Roy Vella

Roy Vella is a digital strategy and AI expert who specialises in helping organisations harness emerging technologies to drive productivity and creative innovation. As CEO of Next Colabs and founder of Vella Ventures, he advises enterprises large and small, drawing on extensive global experience including leading mobile payments at PayPal across Europe and developing digital strategy at RBS, where he built and managed a 30-strong team. A Stanford JD/MBA graduate with proven complex problem-solving skills, Roy serves as a Global Tech Advocate and mentor with Techstars and Unlimited Awesome. His sessions equip leaders with practical frameworks to adopt AI strategically, empowering teams to navigate digital transformation with confidence and clarity.

Roy Vella built mobile payment systems across Europe for PayPal before most people had heard of digital wallets, then shaped the global mobile banking strategy for RBS, where he assembled and led a team of 30 to transform how millions of customers interacted with their money. That foundation in pioneering financial technology now informs his work as CEO of Next Colabs and founder of Vella Ventures, where he advises organisations navigating the complexities of AI adoption and digital transformation. His career has consistently positioned him at the intersection of emerging technology and practical business application, from co-founding NetAbacus, a web-based purchasing platform for small businesses, to serving as a Partner at Quantum Technology Ventures and consulting for major players including Vodafone and the GSMA.

A Stanford graduate holding both a JD and an MBA with certificates in Global and Public Management, Roy combines rigorous analytical thinking with hands-on execution skills honed across continents and industries. His mathematical background, rooted in a BA with High Honours and Phi Beta Kappa distinction from the College of the Holy Cross, underpins his ability to decode complex systems and identify strategic opportunities others might miss. As a dual U.S. and UK citizen, he has delivered high-growth, digitally driven initiatives on a global scale, from merchant services in America to mobile payments across Europe. Beyond his commercial work, Roy serves as a mentor with Techstars and Unlimited Awesome, a Global Tech Advocate, and holds leadership positions including Board Director of the Stanford Business School Alumni Association and Board President Emeritus of Variety Children's Charity of Northern California. His commitment to community also spans co-founding Picture This Projects in Chicago, teaching photography to inner-city girls, and serving eight years as Board Treasurer of BATS Improv.

Roy equips leaders and organisations with practical frameworks to harness AI strategically, turning technological possibility into measurable productivity and creative innovation. His sessions demystify emerging technologies, offering audiences clear pathways to implement change without disruption or confusion. Whether speaking to executive teams grappling with digital strategy or advising startups on scalable growth, he translates technical complexity into actionable insight that empowers confident decision-making. Audiences leave his presentations with concrete tools to navigate transformation, foster innovation within their teams, and position their organisations for sustainable success in an increasingly AI-driven landscape.