Adfin | From buildings to backend: Patrick’s journey into payments

This week in our Employee Spotlight series, we’re introducing Patrick, one of our brilliant backend engineers here at Adfin. Patrick brings deep expertise in payments and a genuine love for clean architecture, shaped by a journey that began with dreams of designing buildings but quickly pivoted to building elegant systems in code instead. Originally from Malta, Patrick has worked on some of the most complex payment challenges out there (instant bank transfers? nailed it). When he’s not deep in code, you’ll find him globetrotting in search of great food and even better wine, or crushing a strategy game. Let’s get to know him a bit more.

What inspired you to pursue a career in software engineering?

I originally aspired to be an architect, but growing up in Malta, I figured there were only so many buildings our small island needed. My passion for problem-solving led me to software engineering instead. After writing my first program in Turbo Pascal in secondary school, I knew I had found my path. That first moment of building something useful was unforgettable and I’ve been hooked ever since.

Why did you decide to join Adfin?

I chose to join Adfin because I thrive in startup environments that offer full end-to-end ownership and a fast-paced delivery culture. Additionally, having spent most of my career in the payments domain, Adfin's innovative approach to simplifying invoice payments presented an exciting opportunity to view the payments space from a different perspective.

What’s the most interesting or challenging project you’ve worked on so far?

At Freetrade, I served as the payments subject matter expert, with my first project focusing on implementing instant bank transfers. This was interesting to me because I got my first taste of the intricate nuances of banking deposit data, including challenges like truncated names, missing details, and varying behaviours across different banks.

When you’re not coding, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I love travelling, especially when good food and wine are involved. I also enjoy playing strategy games, whether that’s on the Xbox or a board game.

What’s your favourite book, movie, or TV show?

I have fond memories of growing up with the excitement for the next Harry Potter book or movie, although the books are better in my opinion - Goblet of Fire is my favourite if I had to pick. I’m curious to see how the new TV series turns out.

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Big thanks to Patrick for giving us a peek into his journey - from his Turbo Pascal beginnings to tackling tricky bank transfer data. We’re thrilled to have him bringing his calm precision (and sharp eye for strategy) to the team. Keep an eye out for our next spotlight as we share more stories from the people building Adfin behind the scenes.

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From buildings to backend: Patrick’s journey into payments

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