From admin to strategy: DNA Payments’ journey to a knowledge-first approach

One of the UK's leading independent omnichannel payments providers, DNA Payments is built on innovation. But as they grew, managing scheme compliance manually was causing issues and they looked for a more efficient process that encourages cross-collaboration.

“We were managing card scheme compliance bulletins manually — excel sheets, emails, meetings — everything was fragmented,” recalls Janannee Harroo, Director of Risk & Compliance at DNA Payments. “Tracking updates was a challenge, and staying compliant felt like a constant uphill battle.”

The burden of manual tracking

Having spent nearly a decade in the payments industry, Janannee knew firsthand the complexities of scheme compliance, and how resource-intensive it can be. When she joined DNA Payments, the organisation was at an early stage of its acquiring journey, having just received its scheme license. Bulletins needed to be reviewed, assigned and actioned across teams, but without a structured process, the team was getting pulled in too many directions.

Hire more people to track compliance manually or find a smarter solution? For Janannee, the choice was obvious.

"As a fintech, technology is in our DNA. It was a no-brainer to seek a solution that could simplify our processes, provide an audit trail, and free up valuable resources."

A smarter way to manage scheme updates

Enters Kajo, Rivero's scheme compliance and payment network updates management solution. At the time, both DNA Payments and Kajo were in early growth phases, making it a natural partnership.

"We started this journey together," says Janannee. "Kajo evolved alongside us, continuously improving based on real-world usage and feedback."

With Kajo, tracking scheme updates stopped being a manual hassle. Kajo provided a structured, centralised system for accessing and managing scheme bulletins, eliminating the need to rely on spreadsheets and scattered email threads. Teams can filter updates, assign tasks and track progress, all in the same place.

The transition was smooth, thanks to Kajo's user-friendly interface, and was quickly adopted across teams.

Automation, audit trails, and a single source of truth

The impact of Kajo was immediate. No more lost emails, complicated spreadsheets or missed updates. Decision-making became faster, tracking became easier and efforts became more transparent. And with a clear audit trail, demonstrating scheme compliance to regulators became effortless.

"The solution isn’t just about tracking scheme compliance, it provides visibility and structure," says Janannee. "Instead of chasing updates, we have a centralised view of everything in one place."

While Kajo solved the major pain points, adoption and engagement across teams became the next challenge. DNA Payments appointed a dedicated team member to lead engagement, ensuring that employees across departments utilised the platform effectively.



By acting as a centralised knowledge hub, Kajo also played a key role in spreading payment knowledge across the organisation, helping teams beyond compliance — such as product, fraud, and operations — stay informed about key regulatory updates and scheme requirements. This cross-functional visibility ensures that all departments across the organisation can proactively adapt to changes, avoiding last-minute adjustments, and foestering a culture of awareness and preparedness across the organisation.

"Scheme compliance affects more than just risk teams. It impacts product, fraud, operations, everyone," Janannee explains. "We’re working to integrate Kajo further into our workflows to drive even greater efficiency."

A partnership built on responsiveness

With continued collaboration between DNA Payments and Rivero, new enhancements are on the horizon, including improved data analytics and dashboard functionalities.

More than just the technology itself, Janannee highlights Rivero's exceptional support as a key factor in DNA Payments' ongoing commitment to Kajo.

"The responsiveness of the Rivero team is incredible," she says. "Anytime we have a request, we get a prompt and serious response. That level of service is why we continue to invest in this solution."

For other financial institutions struggling with scheme compliance, Janannee’s advice is clear:

"If your challenge is tracking bulletins and ensuring compliance in a structured way, Kajo is the right solution. It has simplified our processes, increased efficiency, and reduced all hassle. The time saved, the clarity gained… it’s a game changer."

As DNA Payments continues to grow, Kajo remains an essential part of its compliance strategy, proving that the right technology can transform even the most complex processes into an easy operation.