Navigate the Future of Payments, Commerce and AI
Expert advisory services helping organisations accelerate growth, innovation and strategic execution in an increasingly connected world. Independent advisory led by Ken Ritchie, ex-Visa, Mastercard and CyberSource.
Track record: Visa · Mastercard · CyberSource
Who We Help
- Financial Institutions — Transform payment capabilities and accelerate innovation.
- FinTechs — Scale products, partnerships and go-to-market execution.
- Payment Service Providers (PSPs) — Expand acceptance, optimise economics and unlock new revenue.
- Mobility Providers — Enable seamless transactions across transit, EV charging, parking and tolling.
- Software Platforms — Integrate embedded payments and monetisation capabilities.
Advisory Services
- Payments Strategy — Develop product strategies, investment priorities and growth plans for modern payment ecosystems.
- Agentic Commerce — Prepare for the next wave of AI-powered commerce and autonomous transaction experiences.
- Commercialisation & Go-To-Market — Drive successful launches through structured commercialisation, channel development and execution governance.
- Partnerships & Alliances — Build high-impact ecosystem relationships and strategic channel partnerships.
- Business Transformation — Align operating models, stakeholder engagement and strategic execution for sustainable growth.
Why Arcturus Consulting
Over 25 years of business experience — including 15 years focused specifically on payments strategy, commercialisation, partnerships and product innovation across global markets. Leadership positions held at Visa, Mastercard and CyberSource.
- 25+ years of business experience, including 15 years in payments and financial services
- Senior leadership at Visa, Mastercard and CyberSource
- Clients served across EMEA, Asia Pacific, North America and beyond
- Strategy backed by real-world execution and delivery
Industries We Serve
- Mass Transit & Open-Loop Payments — Open-loop contactless ticketing, account-based ticketing, transit acceptance strategy
- EV Charging — EV charging payment infrastructure, roaming, commercial models
- Tolling — Toll collection modernisation and payments integration
- Parking — Parking payment systems and urban mobility integration
- Fintech & PSPs — Growth strategy, product commercialisation, ecosystem development, competitive positioning
- Banking — Digital transformation, commercial payments, embedded finance, customer experience
- Software Platforms — Embedded payments, SaaS monetisation, channel expansion, product strategy
- Agentic Commerce & AI — Agentic commerce strategy, automated purchasing, commerce orchestration, AI-enabled transactions
About Ken Ritchie
Ken Ritchie is a senior business and technology executive with more than 25 years of experience across financial services and technology. Of those, 15 years have been focused specifically on payments strategy, commercialisation, partnerships and product innovation across global markets.
His career includes leadership positions at Visa, Mastercard, CyberSource and other technology organisations where he has successfully driven product growth, market expansion, customer engagement and business transformation programmes.
Ken is the founder and principal consultant of Arcturus Consulting, based in the United Kingdom and serving clients in EMEA, Asia Pacific and North America.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kenhritchie
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does Arcturus Consulting do?
- Arcturus Consulting provides independent strategic advisory for organisations operating in payments, commerce and digital transformation. We help clients develop clear strategies, launch new products, build partnerships and deliver measurable business outcomes.
- Who is Arcturus Consulting for?
- We work with financial institutions, payment service providers, fintechs, urban mobility operators, software platforms and technology companies. Clients engage us when they need senior payments expertise without the overhead of a large consulting firm.
- Do you advise on open-loop / contactless payments for mass transit?
- Yes. Ken Ritchie has worked extensively across open-loop transit ticketing programmes, helping operators and technology providers navigate acceptance strategy, commercial models and ecosystem integration. We also advise on EV charging, tolling and parking payment integration within the wider mobility ecosystem.
- What is agentic commerce and how should payment providers prepare?
- Agentic commerce refers to AI-powered agents that execute purchasing decisions autonomously on behalf of users. Payment providers should begin evaluating their authorisation flows, risk models and merchant agreements for agent-initiated transactions — organisations that build the frameworks now will be far better positioned as this market matures.
- Do you support EV charging, tolling and parking payment projects?
- Yes. We advise clients across the full urban mobility spectrum, including EV charging infrastructure, toll collection modernisation, parking payment systems and multi-modal account management. We have supported over 200 projects across these categories to go live.
- Do you take board advisory or non-executive director roles?
- Ken Ritchie is open to board advisory and NED roles with organisations where deep payments and commerce expertise is strategically valuable. Please get in touch to discuss the opportunity.
- Where are you based and which regions do you cover?
- Arcturus Consulting is UK-based and serves clients across EMEA, Asia Pacific and North America. We work directly with clients and alongside other consulting and advisory partners.
- How do engagements work?
- Engagements are structured to the client's needs and can cover assurance and independent review, RFP and procurement support, market sizing and opportunity assessment, strategy development and implementation leadership. We work directly with clients or alongside their existing consulting and advisory partners.
Contact Arcturus Consulting
Email: ken.ritchie@arcturusconsulting.net
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kenhritchie