TrueTalk with Francesca Penazzi, Head of Customer Operations

Niccolo Alescio
Niccolò Alescio, Talent Acquisition Partner
16 May 2025
Francesca true talk

Tell us about your role.

I have been at TrueLayer for almost four years, and right now I’m the Head of Client Operations, based in our Milan office. I have the privilege to look after the team who looks after our clients.

Both our client operations specialists and technical support engineers offer tailored support and investigate complex technical issues. I'm amazed by their product knowledge and their focus on improving our efficiency and organisation. This team has also been of incredible personal support in many instances, we are a close-knit group and that’s pretty special.

What brought you to TrueLayer?

After spending seven years working in the fintech industry in London, I decided to return to Italy and explore a new sector. However, I came to realise that fintech is where my true passion and skills lie. It’s an industry that truly excites me, and I thrive in its fast-paced, innovative environment. Just as I was contemplating a return to the sector, I’m thrilled that TrueLayer reached out to me at the perfect time for a career change.

“

I am excited to see every member of the ClientOps team developing and taking huge leaps for their careers.

What are you most excited about over the next year at TrueLayer?

I am excited to see how our Pay by Bank product and branding will continue to add new merchants and how this will create opportunities for all of us working here. I am also excited to see every member of the ClientOps team developing and taking huge leaps for their careers.

What’s a typical day at TrueLayer for you?

No day is the same! I would start with checking what is on my calendar and prepare for any meetings or 1:1. A lot of our communication goes via Slack, so I always have an eye on it and try to be prompt in responding to questions or issues. I do enjoy working from our very cool Milan office and will never say no to a quick espresso with a colleague.

Thanks to TrueLayer's hybrid work policy, I also get to work remotely from my parents home where my best friend Olmo (a Lagotto Romagnolo dog) lives and at the end of the work day we enjoy at least a one-hour walk together

What advice would you give to someone on their first day at TrueLayer?

  1. Make the most of being a new joiner, tomorrow you'll be already a veteran.

  2. Ask questions, be curious and add your point of view.

  3. Enjoy the ride, your career is long and at TrueLayer it goes at 2x speed.

How have you changed since you joined TrueLayer?

I have noticed that I am bolder and more courageous. And generally speaking, my capacity to handle lots of different projects and tasks has exponentially increased.

TrueTalk hosts
Francesca, with her fellow hosts at our recent TrueHack.

Strangest job you’ve ever had?

When I was 17 years old I was an order picker in a stationary factory called Cartorama. There were lots of cute things and when a box was damaged or a product was no longer in trend, I would be able to take something home with me.

If you weren’t doing what you’re doing, what might you have done?

I am very creative and love gardening, so in my spare time I take flower arrangement classes. I would love to be a floral designer, gardener and maybe even own my own little flower shop one day.

“

Don't be afraid, just believe. If we listen too much to our fears, we’ll miss out on some great adventures and meeting some extraordinary people. So, just believe and take that leap of faith.

When you’re not at work, where might we find you?

Definitely gardening, planning parties or weddings, celebrating weddings, interpreting, mentoring women or anything to do with public speaking. Still trying to work on my stand up comedy debut though!

Words to live by?

  1. Don't be afraid, just believe. If we listen too much to our fears, we’ll miss out on some great adventures and meeting some extraordinary people. So, just believe and take that leap of faith.

  2. Just do the next right thing. Life goes fast, sometimes it can feel overwhelming, so when pacing myself, I try to do the next right thing and normally the rest will flow.

Any books, podcasts or films you’d recommend?

5 Levels of Leadership by John Maxwell and Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown. The first book explores five leadership levels that we will all experience and re-experience throughout our careers, which has helped me to focus on continuous development. The second book has been particularly helpful, as I readjust to life in Italy after spending several years living abroad in London and Tokyo.

Grow with us
We are systems builders, design thinkers and product crafters. Together, we build intelligent financial infrastructure that puts fintech at people's fingertips.
View open roles
Latest
Pay by bank phone
12 Jun 2025

Pay by Bank protections: a modern approach

15 million users milestone
10 Jun 2025

TrueLayer hits new industry milestone, surpassing 15 million consumers

Hey, I'm Andy from TrueLayer, and I'm going to try and tell you everything you need to know about Pay by Bank—in just ninety seconds.  Let’s start the clock.  Let’s keep it simple. What is Pay by Bank? It’s a payment method that lets you pay directly from your bank account via your banking app—with zero need for card networks.  That could mean buying pizza, paying for flights, or just about anything in between. And it’s actually pretty easy—and very quick.  It looks a bit like this: start by tapping the Pay by Bank button, then choose your bank from the list.  If you’ve used it before, we can even preselect your preferred bank. You then review the payment, and you’re seamlessly redirected to your bank app to approve it using secure biometrics.  That’s Face ID or a fingerprint, to you and me. And that’s it—success. But no time to relax—we're on the clock!  Now, this might be the first time you’re hearing about it, but every month in the UK, 27 million payments are made using Pay by Bank. And most people who haven’t tried it yet say they’d be happy to—if given the option. On the merchant side, nine out of ten businesses are already planning to adopt it in one way or another.  So what’s in it for businesses?  Number one: more potential sales. No cards means no long card numbers, no clunky 3DS2—just a smoother experience from start to finish. And it converts.  Number two: because payment details are pre-populated and verified with biometrics, things like card-not-present fraud, chargebacks, and authorized push payment fraud are virtually eliminated.  Number three: lower costs. Without all the intermediaries and manual admin, the total cost of Pay by Bank is typically lower than card payments.  I'm running out of time—one last benefit: instant refunds. And trust me, shoppers love instant refunds.  And breathe. That was a lot to cram into ninety seconds.  If you’d like to take your time and learn more about Pay by Bank—and why brands like Just Eat Takeaway, lastminute.com, Ryanair, and Papa John’s already offer it at checkout—you can read our in-depth guide. There should be a link on screen now.  And that’s it. Thanks for watching.
9 Jun 2025

Pay by Bank explained in 90 seconds

Categories to explore