Our history
The consulting team at The Initiatives Group has been providing advice to participants in the payments markets across Asia-Pacific since the mid 1990’s. Issuers, acquirers, third-party processors, technology providers, associations and others have benefited from our advice and recommendations. Our team has helped solve many of the payments industry’s most significant issues, such as payments strategies, customer profitability and retention, credit and fraud risk, leveraging new technologies, and assessing new market and product opportunities.
In the fast-changing world of payments, we invest significant time in keeping up with new developments around the globe, and use our deep experience and knowledge of markets & past events to help assess where, when and how these new ideas might gain traction.
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The first step towards building a healthy relationship is a simple conversation. Contact up to discuss your business problems or opportunities. We'll follow up with an outline proposal, and we can progress building your business from there. Let's talk.
Our team
Joint Managing Director
Brett Stapleton
Brett Stapleton is Joint Managing Director of The Initiatives Group, a consulting firm specialising in payments strategy and industry transformation. With more than 25 years’ experience across banking, issuing, acquiring, and payment networks, Brett brings a comprehensive understanding of the payments ecosystem to The Initiatives Group’s clients. His expertise in payment economics, regulatory landscapes, and emerging technologies enables him to anticipate industry shifts and guide organisations through complex transitions.
Prior to joining The Initiatives Group, Brett held senior roles at Visa, Citibank, and CBA. At Visa, he served as a Director of the Australian entity and Head of Strategy and Operations for Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific.
As Joint Managing Director of The Initiatives Group, Brett is focused on positioning the firm at the forefront of payments consulting, combining deep industry knowledge with forward‑looking insights to help clients unlock new opportunities, strengthen resilience, and drive sustainable growth in an evolving financial landscape.
Brett holds a Bachelor of Business from Griffith University, majoring in Marketing and Economics.
Joint Managing Director
David Ojerholm
David Ojerholm is Joint Managing Director of The Initiatives Group. He has over 30 years’ experience in Financial Services through advising, implementing and managing consumer and merchant loyalty, preference and payment programs on behalf of issuers, acquirers, international and domestic payment schemes, airlines and retailers.
In his career, he has been responsible for businesses in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and Australia, as well as numerous ground breaking initiatives in the payment card loyalty space. His focus is always on actionable outcomes that make a difference for clients and partners.
David has a Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing) from University of NSW, an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Chairman Advisory Committee
Julian Potter
With over 30 years of financial services and payments experience, Julian has held leadership roles in business, consumer risk, credit and fraud operations, finance and decision management. During his career, Julian has led businesses through their start-up, transformation and accelerated growth phases. Based in Sydney, Julian was most recently a member of Visa’s Asia Pacific Leadership Team and served as the Group Country Manager for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.