YNOT EUROPE – Alternative payment service provider Pay4 GmbH has tapped online payments industry veteran Sascha Winkler for the role of managing director. He assumed the position Jan. 1.

Winkler possesses more than 12 years of experience in the banking industry, with significant experience in mobile and internet payment models. With an educational focus in IT management, he started his career at a German bank. When mobile applications and payments became popular in Germany, he moved into the mobile realm. As the internet and mobile business models converged, so did Winkler’s career and professional experience.

Prior to joining Frankfurt-based Pay4, Winkler worked for SOFORT Banking, the direct-payment division of seven-year-old German internet payment services provider SOFORT AG. There, he consulted with various German corporate media groups and helped expand SOFORT’s operation in new directions.

Coincidentally, SOFORT Banking is one of the options Pay4 offers its clients.

Pay4 specializes in alternative payments with a focus on adult merchants, online dating and gaming. In addition to European merchants, the company provides licensed services through IPSPs in the U.S. and Canada.

Among the services offered by Pay4’s gateway are PayPal and Paysafecard. Direct debit within the Single European Payment Area (SEPA) is available in 32 countries; Pay4’s SEPA system offers processing by IBAN, BIC, bank ID and routing number. Other processing methods enable trials, recurring billing and cross-selling in 10 countries.

Additionally, Pay4 offers a payment guarantee for merchants who use the company’s combination product, allowing merchants to reduce risks.

For more information, visit Pay4.eu.