In today’s episode, lead host Djavaneh Bierwirth speaks with Daniel Marovitz, Senior Vice President of Fintech at Booking.com. Daniel shares his journey from studying East Asian languages to leading fintech innovation at one of the world's largest travel e-commerce companies. We explore the complexities of cross-border payments, the evolution of digital payments in the travel industry, and the strategies Booking.com employs to enhance the travel experience. Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 1:27 - Daniel's career journey 7:53 - Challenges of cross-border payments in travel 12:17 - Booking.com's payment innovations 16:58 - Partnering with local payment methods 21:31 - Balancing payment method complexities 29:26 - Evolution of Booking.com's fintech strategies 37:26 - Connected trip concept 38:37 - Build vs. partner decisions in fintech 45:04 - Advice for aspiring fintech entrepreneurs 47:26 - Closing thoughts