Rob Farbrother
Entrepreneur
The Lead Founder and CEO of LINK (ATM sharing)
The Lead Founder and MD of PayPoint plc.
The Lead Founder and Exec Chairman of PayShop SA
Summary
Financial services focus within the banking sector spanning programming, systems analysis, project management, senior management and main board directorships - including retail bank - and lead director in management buy-out and company trade sales.
Operations Board Director and Head of European Technology Cell for Citibank - retail banking operations in the UK.
Lead Founder and CEO of:-
LINK (UK's first shared ATM network) - a consortium of participating banks.
MD of Nexus plc (resulting from the management buy-out of LINK's computer services).
Lead Founder and Managing Director:-
PayPoint plc (bill payments/mobile top-ups in national retail network).
Lead Founder and Executive Chairman:-
PayShop S.A. (similar to PayPoint with added-value services initial offering in Portugal).
Fun Career
Publications Regarding Rob Farbrother's Career
The Extra One Per Cent -
The Virtual Banking Revolution - Click to View/Download PDF
The Customer Centric You - Click to View/Download PDF
Financial Times Article - Click to View/Download PDF
Chairman
International Payment Services (BID - Buy Innovate Deliver) Portugal
From June 2014 - Now Retired (enjoying family, friends, cycling, tennis and golf)
Have enjoyed the challenge of reviewing the changing face of payment systems and how this applies to the international financial services market. Discussing with senior bank executives the opportunities and the threats in such a market and the need to review the array of modern technology platforms (be it central processors, retailer devices and consumer devices).
Ever-changing regulations and the change in demands for consumer and retailer services adds another dimension to the necessity of investment and well-chosen partners in order to keep at the forefront of the payment services market sector.
Exciting times where "change" appears to be the only "constant"!
Facilitator
Various Companies
2011 - 2014 - Algarve Portugal
Have been involved in a number of situations during this period - from helping resolve shareholder issues where a company is in
re-finance mode to a situation where existing shareholders do not share a similar vision of the evolving direction of the company
The Lead Founder and Executive Chairman
Payshop International Ltd (PayShop SA Portugal)
1999 - 2004 - London, UK and Lisbon, Portugal
Financial Services.
Portugal being the initial operation of an international concept facilitating the ease of household bill payments in cash and mobile telephony top-ups via a network of managed retail shop agencies.
This involved the creation of a telecomm network linking terminals at the point of sale involving the collection of transactions and daily settlement with each client. Clients included EDP, PT, Vodafone, Optimus, TMN, Aguas de Portugal etc.
PayShop managed an array of retail shops (including outlets within the Sonae Group, Alisuper etc) located in appropriate C2, D, E socio-demographic areas where cash transactions are prevalent. The network improved the end customer service by facilitating an easy and convenient payment point and significantly reduced the costs of cash collection previously performed at CTT and client-owned retail outlets.
PayShop S.A was a subsiduary of PayShop International Ltd based in UK.
Other territories explored and validated were Brazil, Angola and Mozambique
Company sold to the CTT (Post Office) in Portugal
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PayShop - How It Works
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The Rationale Behind PayShop
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Partnerships
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TV Coverage
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PayShop - TV Coverage
PayShop Publications
The Lead Founder and Managing Director
PayPoint plc
1994 - 1998 - Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire
Financial Services. This service was initially conceived as CashStop prior to adopting the PayPoint brand.
To facilitate cash payments for household bills and mobile telephony top-ups via a managed network of retail shop agencies. Technology included all Gas and Electricity pre-payment chip card acceptance.
PayPoint provides a WIN - WIN - WIN situation:-
A WIN for consumers who have the extra convenience of paying their household bills and topping-up their pre-pay mobiles in cash in their local shop - often open for extended hours.
A WIN for retail shop owners who saw this added value service increase their shops foot-fall and loyalty.
A WIN for utility and other bill issuer companies who saw a significant reduction in transaction costs.
Launched in 1997 PayPoint was widely reported on all TV networks, national and regional press.
Shareholders initially included British Telecom,British Gas,BBC Television and a number of Water/Electricity companies
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Sky News PayPoint System launched to pay bills
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ITN News 9th Sept 1997 PayPoint Launch
PayPoint Publications
Managing Director
Nexus Payment Systems International Ltd
1989 - 1994 - Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire
Whilst concurrently holding the position of CEO of Link plc and Managing Director of Funds Transfer Sharing Ltd (FTSL), Nexus plc emanated out of a Management Buy Out of FTSL - a company founded in 1985 as the sole licenced service provider to the Link branded ATM network.
FTSL's raison-d'etre was to facilitate the sharing of ATM's amongst banks and building societies which involved a switching system between banks for transaction authorisations and a daily settlement of funds. The company also managed the installation, operation and maintenance of ATM's for clients who wished to outsource such services e.g. American Express.
Nexus entered into international ATM sharing agreements with SIBS (Portugal), 4B (Spain), Banksys (Belgium), SSC (Italy), JCB (Japan), Cr. Lyonnais (France) to allow clients customers access to withdraw local currency via debit and savings cards.
Nexus established a presence in the Republic of Ireland and with the three main Building Societies established a shared ATM network (branded Cashere) and eventually incorporated the Allied Irish Bank and the Bank of Ireland in the sharing arrangements.
In 1991 Nexus plc was purchased by Sligos plc - a French financial services company whose major shareholder was Credit Lyonnais. Nexus developed an increasing presence in automated voice telephone banking systems and management of retail point-of-sale terminals during this time.
This led to the opportunity of researching the PayPoint concept to accommodate all utility cash payments which were either accepted at "expensive" Post Office locations or Gas and Electricity Showrooms - the latter were scheduled to be significanly reduced.
Nexus Publications
The Lead Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Link ATM Scheme
1984 - 1991 - London, United Kingdom
The creation of Link followed research in the USA as competing Banks realised the economies of scale in co-operating the shared use of ATM's via all customers. The service was seen as ubiquitous and on the lines of a commodity rather than a serious competitive edge.
A number of UK financial institutions became interested and co-founder members included Western Trust and Savings Bank (a UK subsidiary of the Royal Bank of Canada),the GiroBank, Co-Opertative Bank, Abbey National Building Society and CitiBank UK (the two latter companies being previous employers of mine).
The service was to create the facilitation of switching transactions between members own ATM's for authorisation and a daily fund settlement system.
LINK expanded the latter role to create a service provider, Funds Transfer Sharing Ltd (FTSL).
FTSL was a consortium of banks, building societies and card issuers (eg American Express) who did not operate their own ATM networks and therefore required a turn-key service re the installation, operation and maintenance of their own ATM's (a pre-requisite number necessary to belong to the LINK network). FTSL became the sole service provider to the LINK network.
Identified growth plans were delivered with the agreed merger with a competing network (Matrix) and the inclusion of all UK major building societies (Savings and Loans) and then the major Banks (Barclays, National Westminster, Midland and LLoyds).
Rob Farbrother was concurrently the Managing Director of FTSL and the CEO of LINK (two separate consortia of financial companies) with the joint goal to share ATM's via two separate computer operational environments.
Rob Farbrother later led a Management Buy-Out of FTSL to expand its role internationally and into Electronic Point-of-Sale and formed the new company Nexus Payment Systems International Ltd.
Link Publications
Operations Director and Head of European Technology Cell
Citibank plc
1981 - 1984 - London, United Kingdom
Operations Director (main Board member of UK Retail) the role entailed the development and operation of a retail branch computer system (New World),implementation of Diners Card franchise in other European countries, management of credit/charge card write-offs etc.
To faciltate the ambitious growth plans of Citibank's retail presence in the UK by focussing on the use of technology rather than bricks and mortar.
Managed assigned business development projects (e.g. Anglian double glazing) to promote and deliver solus agreements on Citibank Finance Ltd.
Citibank were also keen to create a retail ATM network in the UK which they had very successful experience in the USA.
This led to the joint interest in developing the Link ATM concept
Systems Manager
Abbey National plc - (now Santander)
1969- 1981 - London, United Kindom
Joined Abbey National as a trainee programmer and advanced through to Senior Programmer,Systems Analyst then Systems Manager.
Responsible for the evaluation, development, operation and maintenance of a comprehensive counter top terminal system for the retail network at Abbey National - reporting to the General Manager.
Shift Leader and Computer Operator Trainer
Tesco plc
1967 - 1969 - Cheshunt, United Kingdom
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Joined Victor Value Holdings Ltd (a supermarket chain) as trainee computer operator. Tesco took over Victor Value Holdings Ltd.
Became Shift Leader and Computer Operator Trainer with a desire to become a Programmer.
