Charles Matta: A Testimony of Discipline

From the firm belief in delivering equal opportunities, inclusivity, commitment, and conscientious work ethics birthed a rising financial technology (Fintech) company, MyMonty. The idea of the company stems from the fundamental core philosophy of equality and delivering on the promise of offering everyone basic banking and financial services.

Executive Vice President (EVP) of MyMonty, Charles Matta, never settled when there was room for improvement. His aspirations always directed him toward the path of excellence, driving him to invest his knowledge in extending his embrace of innovative approaches to leave his mark in the fintech scene.

His diverse career path was initiated in the early 2010s in the professional services industry and then merged into the fintech ecosystem. His diverse portfolio involves a myriad of international certifications and distinguished achievements. Throughout his career, Charles has demonstrated excellent performance and received profound promotions driven by his ambitious drive, motivation, and outstanding work ethic.

His role as MyMonty’s EVP has left a consequential mark in the inception of Monty Finance, the fintech arm of Monty Group based in the UK. The EVP was a pivotal contributor to the business’s constitution from the ground up. He helped define the company’s fintech strategy, the business itself, and its operating model. Charles helped set up the corporate governance, the product strategy, and the go-to-market plan and formed the leadership team and the board of directors.

Not only is he the EVP, but he is also heading the strategy and partnerships and corporate finance at the Group. In addition, he is the Chairman of the Group’s innovation committee and a member of other group committees, including EXCO, licensing and acquisition committee, and technical committee.

Charles has always gravitated toward finance, from a bachelor’s degree in Business and Finance to an executive Master of Business Administration. “It is a part of me, but my interest in technology that started a couple of years ago is ever-growing,” Charles said. When Founder and Chairman Mountasser Hachem initiated the company’s venture into the fintech space, to Charles, it wasn’t a matter of if he’d join the industry but when. “I have been in love with finTech since I embarked on the endeavor,” he expressed.

“Creating Monty Finance and witnessing its growth from inception to completion was surreal. Such an experience never enticed me, but it is addictive to see one’s effort come to fruition.” Monty Finance, launched its suite of financial and payments products in Europe earlier this year. Its two main products are MyMonty, a digital banking service, and MontyPay, a digital payment gateway system. The EVP believes fintech will be an inescapable element of the finance world in the foreseeable future.

Demanding Challenge

Before the company’s fruitful endeavor into the fintech world, Charles’s experience leaned more toward finance than technology. So, reaching a balance between what he knew and the untapped potential the new journey offered was a personal achievement.  

The world is changing and embracing financial technologies. As the company grows, the main challenges, from Charles’ perspective, include adhering to the innovative aspect of a fast-growing market with ever-evolving customer expectations, internationalizing the growth given the uniqueness of each market, and managing talents and retaining them.

“Without the team, we won’t achieve innovation and sustain our growth,” Charles admitted to Inside Telecom. “Our priority is our people, so we set a culture one can’t easily find at other companies. Innovation is at the core of what we do.”

Significant Management Success

Managing one’s subordinates is the most outstanding challenge leaders face nowadays. Charles believes that “post-COVID-19, offices are not the same; the collective trauma we have experienced as community members changed us.” The EVP spoke of how leaders had to adjust their outlook and management skills to consider such a drastic change. “In a Startup, engaging your team and offering them a healthy work environment requires managed expectations and the leader’s genuine care of his subordinates.” Charles believes staying true to oneself and people is the mindset needed to keep the team strong, motivated, and engaged.

Making the shift from starting this venture with a single-employee office to managing over 100 has proved to be a challenging, nevertheless, rewarding road to march on. “Witnessing what our efforts, sleepless nights, and, most importantly, resilience in facing these challenges made everything worth it.”

I was very fortunate to have had exemplary mentors throughout my life. They not only influenced the trajectory of my career but honed my leadership skills. They led by example, and I aspire to do the same.

To the rising leader, having exemplary mentors throughout his life not only influenced the trajectory of his career but honed his leadership skills. They led by example, and he aspires to follow in their footsteps.

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