Pål Krogdahl is a banking and technology executive with over 30 years of experience leading digital transformation in the financial sector. His career has focused on bridging the gap between innovative tech and real-world banking needs, from open banking and embedded finance to core banking modernisation. He has always been passionate about leveraging ecosystem partnerships and platform strategies to drive tangible business outcomes for banks, while carefully managing risk and complexity.

Currently, Pål serves as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Samlink, where he is responsible for the overall technology strategy, architecture and modernisation agenda. In this role he works closely with Samlink’s banking clients and partners to shape next-generation core, payments and platform capabilities, ensuring that technology choices support both regulatory stability and future growth.

Previously, Pål was the Chief Technology Officer for Core Banking & Payments at IBM, where he helped establish a global practice that grew to over $500 million in annual revenue. He led a global team of professionals delivering large-scale core banking implementations and pioneering cloud-native banking solutions across Europe. During his time at IBM, he played a pivotal role in developing award-winning Embedded Finance strategies and launching fintech accelerator programs for leading global banks. These initiatives enabled banks to accelerate their digital transformation journeys and adopt new business models with confidence.

Beyond his corporate roles, he stays deeply engaged in the fintech community. He serves as a board advisor and mentor to fintech startups, for example, through initiatives like Helsinki FinTech Farm and helping new ventures scale and refine their strategies.

He also co-founded and co-hosts the  Fintech Daydreaming podcast, where he discusses emerging trends in financial services with industry leaders. Started in 2020 now with listeners in over 100 countries, the podcast has grown into a recognised platform for thought leadership on banking innovation.

As a recognised industry thought leader and keynote speaker, he frequently shares insights at global conferences and in media interviews. He loves demystifying the future of banking and has delivered keynote talks on topics ranging from digital banking transformation to fintech disruption.

He is also authoring a forthcoming book (Rip Out the Core: A Practical Path to Coreless Banking)
that captures his experiences and lessons from decades of driving change in banking and aiming to help organisations navigate the next wave of financial innovation. If you’re looking for a speaker who can bring firsthand insight into the intersection of banking and technology, he would be delighted to explore speaking opportunities.