Raphaël Lilla Interview
As fintech and digital media industries continue to evolve, regulatory frameworks and business transformation are becoming central to sustainable growth. Few leaders embody this balance better than Raphaël Lilla, Chairman of the Board of Directors at SPB TV AG, and a seasoned executive with more than 30 years of experience in global financial services, governance, and innovation.
In this exclusive interview, Mr. Lilla shares his views on leadership, regulation, and the future of fintech at the crossroads of disruption and responsibility.
Balancing Innovation with Regulation
We started the interview by asking, “You have led both traditional banking institutions and fintech ventures. How do you balance innovation with regulatory compliance in highly dynamic industries?”
Raphaël Lilla replied, “Regulation is often perceived as an obstacle, but in my experience, it is a catalyst for a long-term growth and secure risk-based approach development. During my professional life, I worked directly with several financial market supervisory authorities – i.e. FINMA in Switzerland, DFSA and VARA in Dubai, SEBI in India, SEC in New York, CYMA in the Cayman Islands, SCB in the Bahamas, FSA in UK, etc. – to secure licensing procedures and ensuring that new financial institutions were always grounded in compliance and regulatory trust. At SPB TV AG we apply the same principle. Our AR and VR streaming and adaptive monetization models are exciting, but they remain firmly embedded in governance frameworks. Innovation and regulation must evolve together. That is how you achieve both scalability and integrity in the financial and technical sectors.”
Governance as the Backbone of Transformation
The Arab Today: What role does corporate governance play in driving business transformation in fintech and digital media companies?
Raphaël Lilla replied, “Corporate governance is not just an administrative framework. It is the backbone of sustainable transformation. In highly regulated and fast-moving industries such as fintech and digital media, innovation without governance can easily turn into uncontrolled risk. There are recent examples showing how a multi-billion asset crypto company can disappear due to insufficient corporate governance rules.
Ultimately, good governance empowers organizations to innovate responsibly. It gives teams the freedom to take bold decisions, knowing that robust oversight and accountability mechanisms are in place. That combination of entrepreneurial agility and institutional discipline is what truly drives long-term transformation in both fintech and digital media.”
Localization and Cultural Integration
The Arab Today: How do you approach localization and cultural integration when expanding into regions such as MENA?
Raphaël Lilla replied, “True localization goes far beyond translating a user interface. It is about embedding operations into the cultural, regulatory, and economic fabric of the region. Living and working in Dubai, I have seen how partnerships with telcos, regulators, and banks can accelerate adoption. At SPB TV AG, our MENA expansion strategy focused on building telecom alliances and secure B2B digital payment networks, ensuring that our technology was not only advanced but also culturally and commercially relevant.
Every market in MENA has its own business dynamics, legal frameworks, and consumer expectations, and respecting these differences is essential for sustainable success.
At SPB TV AG, our expansion strategy in MENA is built around this principle. For example, when entering the Gulf region, we decided to immediately align with local practices. In my view, localization is successful when customers and partners perceive the solution as their own, not as an imported product. Achieving this requires flexibility, humility, and genuine integration with the local ecosystem.”
The Future of Fintech Leadership
The Arab Today: Fintech in 2025 is at a turning point. What qualities must future leaders in this space possess?
Raphaël Lilla replied, “Leadership in fintech must be driven by purpose. It is not only about profitability but also about ethical responsibility. For example, including new sectors like facilitating humanitarian transactions. The fintech sector in 2025 stands at the intersection of innovation, regulation, and global competition. To thrive in this environment, future leaders must embody a unique combination of vision, resilience, and responsibility.
Firstly, more than ever, leaders need strategic foresight. It implies the ability to anticipate how technologies such as AI, blockchain, stablecoins / FIAT wiring embedded finance and will reshape client expectations, regulatory standards, and business models. Leaders must not only react to change but proactively shape ecosystems.
Second, leaders must combine technical literacy with regulatory fluency. Fintech is one of the most tightly scrutinized industries worldwide. Leaders who can bridge the language of engineers, regulators, and investors will be best positioned to turn compliance into a strategic advantage rather than a constraint.
Third, successful leaders will require cultural intelligence and adaptability. As fintech becomes more global, scaling across regions such as MENA, Asia, or Africa demands sensitivity to local markets, partnerships, and customer behavior, something that traditional banking institutions are often not well adapted to, or even refuse to do.
In short, the future fintech leader will not only be a disruptor but also a “steward”, someone who can inspire innovation while safeguarding trust. Those who combine vision with accountability will define the next chapter of financial services
At COBAYCORP for example, I worked on tokenization projects that placed transparency at the center. At SPB TV AG I mentor young leaders to think critically, adapt quickly, and maintain their ethical standards even in difficult circumstances. The fintech leaders of tomorrow will be defined by their ability to unite innovation, governance, and social trust.”
A Common Thread across Industries
Lastly we asked, “Your career spans Swiss banking, structured finance, crypto commodities, and digital media. What is the common thread that has driven your success across such diverse industries?”
“In Swiss banking, I focused on governance and cross-border supervision, ensuring stability while leading complex mergers. In Dubai, when securing the first license for crypto commodities, I applied the same principle: innovation must be aligned with regulation to gain legitimacy and scale. At SPB TV AG, pioneering digital broadcasting and adaptive payment systems has again required balancing creativity with compliance, allowing innovation to flourish without undermining trust.
For me, success comes from finding the bridge between bold ideas and institutional discipline. Regulation and governance are not obstacles, they are enablers. They provide the trust needed for customers, investors, and regulators to embrace new models.
Technologies evolve, industries transform, but the true drivers of sustainable success remain constant: trust, governance, and cultural understanding. That is the common thread that has guided me across every chapter of my career.” Raphaël Lilla concluded
About Raphaël Lilla
Raphaël Lilla is Chairman of SPB TV AG in Switzerland, Director at SKY Connect Inc. in Malaysia, and advisor to several global financial and corporate entities. With a career spanning more than three decades across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, he is recognized as a leading voice in financial services, governance, and digital transformation.
Connect with Raphaël Lilla on LinkedIn
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