Szendrei spent the last few years in Mastercard's European Product Management, where he was responsible for installment payments and then for portable payment instruments on the continent. His current promotion will focus on defining go-to-market strategies and developing sales capability in the context of open banking, bridging the gap between central product development and local offices.

"Open banking solutions give consumers and businesses greater freedom to share their own banking data and allow them to access financial services easily, securely, and quickly. At Mastercard, it is of paramount importance to provide the ideal payment solution for every possible purchase situation. I am delighted to be able to help in this work, now specializing in open banking," said Szendrei Szabolcs on his appointment.

Last fall, Mastercard announced the launch of its Open Banking service in Hungary, with most commercial banks in Hungary now connected. The service allows banks and third-party service providers across Europe to be connected through a single platform.