Adyen Strengthens EMEA Leadership with Nicole Olbe Appointment

Adyen, the financial technology platform for leading businesses, has appointed Nicole Olbe as President for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), effective September 1, 2026. Olbe succeeds Alexa von Bismarck, who will move into the role of Senior Vice President of Global Account Management, based in San Francisco.

The transition period will allow for a structured handover across Adyen’s regional operations.

Olbe to Lead EMEA Business Growth

In her new role, Olbe will be responsible for the performance and continued growth of Adyen’s EMEA business. Her mandate will cover all regional functions, including cross-functional strategy, operational alignment and adapting Adyen’s global initiatives to the specific needs of regional markets.

The existing organisational structure across Adyen’s EMEA team will remain unchanged.

Two Decades of Payments and Fintech Experience

Olbe brings more than 20 years of experience in global payments and fintech to the position. Before joining Adyen, she held senior leadership roles at Barclaycard and Verifone, with experience spanning merchant acquiring, payment acceptance and strategic partnerships.

She is also recognised for an inclusive leadership approach, with experience building high-performing teams, strengthening commercial ecosystems and promoting diversity and inclusion within executive leadership.

Commenting on the appointment, Roelant Prins, Chief Commercial Officer at Adyen, said, “Nicole’s extensive track record in global payments and her commitment to inclusive, team-first leadership make her exceptionally well-suited to helm our EMEA operations.”

Prins added that Olbe’s ability to connect regional requirements with Adyen’s global commercial strategy would be valuable as the company continues to expand. He also thanked Alexa von Bismarck for her leadership of the EMEA business and welcomed her move into the new global role.

Focus on Regional Collaboration

Olbe said she was looking forward to building on the foundation established by Adyen’s EMEA teams and strengthening collaboration across the region.

“Adyen’s success across EMEA relies on our deep local market understanding and close cross-functional collaboration,” Olbe said. She added that she would work with regional teams to scale the company’s platform capabilities and strengthen its position in global enterprise commerce.

Olbe will continue to be based at Adyen’s London office, while maintaining a regular operational presence across the company’s EMEA offices.

The leadership transition comes as Adyen continues to focus on regional growth while connecting its global technology and commercial capabilities with local market requirements across EMEA.