Peter Lowder joined North Highland's Charlotte office as a Managing Director focused on Banking and Payments.
With more than 30 years in Financial Services, he brings hands-on experience across consumer and commercial banking transformation including merger integration, consumer and commercial card and merchant services transformation, as well as payment orchestration and architecture modernization.
We sat down with him to learn more:
Q1: You've spent 30 years in Financial Services. What made North Highland the right next move?
The Financial Services Consulting industry has faced strong headwinds in recent years, and I think our clients' expectations of their consulting service providers have shifted from open-ended time and materials technology spending to leaner, experienced backed value propositions.
North Highland's strategy aligns well with this value proposition. The Firm puts senior practitioners in front of clients and keeps them there through delivery, not just the sale. And we put equal focus on people and process along with the technology. Most importantly, we value the client relationship deeply. Our CEO Anthony Shaw uses the term “client obsessed;” that matters in banking and payments, where the complexity compounds quickly and clients need someone they trust.
Q2: Payments modernization is everywhere right now. What does that actually mean for a banking client trying to figure out where to start?
I define payments modernization as helping banks make and execute the right investments to build the products, customer experiences, and technology and operations capabilities they need to compete and grow.
Most banks are running payment infrastructures that were designed for a very different era. At the same time, they're facing pressure from fintechs and digital-native competitors that are raising the bar on customer experience, and emerging technologies like Agentic AI and blockchain that are driving significant change in the underlying payment rails.
The challenge isn't deciding whether to modernize, it's deciding where to start. The most successful banks identify the capabilities that will create the greatest strategic value, then sequence those investments in a way that delivers near-term benefits while laying the foundation for long-term transformation.
Payments modernization is ultimately about making those choices deliberately – accelerating innovation, improving efficiency, and reducing risk without disrupting the business that works today. I call it being “future payments ready.”
Q3: What's your priority focus for North Highland's Banking and Payments practice in the next 12-18 months?
Frankly, it’s growth. We’re going to put together a solid market offering, with deep industry experts, delivered to valued client partners at banks and payment providers. We're focused on helping clients make real progress on their most strategic core banking and payments projects, and we’re going to create an environment where our people can grow and have fulfilling careers.
Q4: After 30 years in the industry, what still excites you about this space?
I’ve been around long enough to see the US banking industry go through significant change. I was around when interstate banking laws were repealed, when online banking became a thing, during the financial crisis in 2008, and saw the impact of Covid on banking services.
However, the level of disruption banks are facing now – fintechs receiving their banking charters, the emergence of embedded commerce, agentic AI initiating transactions, and the rise of programmable money – is unprecedented in my opinion. But this is also what makes consulting fun. Let’s get a bunch of eager, smart, fun people in a room, figure it out, and make a difference to our clients. That problem-solving piece is what keeps it interesting.
Q5: You're based in Charlotte. What should people know about you outside of work?
My wife Amy and I are officially empty nesters, which we're still adjusting to. We have three rescue dogs that keep us honest about any travel plans. When we're not wrangling them, we're usually catching live music or finding an excuse to try a new bourbon. It's not unusual to catch us at the White Water Center on a Friday night listening to the River Jam band with the pups.
Ready to talk banking and payments strategy? Start the conversation here.