Ascenda

We're proud to enable the launch of the first-ever debit co-brand rewards card in the U.S. with our partners at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Galileo Financial Technologies! With our modular loyalty infrastructure, we've made real-time rewards possible for travelers to earn on everyday spend. This is a testament to the power of strategic partnerships to drive meaningful customer engagement and value. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gd_X3DKn

We’re thrilled to welcome Melissa Basu Gordon as SVP, Global Head of Marketing and Customer Engagement! Melissa brings 20 years of expertise across card issuing, strategic partnerships, and customer marketing, driving innovation and business growth for some of the world’s most recognized brands. At Ascenda, she will lead our global marketing strategy, performance marketing, and merchant marketing innovation, further strengthening our position as the leading rewards infrastructure provider for banks, fintechs, and major merchants worldwide. Her leadership will be instrumental in shaping the next phase of our growth—welcome, Melissa!

We’re excited to announce the appointment of Jan Wilken as Ascenda’s Chief Product Officer. A seasoned leader in financial services and technology, Jan brings deep expertise in building innovative solutions that drive growth for financial institutions worldwide. As Ascenda continues to redefine how banks and brands engage customers through world-class loyalty programs, Jan’s leadership will be instrumental in shaping our product strategy and delivering even greater value to our partners. Please join us in welcoming Jan! ?? [https://lnkd.in/gSMjvkAJ]

Ascenda is headed to Fintech Meetup on March 10th! We'll be discussing how our world-class Loyalty-as-a-Service platform helps financial service brands attract, engage, and retain customers. ?? Drive acquisition with compelling rewards ?? Grow revenue with effective lifecycle marketing ?? Increase retention through inspiring experiences ?? Fully modular solution that can be deployed in weeks Come meet us and see how we can help you deliver unmatched end-user value. https://lnkd.in/g_xJxzUB #FintechMeetup #Ascenda #Fintech #CustomerEngagement #RewardsEcosystem #LoyaltyAsAService

We’re excited to announce our partnership with Galileo Financial Technologies to transform loyalty-driven card programs for banks, fintechs, and brands! By integrating our expertise in loyalty and customer engagement with Galileo’s robust financial technology, we’re delivering a seamless, end-to-end solution that makes launching and scaling rewards programs easier than ever. “We’re excited to empower organizations with loyalty solutions that drive real results,” said Joshua Berwitz, Chief Commercial Officer of Ascenda. Read the full announcement here: https://lnkd.in/gsEjsKVa

Loyalty programs aren’t just about repeat business anymore—they’re a growth engine, as ?Shep Hyken points out in his recent Forbes article. But most brands still aren’t tapping into their program's full potential. Here’s how financial institutions and merchants can turn loyalty into a serious profit driver: 1. Go beyond points—monetize engagement. Too many programs treat points like an expense instead of an asset. The best-run programs drive revenue by creating meaningful ways for customers to earn and redeem—whether that’s through paid accelerators, merchant-funded offers, or premium tiers. 2. Make data work harder. The real goldmine isn’t just in transactions; it’s in engagement. If you’re not using loyalty data to personalize offers in real time, you’re likely leaving money on the table. 3. Turn loyalty into a brand amplifier. Your program should do more than just reward purchases—it should make customers feel like insiders. Think exclusive access, VIP experiences, and rewards that reinforce your brand’s differentiating value. The best programs don’t just retain customers—they drive incremental revenue, deepen relationships, and strengthen brand affinity. Read the full article in the link below. ??

Loyalty should be a revenue engine, not an expense line. Yet, many companies are still treating it like a cost center, pumping money into cash-back and hoping for the best. Here’s what actually works: ?? Move beyond transactional rewards. Customers want travel perks, merchant offers, and status-based incentives—not just 3% back. ?? Encourage engagement, not just spend. The best programs reward referrals, app usage, and behaviors that build habits. ?? Make redemption seamless. If customers have to jump through hoops to use their rewards, they won’t. The impact? ?? Higher transaction volume ?? Longer retention ?? 25-30% higher spend per cardholder Loyalty isn’t about giving money back—it’s about building a relationship that keeps customers coming back.

Commercial cards are entering a new era, where loyalty is the key to growth—and competition is fierce. 51% of companies are considering switching card providers, with 62% citing rewards as the most critical benefit. We discovered this while speaking with 100 SME executives, primarily CEOs and CFOs, about how they really evaluate their commercial cards for handling business expenses. (https://lnkd.in/gz8EDDmc) Why the shift? Businesses aren’t just looking for financial products; they desire value-aligned solutions that improve cash flow, drive ROI, decrease spend management headaches, and elevate employee satisfaction. Loyalty isn’t just about points—it’s about delivering tangible, flexible value that businesses can count on. Providers that pair strong rewards propositions with flexible redemption options, tailored benefits, and better integrations with spend management platforms will dominate the SME market.

We are thrilled to announce that Matt Hagen has joined Ascenda as Senior Vice President of Financial Institution Business Development. With over 20 years of experience at the intersection of loyalty, payments, and financial services, Matt has worked with leading banks, fintechs, and merchants to deliver advanced solutions that drive customer engagement and value. Prior to Ascenda, Matt held the role of SVP, Emerging Segment Sales at Visa, where he crafted tailored solutions for industries with unique payment ecosystem needs. During his ten years at Visa, he led strategy, business development, and account management for key industry players, achieving significant advancements in payment acceptance and value-added services. Additionally, he oversaw Global Co-brand Partnership Development and led Visa’s Everyday Spend merchant team in the U.S. Here’s what Matt had to say: "It's an exciting time to be part of Ascenda's forward momentum and the future of loyalty we're building together." We’re excited to welcome Matt to the team and look forward to the expertise and leadership he brings to our clients and partners!

It's a new year, with outstanding new leaders joining our team! We’re so excited to welcome Richard Wolfman and Nancy Yaffa to the Ascenda team as we continue to grow our global leadership in loyalty marketing. ?? Richard joins us as Senior Vice President of Business Development. Having spent 12 years at American Express, he was pivotal in building strategic partnerships with leading fintech brands and driving loyalty coalition businesses across telecom, grocery, streaming, and travel sectors. Prior to Amex, Richard worked at Hilton Worldwide for over a decade, in roles spanning ownership of the Hilton Honors program in EMEA and as Head of Business Development for the Honors program in the US. ?? Nancy steps in as Vice President of Business Development, EMEA, spearheading our regional expansion. Nancy brings 18+ years of payments and sales leadership experience, including roles at Curve, where she launched partnerships with PayPal, Samsung, and Swatch, and at American Express and Bank of America. Her entrepreneurial spirit and strategic mindset will drive results for financial institutions in the EMEA region. We are excited to build on Richard's and Nancy’s rich expertise to deliver growth for our partners and FIs. ?? Want to learn more about our engagement and loyalty solutions? Visit ascenda.com.