As we approach the end of a busy 2025, our intrepid Ironman participants are ramping up their training programmes for next year’s event in Hawaii.
We’re extremely proud that 15 of our employees have signed up to the challenge, a multi-sport endurance race consisting of three sequential disciplines. First, a 1.9 km swim, followed by a 90 km bike ride, and finally a daunting 21.1 km run.
Despite taking place in one of the world’s beautiful settings, it’s a tough race; just as the business world can be.
At payabl., we believe the Ironman challenge reflects our mission to make money flow more smoothly. And in the same way participants must evolve as the race progresses, we’ve evolved our proposition to deliver what the world’s merchants need to succeed in a single, unified platform - payabl.one.
Navigating an Ironman demands balance, consistency, adaptability, and recovery – the same characteristics that define our collaborative approach to working with our growing roster of clients.
In the build-up to Ironman 70.3 Hawaii, we’re profiling the teammates taking part. We’re exploring their motivations, along with how they’re integrating a demanding training regime with their day-to-day professional lives.
For this edition, we caught up with two of our senior leaders: Group Deputy CEO & Group Chief Corporate Officer (CCO), Christia Evagorou and Chief Regulatory Officer, Bruno Carneiro Leao.
Identifying their inspirations
“I decided to take part in order to get out of my comfort zone,” says Bruno.
“I’ve always wanted to take part in the Ironman since I was a teenager, and I’m keen to overcome (or at least temporarily manage) my extreme shark-phobia to be able to swim in Pacific waters.”
Christia’s decision to take part is also rooted in personal growth, following a gruelling period for her and her family.
“I’ve put my self-care on hold for the bigger part of my early thirties to focus on growing my family”, she says. “After a long journey with multiple attempts and failures in pregnancy, I am now blessed with two beautiful children, my youngest now a one year-old. I saw Ironman as an opportunity to prioritise myself again and regain control of my body and mind.”
Both Bruno and Christia emphasise the importance of maintaining a positive mindset, which is equally true in the business world. “During the race, I will have moments of doubt. The hardest challenge will be to channel those positively to push me one stride closer to the finish line,” explains Christia.
Reflecting on the parallels between Ironman training and his work at payabl., Bruno adds “you’ve got to keep moving, always. And when it comes to preparation, practice makes perfect.”
Adapting to new challenges
Bruno and Christia have shown the same sense of adaptability that will be required for the Ironman event throughout their impressive careers.
Bruno worked as a lawyer for several years, before switching careers to focus on risk management and compliance at Big Four consulting firms. He then moved into the world of payments and fintech.
“At the time, I was planning to set up my own consulting business,” he says. “But my interaction with payabl. was a decisive moment. I was astounded by the passion and purpose surrounding the company. There was an immediate sense of familiarity, and I instantly wanted to become part of the ecosystem.”
Christia is also a qualified solicitor, as well as a chartered accountant (FCA). Prior to joining payabl., she held a series of senior positions at PwC Cyprus and KPMG UK. In May 2025, she was appointed Group Deputy CEO at payabl., a role which she now combines with her position of Group CCO that she started in March 2024.
“My expanded role at payabl., in the same way as the Ironman challenge, often involves navigating through uncharted territory, which is sometimes uncomfortable but also mentally stimulating,” she explains. “Truthfully, both come down to being confident in yourself and having faith in the people that surround you.”
Given the fast-paced nature and evolving regulatory environment that characterises payments and fintech, Bruno’s role also involves navigating complexities.
“My work requires constant shifts in priorities and a need to deliver high-quality results under time constraints,” he says. “This is precisely what makes my role as Chief Regulatory Officer challenging and exciting.”
“It’s rarely a calm sea, but as the saying goes, ‘calm seas don’t make good sailors’. I appreciate the creativity of the fintech and payments world, and how these new developments are shaping the financial world as a whole.”
Counting on consistency
Just as endurance racing is all about consistent pacing, in fintech, it’s about achieving steady, reliable results.
Bruno and Christia believe consistency is an Ironman value that resonates strongly with both their training programmes and professional lives.
“Consistency, as well as perseverance and endurance,is crucial,” says Bruno. “Show up every day, and do what you have to, no matter what. That’s the only way.”
“I take things one week at a time,” adds Christia. “I try to hit certain milestones every week, and I’m now seeing incremental improvements every day. The single value I resonate with most is consistency, simply because it’s the one I have the hardest time with, and the one that I keep repeating to myself to keep my motivation. I believe I can be an Iron(wo)man only if I manage to balance all the core values I take on each day.”
Ultimately, whether it’s in sports or business, different strengths combine to make the team stronger. This is something Bruno has noticed since joining payabl.
“The team culture is genuinely inspiring,” he says. “It helps ease the burden amidst busy schedules and high expectations for performance and deliverables. There’s always a feeling that someone’s got my back, a feeling that’s not very common within the corporate world.”
Asked to sum up the Ironman experience in a single word, he improvises: “A hell’of’a’ride.”
Christia chooses “Transcendent”.
“I want my kids to witness the fact that you can do whatever you set your mind to – even if you’re starting from zero,” she concludes.
Stay tuned for further updates as the team prepares for Ironman 70.3 in Hawaii in May 2026.