Robert Bueninck, CEO Of Unzer | Episode 452 Leaders In Payments podcast

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Leaders In Payments »
Robert Bueninck, CEO of Unzer | Episode 452

6d ago 15:33

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If you run a small or mid-sized retail business and feel stuck between legacy tools and rising customer expectations, this conversation is your playbook for breaking through. We sit down with Unzer CEO Robert Bueninck to unpack how bundling software and payments helps merchants deliver seamless experiences across in-store and online without enterprise budgets or heavyweight integrations.
Robert traces his journey from early Klarna days to leading Unzer’s “payments and beyond” ecosystem, and lays out why the mid-market is the most underserved (and most promising) space in European commerce. We dive into the practical ways software plus payments drives real outcomes: faster onboarding, unified reporting, and simpler support when QR ordering, click-and-collect, or in-store returns marry e-commerce and POS. He explains Unzer’s focus on food services, beauty, and apparel, and how a clear build-partner boundary keeps products sharp while letting merchants scale when complexity grows.
We also dig into Europe’s unique payments fabric. Alternative payment methods and account-to-account rails already dominate online checkout in markets like the Netherlands and Belgium, changing merchant economics with lower cost and instant funds. BNPL fills the buyer-protection gap, while policymakers push toward a pan-European A2A framework and greater vendor independence. Robert separates hype from habit on agentic commerce and stablecoins, arguing that adoption only happens when the new flow truly makes life easier for shoppers and staff and that’s where the mid-market wins.
Looking ahead, Robert outlines Unzer’s growth bets: expand combined software and payments across core markets, bring all products to all regions, and help “make Germany digital” as a foundation for broader European reach. If you care about SMB retail, omnichannel checkout, A2A payments, BNPL, and the future of European payments infrastructure, you’ll find plenty to act on here.

Chapters

1. Welcome And Guest Background (00:00:00)

2. Career Path From Startups To Klarna (00:00:56)

3. What Unzer Does (00:01:54)

4. SMB Focus And Key Verticals (00:02:56)

5. Solving Digital Transformation Gaps (00:03:31)

6. Go-To-Market And Partnerships (00:04:06)

7. Differentiation And Mid-Market Positioning (00:04:49)

8. Convergence Of Online And Offline (00:05:33)

9. Growth Opportunities: Software Plus Payments (00:06:19)

10. Three-To-Five Year Vision (00:07:19)

11. Vertical Software Bundling In Europe (00:07:39)

12. Trends: Agentic Commerce, Stablecoins, Regulation (00:09:13)

13. A2A Payments Across Europe (00:10:31)

14. Career Advice And Product-Market Fit In Payments (00:12:14)

15. Closing And Listener Thanks (00:13:16)

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Robert Bueninck, CEO of Unzer | Episode 452

Leaders In Payments

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published 6d ago

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