UPDATE: Aghasi Gevorgyan, the Head of Network Infrastructure at Armenian Card CJSC, has issued a clarion call for engineers as global payment systems face urgent modernization challenges. In an exclusive interview, Gevorgyan revealed critical insights into the complexities of cross-border payments and the pressing need for robust infrastructure as the G20 Financial Stability Board warns that the ambitious 2027 targets for improving these systems may not be met.
As professionals navigate an increasingly fragmented global payment landscape, Gevorgyan emphasizes the importance of mastering engineering principles to build resilient infrastructures by 2030. With over 20 years of experience in financial technologies, he recognizes that the interconnectedness of payment systems poses significant hurdles that many engineers underestimate.
In his role at Armenian Card, which boasts a remarkable 99.9% uptime for millions of cardholders, Gevorgyan has firsthand experience with the technical choices influencing daily financial operations. He states, “Every technical choice interacts with audit procedures and security controls, affecting overall system behavior.” This perspective highlights the urgency for engineers to align their strategies with operational realities to ensure stability and compliance.
Georgyan also addresses the persistent challenge of integrating multi-vendor systems. “Organizations interpret standards differently, leading to gaps during integrations,” he warns. He advocates for shared documentation and a unified approach to tackle these pitfalls, emphasizing that clarity is key to seamless operations.
Automation has played a crucial role in enhancing system performance at Armenian Card, with Gevorgyan implementing processes that led to a 30% reduction in manual interventions. “Routine tasks were the first to change, allowing our team to focus on critical issues and respond faster,” he explains. Yet, he cautions that not all processes should be automated. Critical decisions still require human intuition and expertise, particularly in high-stakes environments like finance.
Cybersecurity remains a pressing concern, with incidents in the financial sector on the rise. Gevorgyan’s experience shows that resilience comes from understanding evolving threats within real traffic patterns. “Security must be treated as a continuous flow rather than a separate function,” he urges. By focusing on visibility and quick interpretation of system behaviors, organizations can significantly reduce incidents, as demonstrated by Armenian Card’s 40% reduction in network incidents.
Looking ahead, Gevorgyan identifies essential skills for engineers aiming to succeed in the next decade. “A genuine curiosity about system behavior and the business logic behind transactions is vital,” he states. As cloud-native networks and modern security models become standard, engineers who cultivate a deep understanding of these technologies will thrive.
As the clock ticks toward the 2027 targets, the urgency for engineers to adapt and innovate has never been greater. Aghasi Gevorgyan’s insights serve as a crucial guide for professionals striving to navigate the complexities of modern payment infrastructures and ensure their systems are ready for the challenges ahead.
Stay tuned for further developments as the global payment landscape evolves.
