When you ask Martin Ptáček how he ended up at Switchio, he smiles as if he’s sharing a secret. “At first, I thought it was just a coincidence,” he says. “But soon I realized it wasn’t. Everything fit together so naturally that I found a new professional family almost instantly. I was happy here from day one. It felt like I had always been part of this place.” Then he adds with a playful twist: “Maybe someone wanted it this way. Let’s call him… Kamil Hanáček.” Martin has known Monet+ for many years and collaborated on several projects long before joining.
“My heart — both personally and professionally — brought me here.
And I truly believe the Switchio platform has enormous potential for growth.
I want to be there for that growth and contribute to it”.
A Career Built on Technology, Curiosity and ‘Coincidences’
Martin didn’t start payments. “Fifteen years ago, when I entered this industry, I honestly had no idea what the world of payments really involved,” he admits. Before that, he spent over a decade working on complex technology and integration projects, including national systems requiring precision and long-term vision.
“That was actually where I first crossed paths with Monet+. Another coincidence? I’m starting to doubt coincidences altogether,” he says. His entry into payments came through early mobile and digital payment projects. “That’s when I truly fell in love with payments — I became, figuratively speaking, addicted.” His work took him across Central and Western Europe and the United States, supporting major international partners and large-scale transaction systems. Despite the global reach, he adds, “I always enjoyed the Czech and Slovak projects the most. Those felt personal.”
What Makes Payments So Fascinating
Martin speaks about payments with real enthusiasm. “I love the payment world for its diversity and complexity,” he says. “And for its incredible ability to connect merchants and customers. Payments have become such a natural part of our lives that imagining a day without them is almost impossible.” He also values the community behind the technology. “Professionally, it’s a small world. Most people know each other. It’s a very pleasant environment for collaboration and meeting like-minded people.”
In the Heart of Switchio’s Development
As Switchio’s new Product Manager, Martin is directly involved in the platform’s evolution. “My role naturally puts me in the center of everything that touches Switchio,” he explains. “I work on requirements, architecture, integrations, problem-solving, processes, business and innovation.” He is currently collaborating across the entire Switchio ecosystem to support new platform expansion needs. “This quarter, we’re integrating four new hosts for transaction processing with new acquirers,” he says. “And we’re working on our new SoftPOS product and its pilot launch.” Looking ahead, he sees clear priorities.
“The biggest challenge will be managing the growth of the Switchio platform. We need to improve planning and delivery of new product features to ensure maximum transparency for our partners.
We want to be more effective and able to process more requests in parallel, with fewer dependencies”.
A Team Coach at Heart
“I’ve always been and always will be a team player,” Martin says. “I believe a group of people can achieve far more than any individual.” He compares his role to that of a sports coach: “I try to connect different personalities and use their natural talents. I want everyone to play where they’re strongest — and for us to have a clear strategy for every match.” And with a smile: “Every opponent is beatable with the right team and the right tactics.”
Looking Ahead: Alternative Payments and AI
Martin sees two major forces shaping the future. “Alternative payment methods are gaining momentum. They aim to bypass big card schemes and reduce processing costs. There are many ways to do this — and we are part of it.” The second is artificial intelligence. “AI is influencing our field just like many others. I believe we’ll soon see a rise in payments initiated and managed by autonomous agents — AI acting on behalf of users or companies.”