Hendrik Schulenburg has been with Payrexx since 2021 and has quickly worked his way up from working student to CFO. During this time, he has made a significant contribution to the further development of the company and driven forward pioneering processes.

Hendrik Schulenburg hat sich in den vergangenen vier Jahren bei Payrexx als äusserst verlässlicher, analytisch starker und verantwortungsbewusster Kollege bewiesen. Er kennt unser Unternehmen sowie den Zahlungsmarkt bis ins Detail und bringt ein ausserordentliches Engagement mit, das weit über das Übliche hinausgeht. Seine strukturierte Arbeitsweise, sein ausgeprägtes Zahlenverständnis und seine Fähigkeit, auch unter Druck fundierte Entscheidungen zu treffen, haben uns überzeugt, ihm diese zentrale Verantwortung zu übertragen.

Ivan Schmid

Geschäftsführer der Payrexx AG

With this appointment, Payrexx reaffirms its belief that age or years of service are not the main focus, but rather expertise, integrity, and entrepreneurial thinking. Hendrik embodies exactly those qualities that are crucial for sustainable and forward-looking financial management – especially in the dynamic SME environment, where Payrexx acts as a market leader.

Since its founding in 2015, Payrexx has established itself in Thun. Today, the company has more than 45 employees and is one of the most innovative FinTechs in the region. With the appointment of Hendrik Schulenburg, Payrexx also aims to contribute to the promotion of regional talent and the strengthening of Thun as a growing FinTech center.

In the interview, Schulenburg provides insights into his career path as well as his view on the future of digital payments and his vision for the coming years.

How did it come about that you are already CFO at Payrexx at 24?

Hendrik Schulenburg: “I have always been interested in economic topics. Therefore, I completed my Bachelor in Business Administration at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management and joined Payrexx as an intern during my studies. That was over four years ago, and since then I have been able to accompany the company in various roles, experience many exciting developments, and gradually take on more responsibility. I am very enthusiastic about the combination of finance and strategic development, and I am grateful to the Board of Directors and the management for the trust they place in me with this role.”

Was it always your goal to become a CFO?

“The goal of one day becoming a CFO developed over time at Payrexx. The insights I was able to gain and the topics I was allowed to engage with showed me that I would like to bear the corresponding responsibility one day. I am very pleased that I am now getting this opportunity at Payrexx.”

What makes Payrexx a special employer for you?

“On the one hand, the market itself – the Payments industry is incredibly exciting, constantly in motion, and offers a lot of room for innovation. On the other hand, I am impressed by how Payrexx has built a strong position in the Swiss payment market over the past decade with a lot of commitment and customer proximity. We are particularly proud that Payrexx was voted the most popular provider for Swiss SMEs in the national online retailer survey in 2023, ahead of providers like PayPal, Worldline, or PostFinance.

That is exactly what makes Payrexx special for me: Innovation with a clear focus on the needs of SMEs – with a solution that simply works and provides real added value for SMEs.”

What does leadership mean to you in a FinTech like Payrexx?

“Leadership at Payrexx means to me understanding the needs of customers and the market, always remaining agile and innovative, and working together towards a clear goal. This is necessary to assert oneself in a dynamic market environment.”

How do you see the development of the Payments industry?

“I am convinced that both online and in-person business will continue to move towards simplification and efficiency. For example, we can already observe that Instant Payments – i.e., real-time bank transfers, are gaining global relevance, and it is only a matter of time before this establishes itself in the Swiss market as well. Changes will also occur at the point of sale. The classic payment terminal (POS terminal) as known from retail today will increasingly be replaced by so-called SoftPOS solutions in the coming years: A regular smartphone or tablet is transformed into a full-fledged payment terminal – completely without additional hardware. This technological development makes card payments more flexible, cheaper, and more efficient – especially for small businesses and mobile providers.

For companies, it is important to stay up to date with such trends and choose the right payment provider. Therefore, it is particularly pleasing that Payrexx will be able to offer both of the above solutions to its customers in the future.”

And where do you see Payrexx in 5 years?

“That question is particularly exciting. Payrexx is constantly evolving and has recently started processing both e-commerce and point-of-sale payments (payments directly at the physical point of sale, e.g., at the checkout or on-site at the customer) and is thus becoming a true omni-payment provider. Therefore, I see Payrexx in five years as number 1 in the omni-payment sector for SMEs in Switzerland. The all-in-one solution from Payrexx with all important Swiss payment methods from a single source is unique – and particularly attractive for SMEs, as it is not only comprehensive but also available at the most affordable price in the market. Therefore, I am confident that we will reach many more companies.”

With Hendrik Schulenburg as the new CFO, Payrexx is setting the course for further growth in the Swiss FinTech landscape. We thank him for the exciting insights and look forward to continued successful cooperation.

About Payrexx

Founded in 2015 in Thun, Payrexx enables, as a registered Payment Facilitator of Mastercard, Visa, TWINT, PostFinance, CENTI, NAKA, and REKA, the straightforward acceptance of payments – both online and on-site. As an all-in-one solution, the self-developed payment platform includes more than 200 payment methods as well as numerous simple sales tools (Pages, Paylink, Invoice, Donations, QR Pay, Terminal). All Payrexx systems are redundantly designed and meet the highest security standards. Already more than 60'000 merchants worldwide use Payrexx, including renowned Swiss companies such as BKW, Carvolution, Zweifel Pomy-Chips AG, Hotelcard, or Selecta.