B cross-border financial infrastructure."

Cross-border payments groups have drawn sustained investor interest as businesses seek faster settlement and less friction in international transactions. Stablecoins have also become a more visible part of that market, particularly where traditional banking rails are slower or more expensive.

Damisa describes itself as a regulated company built on stablecoin rails. Its system allows businesses to move money into and out of selected markets within hours rather than days.

Growth plans

Chief Executive Officer Jordan Lawrence said the appointment reflects the demands of the company's next phase. He said Watkins' background in treasury, institutional finance and operations would help scale the business and prepare it for a capital raise.

"Nick has spent three decades working at the highest levels of global finance. He understands the rigour required to operate infrastructure at scale, as well as the discipline needed to do it well," said Lawrence. "His judgement and experience will be invaluable as we grow across our core markets and prepare for a Series A funding round. We are delighted to welcome him as Chairman."

The company's focus on regulated payment and settlement services places it in a competitive part of the fintech market, where firms are trying to combine digital asset technology with conventional financial controls. For businesses operating across multiple jurisdictions, access to local currencies, faster settlement and visibility over fees remain central issues.

Watkins' background at large financial institutions may help address questions from counterparties and investors about governance, controls and execution. His experience also spans both established global firms and start-ups, which Damisa highlighted in announcing the appointment.

For Damisa, the immediate task is to turn its live corridors and existing infrastructure into broader commercial growth while preparing for external investment. Watkins will support that process as the company develops its operations across international markets.