From her early days in transport and logistics to leading product development at Wallester, Darja Silin has built a career on tackling complex challenges and turning them into opportunities. In this interview, she shares her journey, her insights on the future of fintech, and how Wallester continues to push boundaries in the ever-evolving payments space.
Let’s dive in.
Share some background information, please. Describe your professional journey to being Head of Product at Wallester.
I started my career in Transport & Logistics, which might seem far removed from product management. Still, it gave me a deep understanding of handling complex projects with multiple dependencies and stakeholders. That experience taught me the importance of structure, efficiency, and clear communication—skills that are just as critical in fintech.
After transitioning into fintech, I worked for four years as a project manager before moving to Wallester. I started out as a project manager here and was later promoted to senior project manager. Interestingly, I was the first project manager for Wallester’s first website and the current Client Portal, and it’s unbelievably cool to see how both of these have evolved and changed during the last four years. In my time here, I developed a passion for structuring workflows, solving challenges, and bringing large-scale projects to life. Product development, in many ways, is like logistics—ensuring everything is in the right place at the right time to deliver a seamless experience. In October 2023, I took on the role of Head of Product, and since then, I’ve been focused on scaling our solutions, refining our user experience, and driving innovation.
What trends in fintech excite you the most right now?
One of the most exciting trends is the rapid rise of embedded finance. Businesses no longer want separate financial services—they want payments, banking, and expense management seamlessly integrated into their existing products to improve the services they give to their clients. This shift creates opportunities for companies like Wallester to provide flexible, white-label solutions that empower both financial and non-financial businesses to embed financial products directly into their ecosystems.
The challenge for the product team is to ensure that we are ahead of the game and anticipate how these trends will manifest in terms of customer requirements. It makes our work very exciting and fulfilling.
How does Wallester differentiate itself from competitors through its products?
Our biggest differentiator is flexibility. Many fintech solutions force businesses to adapt to rigid, pre-set structures. At Wallester, we provide a fully customisable and scalable platform that works for companies of all sizes—whether it’s a startup looking for a simple corporate card solution or a large enterprise needing complex expense management tools.
Another key advantage is speed. Our infrastructure allows businesses to issue and manage virtual and physical cards in real time, which significantly reduces onboarding friction and operational delays. We also prioritise transparency—our pricing model is straightforward, with no hidden fees, which is something our customers really appreciate.
What’s a recent product update or feature you’re particularly proud of, and why?
Definitely our Wallester Business Demo Portal. In the payments and expense management world, one of the biggest obstacles for potential customers is the fear of buyer’s remorse. Companies worry about committing to a new platform only to find out later that it doesn’t fit their needs—especially after moving away from their old systems.
To solve this, we created something revolutionary: a fully interactive Demo Portal that allows anyone to explore a simulated version of our platform without signing up. They can experience the Wallester Business portal in real time, test different features, and get a feel for the product—risk-free. This level of transparency builds trust and helps businesses confidently make informed decisions.
Is your product development philosophy customer-led or business-led?
It’s a balance of both. We listen closely to customer feedback and prioritise their most pressing needs, but at the same time, we take a proactive approach to innovation. Sometimes, customers don’t know exactly what they need until they see a better solution in action.
For example, when we introduced real-time card issuing and control, many companies hadn’t even considered the benefits of instantly managing corporate spending. But once they experienced it, they realised how much more efficient and secure their expense management could be. So, while we absolutely build with customer feedback in mind, we also anticipate trends and develop features that create new possibilities for our clients.
How do you see AI and automation shaping the future of payment solutions?
AI and automation are already making a huge impact, and we’re just scratching the surface. The biggest game-changer is fraud prevention—AI can spot suspicious transactions instantly, way faster than any human ever could. That means fewer security risks and a lot less stress for businesses.
Then, there’s expense management. No one wants to spend hours approving transactions or categorising expenses manually. With automation, businesses can streamline the whole process—approvals happen automatically, expenses are categorised instantly, and reconciliation becomes a breeze.
And, of course, AI is making financial services more personalised. Instead of generic reports, businesses get smart insights tailored to their spending habits. Imagine an AI telling you, “Hey, you’re overspending in this area,” or, “Here’s a way to optimise your cash flow.” That’s where we’re headed.
At Wallester, we’re all about making payments and expense management effortless. AI and automation are helping us do just that, and we’re excited about what’s coming next.
What’s next for Wallester’s product roadmap? Any upcoming features you can hint at?
We are currently in the process of developing several key releases. We’re redesigning our mobile app to ensure it remains the best in the business. In addition, we’re also working on an improved redesign of our client portal. As always, we have several projects in the works with our partner Visa, and we’re also integrating AI-powered flows into our products. I also want to say that we’ve listened to our customers’ needs and looked at how we can create new, game-changing features for them.
How do you balance product innovation with regulatory compliance in the financial sector?
The Product team focuses on developing innovative solutions, while the Legal and Compliance teams provide guidance on regulatory frameworks and updates. This collaborative environment ensures that our innovations are both groundbreaking and compliant.
Compliance is not something we see as a limitation at Wallester—it’s an essential foundation for everything we build. Fintech is a highly regulated space, and we take a proactive approach by working closely with legal and compliance teams from the very start of product development.
The key is to design compliance into the product itself. Rather than adding it as an afterthought, we integrate regulatory requirements directly into our workflows, ensuring that customers get seamless, compliant experiences without unnecessary friction. This allows us to innovate confidently while maintaining the highest security and compliance standards.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your role as Head of Product?
I’ve found immense value in being directly involved in strategy and day-to-day operations. This approach allows me to ensure that our high-level goals align closely with the realities our team faces and the needs of our users, making our plans not just ambitious but also actionable.
Working closely with the team helps me understand their challenges and how these affect our users, shaping our strategic decisions. This hands-on involvement has taught me the importance of adaptability, direct communication, and maintaining a user-centric focus.
I also believe in setting challenging goals because they push us to innovate continuously, ensuring we constantly enhance the user experience and solve real problems. This mindset fosters a culture of seeking improvement and achieving breakthroughs, not just to meet but to exceed user expectations.
Ultimately, the lesson is clear: staying engaged at every level strengthens team commitment and drives us to deliver products that meet and exceed our customers’ needs, ensuring that every decision we make is informed by user feedback and oriented toward improving their experience.
What do you have a real passion for when you’re not building great products for Wallester?
I have a real passion for discovering – whether it’s discovering new places through travel, immersing myself in nature, or finding inspiration in opera, design, and beautiful aesthetics. I’m always curious, driven by the belief that the more I learn, the more I realise how much there’s still to explore – in life, in art, and even on my plate with good food. That constant curiosity fuels both my adventures and my approach to product development.
Finally, the question we ask everyone: Why Wallester?
Wallester is a company that thrives on innovation and agility. We’re constantly pushing boundaries, and there’s a real sense of momentum—things don’t get stuck in endless decision-making loops. If an idea makes sense and adds value, we move fast to bring it to life.
The culture here is collaborative and ambitious. Everyone is deeply invested in building the best possible product, and there’s a strong emphasis on ownership and responsibility. If you have an idea, you’re encouraged to run with it. It’s an exciting place to be, especially in an industry as fast-moving as fintech.
It is the perfect home for my ambitions, and I have the most fantastic team I have ever seen. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
