Nilan Peiris believes that driving growth at Wise means creating a significantly better product—one that inspires word of mouth, rather than simply aiming for small, incremental improvements. As Chief Product Officer at Wise, he has championed a hyper-focused approach on lowering costs, speeding up transfers, and enhancing user experience—because customers don’t just switch for marginal improvements; they switch when the product is 8-10 times better than the competition. His work centers on listening deeply to customers, translating their needs into measurable KPIs, and nurturing a culture where growth is a collective mission grounded in authentic advocacy rather than paid marketing.
Born and raised in the UK, Nilan graduated from the University of Bristol with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. Before joining Wise full-time in 2014 as VP Growth, he had already advised the company since 2012, witnessing its early evolution. He previously held leadership roles as VP Growth at HouseTrip and Chief Marketing Technology Officer at Holiday Extras, where he honed his expertise in technology-driven marketing and scaling customer acquisition. At Wise, Nilan leads cross-functional squads equipped with full autonomy and resources to innovate locally, helping to break into new markets and build products that resonate deeply with users. His role extends beyond product to shaping Wise’s growth culture, ensuring teams are empowered to identify and execute opportunities closest to the customer.
Peiris’ approach to growth challenges traditional norms like setting fixed targets. Instead, he encourages bottom-up innovation, where teams on the ground define priorities and prove their impact before scaling. He notes, “Your product can’t just be a small marginal benefit for someone to switch to—there has to be nowhere better to go.” By focusing on the “theoretical minimum cost” and maximum speed of money transfers, Nilan pushes Wise to deliver breakthroughs others thought impossible, reinforcing Wise’s position as a leader in cross-border payments.