BigPay 

Committed to our vision, our people and our customers. Rising to the challenge everyday.

Always happy to help,
Let's grow! 💪💙💪

Chief Product Officer

Chapter 3: Path to Profitability. 

Set Product culture, structures, and product operating model that allow us to improve Product Efficiency across 5+ squads in order to transition to scale up mode and reach profitability. 

Co-Led our Embedded Finance solution with one of our superstar PMs. 

Trained and coached the Product team.

Principal, Product Ways of Working

Chapter 2: Growth at All Cost. 

Led key strategic initiatives including Payout Payments APIs, Engagement and Gamification, Ministry of Finance initiatives for financial inclusion, 

Set the Product foundations for Thailand Market Expansion.

Product Lead

Chapter 1: From Zero to One. 

Built BigPay Product from scratch to multiple Geos and Business Lines, including Payments, Analytics & Remittances, across Singapore and Malaysia reaching 1 Million downloads. 

Built a strong Product and Design team of twelve and the foundations of BigPays Product Culture and Processes across the organization.

Head of Product

Purpose Driven Fintech

I speak with Founders, CEOs, and CPOs to understand the challenges of our industry and how to better build products and FinTechs with impact across customers, colleagues and profitability

I release new episodes every Tuesday and you can listen or watch in YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or your favourite platform

Reach out to be part of the pod

Podcast Host 

PayEd - Education in Payments

Advisory Board Member

Connecting the dots in FinTech...

APAC Newsletter Contributor & News Curator

Tandem Bank

Consultant, CEO Office

Service Design Delivery Manager, CEO Office

- First member of the Banking Products team. Employee num. 18th. 
- Led credit cards design and implementation from zero to pilot launch

Product Manager, Banking Products

barclaycard

Product and Propsositions Manager Small Business Cards

Existing Customer Manager Small Business Cards

Visa

Global Client Sales Account Manager, CEMEA

Banco del Ahorro Nacional y Servicios Financieros BANSEFI

Product Development Manager

Empowering FinTech Product Leaders to navigate complexity with purpose, passion, and impactful conversations for inclusive financial well-being I Join to connect, learn, and lead the industry forward.🚀

Hello 👋 I’m a hands-on product leader with a proven track record of building and scaling digital banking solutions across multiple geographies.  I am mission driven (because money has been a pain point, and it didn’t have to be like that).

I thrive at the intersection of a fast-paced entrepreneurial culture, customer centricity, and solving real problems with actual impact.

*Results Oriented*

At BigPay, one of Southeast Asia's largest NeoBanks, I’ve helped steer our product through three critical phases: Zero to One, Growth at All Costs, and now, sustainable Path to Profitability - growing the customer base to over 1.37 million users. We are known mainly as a travel solution and increasingly becoming a day to day app. 

My expertise spans from product design, delivery and growth, team building, and driving the cultural shift and ways of working necessary to go from startup to scaleup. 

At Tandem Bank, I helped build from scratch, and worked with Tandem's CEO on strategic initiatives and Board management. 

*Achievements & Impact*

1. Product Growth & Innovation: 

Led the development of credit cards, BigPay’s prepaid card with its app, remittances, a payments API, an embedded finance solution for airasia, and engagement initiatives to meet evolving needs.

2. Strategic Planning: 

Collaborated with the CEO and ExCo to shape product strategy, aligning squads on growth, innovation goals, OKRs, and resource planning.

3. Expansion: 

Launched BigPay’s product in Malaysia, Singapore, and empowered teams to launch in Thailand. 

4. Cultural Transformation: 

Established a strong Product Operating Model, guiding BigPay’s shift from startup to scaleup.

5. Team Building: 

Recruited and mentored a high-performing product and design team, setting a scalable foundation.

*Knowledge Sharing*

I host the Purpose Driven FinTech podcast, where I interview FinTech Founders, CEOs, and leaders on how to build differentiated FinTech products that drive 10x impact. We cover customer needs, solving pain points, and leadership insights.

I’m keen to explore:
- Incorporating AI into existing workflows
- Building AI-powered products
- Staying at the forefront of AI innovations

I’m recognized as one of Singapore’s #Fintech65 Product Leaders and Women in FinTech, I’ve spoken at Money2020, and am an active mentor for women in Fintech and new to FinTech.

*Let’s Connect*
 
If you’re a leader, founder, or innovator passionate about transforming FinTech and driving real impact—I’d love to chat!

We can ideate, collaborate, podcast, mentor & coach.

Monica

Monica Millares 🎙️

Asia School of Business

• Lead and manage a team of 12 professional Academic Managers to ensure that all MBA and Master of Central Banking courses are delivered in high quality.
• Provide trainings to the team and monitor team performance throughout the semester.
• Monitor team tasks and manage team related affairs.
• Main contact and coordinator with Faculty, Program Offices, Registry, Student Body, IT, MIT Global Program Office and all other related departments in regards to the Academic Managers.
• Co-leading the efforts in the Masters in Management programme and hybrid MicroMasters format of lesson delivery

Lead Academic Manager

Asia School of Business (Masters in Business Administration & Masters in Central Banking) 
Roles: 
• Specialist in Accounting and Finance
• Co-teach, conduct tutorial sessions and personal consultations with students
   Subjects: Corporate Finance, Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting
• Grade assignments and provide individual constructive feedback to students
• Manage administration of the course with students, faculty and interdepartments

Achievements :
- Presented online learning tools for faculty-wide application
- Led task force for MQA Accreditation 
- Led external collaboration events and conducted workshops.
- Academic support in MIT Sloan

Course Instructor

Senior Academic Associate

• Answer course and content-related questions.
• Facilitate discussion with students with the goal of contributing content expertise and practical experience.
• Grade assignments and provide individual constructive feedback to students in a timely manner (to be established by the Faculty and agreed upon by the Academic Manager).
• Conduct tutorial sessions
• Perform accreditation and compilation work for AACSB and MQA regulation purposes.

Academic Associate

Project ID

- Project Management & Coordination
- Programme Development & Delivery

Programme Specialist

Teach For Malaysia

Responsibilities 
- Taught English and ‘Reka Bentuk & Teknologi’ (Design, Project Management & Technology) to 13 and 14 years-old students
- Head of ‘Late Discipline’, created a tracking system for late students, created reports and managed students’ discipline
-Teacher and Staff Club Committee, managed events and celebrations for the school, operational activities of the club and teachers and staff’s welfare

Achievements
- Coached students for project management and pitching at national level and secured sponsorship for project
- Championed 21st Century Learning and created a fully equipped 21st Century Classroom
- Coached students for State Level Debate Competition
- Created a mentor – mentee system which significantly improved students’ results by 33%
- Designed creative strategies and teaching methodologies in improving learning experience
- Coached students for performing arts for state level performance
- Collaborated with stakeholders from corporate and officials from international community, such as Accenture, YTL, Sunway, Manamana Production, Indonesia and Sarawak school committees 
- Awarded with ‘Tokoh Guru’(Exemplary Teacher) , ‘Special Appreciation Award for Most Active Teacher’ and ‘Most Active Club’ for 2019

Teaching Fellow

Schlumberger

- Responsible for the preparation of management accounts, trial balances and financial statements for local entities
- Ensure compliance and submission of statutory accounts within filing deadlines in accordance with IFRS
- Assist in tax audits and appeals as per Country’s requirements
- Involved in continuous process improvement (US vs Local GAAP reconciliation)

Tax Accountant (Secondment from BDO)

- Performed external audit cycle for companies (PLC), which includes Financial Position and Profit and Loss items with statutory audit. 
- Equipped with analytical skills, writing and reporting skills, knowledge on working papers procedures and communication skills with clients. 
- Performed internal audit for controls and governance for clients, ensuring companies meet policies and regulations.

Auditor

Tunku Abdul Rahman University College

-	Took the lead in initiating and organizing activities for the class
-	Communicate with university’s admin and faculty in the administration of the class. 
-	Managing the distribution of notes and funds of the class

Class representative

- Vision casting and communicating directions to the organisation
- Managed the society’s detailed operation and activities
- Organised multiple events including charity fund raising events, visitations with help aids to needy organisations
- Have been the camp commandant, project manager and public relation coordinator for events and camps

President of Christian Fellowship

- Traveled alongside with GST Senior Advisor and team in carrying out workshops, assisted the partner in research, coordinating work assignments and preparing presentation slides 
- Assigned as a marketer for GST workshops in roadshows and events
- Perform cold-calling to engage potential clients for GST services

Tax Intern

Growing up with a challenging childhood, I found my purpose and passion in education, driving impactful initiatives for the community - bridging the gap of poverty and education inequity.

I am currently teaching Accounting and Finance (MBA), also leading the Academic Support team at Asia School of Business. I am a HRDF certified trainer and ICF certified coach.

taplio

The Battle

Monica Millares 🎙️

Jason Yap

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