The Most Influential Women in Payments, 2018
March 12, 2018 12:01 AM
In financial services, women are on the rise in what has traditionally been a male-dominated environment. This year, as PaymentsSource honors The Most Influential Women in Payments, a new pattern has emerged.
In past years, many of the honorees demonstrated an ability to break glass ceilings within older companies. This year, they are breaking ground at new companies, while also demonstrating that innovation and influence can come from any corner of the world.
This year's list recognizes the contributions of entrepreneurs who took their ideas directly to market, showcasing new ways of handling business in an industry that is forced to quickly adapt to rapid changes in technology and global culture.
Suneera Madhani, for example, did not get discouraged when her male bosses laughed at her client-friendly idea for merchant acquiring. Instead, she founded her own company, Fattmerchant, to let the market decide whether her idea had merit. "It was clear that [my bosses] didn't understand my vision or the model I was passionate about building," she said of the experience. "The rejection fueled my fire and served as a sign that I was onto something."
Amy Parsons, senior vice president of global acceptance for Discover, is one of several honorees who represents the increasingly global nature of the payments industry. One of the biggest opportunities in her career — building a global ATM network from scratch within a year to serve Discover's acquisition of Diners Club International — required her to move to the U.K. from the U.S. "From that first phone call, I knew this project was going to be a defining moment in my career," she said.
Denise Pickett, chief risk officer and president of global risk, banking and compliance at American Express, also chose to cross borders to further her career. After 17 years with Amex in Canada, the company offered Pickett a position at its New York headquarters. It meant moving her family from its home of many years in Toronto, to a suburb in New Jersey. "Surprisingly, my husband and three children were almost immediately on board," Pickett said.
And the growing spotlight on sexual misconduct in the workplace has prompted fresh, open discussions on the issues of workplace harassment and gender bias. This year's honorees shared their own perspectives on the role bias played in their careers, and how it affects the industry as a whole.
"While bias is as natural as being human, handling it right is important," said Archana "Archie" Puri, head of product management at PayPal's Braintree. "One of my proudest moments was when the men on an interview panel turned away a candidate for how he spoke to a female interviewer."
Please click "start slideshow" above to view profiles of this year's honorees, presented in alphabetical order.
In past years, many of the honorees demonstrated an ability to break glass ceilings within older companies. This year, they are breaking ground at new companies, while also demonstrating that innovation and influence can come from any corner of the world.
This year's list recognizes the contributions of entrepreneurs who took their ideas directly to market, showcasing new ways of handling business in an industry that is forced to quickly adapt to rapid changes in technology and global culture.
Suneera Madhani, for example, did not get discouraged when her male bosses laughed at her client-friendly idea for merchant acquiring. Instead, she founded her own company, Fattmerchant, to let the market decide whether her idea had merit. "It was clear that [my bosses] didn't understand my vision or the model I was passionate about building," she said of the experience. "The rejection fueled my fire and served as a sign that I was onto something."
Amy Parsons, senior vice president of global acceptance for Discover, is one of several honorees who represents the increasingly global nature of the payments industry. One of the biggest opportunities in her career — building a global ATM network from scratch within a year to serve Discover's acquisition of Diners Club International — required her to move to the U.K. from the U.S. "From that first phone call, I knew this project was going to be a defining moment in my career," she said.
Denise Pickett, chief risk officer and president of global risk, banking and compliance at American Express, also chose to cross borders to further her career. After 17 years with Amex in Canada, the company offered Pickett a position at its New York headquarters. It meant moving her family from its home of many years in Toronto, to a suburb in New Jersey. "Surprisingly, my husband and three children were almost immediately on board," Pickett said.
And the growing spotlight on sexual misconduct in the workplace has prompted fresh, open discussions on the issues of workplace harassment and gender bias. This year's honorees shared their own perspectives on the role bias played in their careers, and how it affects the industry as a whole.
"While bias is as natural as being human, handling it right is important," said Archana "Archie" Puri, head of product management at PayPal's Braintree. "One of my proudest moments was when the men on an interview panel turned away a candidate for how he spoke to a female interviewer."
Please click "start slideshow" above to view profiles of this year's honorees, presented in alphabetical order.
Karla Allen, Walmart
One way to get a sense of Walmart’s massive transition to an agile omnichannel retailer is to examine the company’s mobile app, which bears the influence of Karla Allen, Walmart's senior director of mobile wallets.
Walmart Pay — the popular QR code-based payment approach Walmart introduced in 2016 — is the centerpiece of the retailer’s digital wallet, which also offers direct access to Walmart’s credit card and a host of other services. These features combine to support a seamless connection between physical stores and online shopping.
Allen joined Walmart in 2016 after a long career at companies including Gap Inc., Ericsson and Sprint PCS. Her career reached a turning point six years ago when she began to focus on mobile wallet startups, and while working at the Gap served on the executive board of the merchant coalition MCX, which piloted a mobile wallet called CurrentC.
“Today’s digital wallet innovation brings together all aspects of the digital relationship with customers, and it will greatly shift how shoppers interact with merchants … for many years to come,” said Allen, who is one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women of Payments for 2018.
READ MORE:Karla Allen, Walmart
Walmart Pay — the popular QR code-based payment approach Walmart introduced in 2016 — is the centerpiece of the retailer’s digital wallet, which also offers direct access to Walmart’s credit card and a host of other services. These features combine to support a seamless connection between physical stores and online shopping.
Allen joined Walmart in 2016 after a long career at companies including Gap Inc., Ericsson and Sprint PCS. Her career reached a turning point six years ago when she began to focus on mobile wallet startups, and while working at the Gap served on the executive board of the merchant coalition MCX, which piloted a mobile wallet called CurrentC.
“Today’s digital wallet innovation brings together all aspects of the digital relationship with customers, and it will greatly shift how shoppers interact with merchants … for many years to come,” said Allen, who is one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women of Payments for 2018.
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Madeline Aufseeser, Tender Armor
"Equifax" has become as much an omen as it is a company. Its security issues have shaken confidence in an entire industry.
"The Equifax breach was a complete failure on the part of the management team," said Madeline Aufseeser, CEO and Co-founder of Tender Armor and one of PaymentsSource's 2018 Most Influential Women in Payments. "They put dollars before sense and could have avoided the whole debacle. Events like that and others give our industry a bad reputation and promote distrust among consumers."
While not a direct answer to the Equifax breach, big security events often cause a much broader wave of innovation that protects more than just the root cause of the original breach. Much the way the Target breach drew attention to chip cards, the Equifax breach has drawn attention to shoring up enterprise security, even if it means investing more.
In that way Aufseeser's background prepared her well for a career as an technology entrepreneur. In her previous role as a financial services industry analyst at Aite Group, Aufseeser was responsible for taking the temperature of an entire industry and knowing how an event in one area could spark opportunity in another.
READ MORE:Madeline Aufseeser, Tender Armor
"The Equifax breach was a complete failure on the part of the management team," said Madeline Aufseeser, CEO and Co-founder of Tender Armor and one of PaymentsSource's 2018 Most Influential Women in Payments. "They put dollars before sense and could have avoided the whole debacle. Events like that and others give our industry a bad reputation and promote distrust among consumers."
While not a direct answer to the Equifax breach, big security events often cause a much broader wave of innovation that protects more than just the root cause of the original breach. Much the way the Target breach drew attention to chip cards, the Equifax breach has drawn attention to shoring up enterprise security, even if it means investing more.
In that way Aufseeser's background prepared her well for a career as an technology entrepreneur. In her previous role as a financial services industry analyst at Aite Group, Aufseeser was responsible for taking the temperature of an entire industry and knowing how an event in one area could spark opportunity in another.
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© Keith Friendship/Keith Friendship/Monte Luke Studio
Di Challenor, Westpac Institutional Banking
Countries all over the world are embracing faster payment processing, and Di Challenor is one of the major forces behind the movement in Australia.
In announcing Westpac's participation in the New Payments Platform, Challenor, general manager of global transaction services at Westpac, noted the move creates an opportunity to build the "new era" of payment processing for Australia and add capabilities such as the P-to-P service Osko by BPAY.
Challenor became GM of Westpac Institutional Banking in January 2017, responsible for global corporate and institutional service, product and specialized sales teams spanning Australian and international markets. That places Challenor at the fore of not just faster payments, but all of the services that follow. It's not the first time Challenor has navigated a big company through technology crossroads, dating to the dot-com era.
Challenor, one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018, has been driving innovation for years in a variety of roles at different institutions.
READ MORE:Di Challenor, Westpac Institutional Banking
In announcing Westpac's participation in the New Payments Platform, Challenor, general manager of global transaction services at Westpac, noted the move creates an opportunity to build the "new era" of payment processing for Australia and add capabilities such as the P-to-P service Osko by BPAY.
Challenor became GM of Westpac Institutional Banking in January 2017, responsible for global corporate and institutional service, product and specialized sales teams spanning Australian and international markets. That places Challenor at the fore of not just faster payments, but all of the services that follow. It's not the first time Challenor has navigated a big company through technology crossroads, dating to the dot-com era.
Challenor, one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018, has been driving innovation for years in a variety of roles at different institutions.
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Mary Dent, Green Dot Bank
As the chief executive of Green Dot Bank, Mary Dent’s career has taken many turns to get to where she is today — from lawyer to executive to board member and, finally, to CEO. But one specific piece of advice stands out from early on in her career.
“I was on vacation with my husband and 1-year-old son, and work was intruding in an impossible, overwhelming way," Dent said. "I called my boss, exhausted and despairing, and told him, 'I can’t possibly do this.' And he said something I’ve never forgotten: 'Then don’t.'"
Those two words provided a valuable form of perspective and, ultimately, motivation.
“'You’re a smart person,' he said. 'If you can’t do this, then decide what you can do, and do that,'" Dent continued. "It’s easy to fall into the trap of flailing in the face of what’s not possible. But it’s been transformative to instead relentlessly force myself to see what’s possible, to believe in myself, and to keep moving forward."
READ MORE:Mary Dent, Green Dot Bank
“I was on vacation with my husband and 1-year-old son, and work was intruding in an impossible, overwhelming way," Dent said. "I called my boss, exhausted and despairing, and told him, 'I can’t possibly do this.' And he said something I’ve never forgotten: 'Then don’t.'"
Those two words provided a valuable form of perspective and, ultimately, motivation.
“'You’re a smart person,' he said. 'If you can’t do this, then decide what you can do, and do that,'" Dent continued. "It’s easy to fall into the trap of flailing in the face of what’s not possible. But it’s been transformative to instead relentlessly force myself to see what’s possible, to believe in myself, and to keep moving forward."
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Andrea Dunlop, Paysafe Group
Most regulations are designed to restrain an activity, usually in the name of safety and soundness. That makes the Payment Services Directive (PSD2) unusual, since it aims to break barriers that linger from an older view of technology.
"In Europe, the most amazing development is actually regulation — yes, I know, regulation!," said Andrea Dunlop, CEO of acquiring and card solutions for Paysafe Group in London and one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018. PSD2, she said, is "all about creating more open access to accounts."
Influencing a proactive response to new market conditions matches Dunlop's experience well.
She has more than two decades of experience in the payments industry following a stint in military service. At Paysafe, Dunlop competes in an increasingly digital and borderless technology environment. Dunlop has advocated for help from the British government for fintechs as the U.K. separates from the EU. She has also stressed the importance of mobile payments for traditionally manual businesses such as travel companies.
READ MORE:Andrea Dunlop, Paysafe Group
"In Europe, the most amazing development is actually regulation — yes, I know, regulation!," said Andrea Dunlop, CEO of acquiring and card solutions for Paysafe Group in London and one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018. PSD2, she said, is "all about creating more open access to accounts."
Influencing a proactive response to new market conditions matches Dunlop's experience well.
She has more than two decades of experience in the payments industry following a stint in military service. At Paysafe, Dunlop competes in an increasingly digital and borderless technology environment. Dunlop has advocated for help from the British government for fintechs as the U.K. separates from the EU. She has also stressed the importance of mobile payments for traditionally manual businesses such as travel companies.
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Stephanie Ferris, Worldpay
Stephanie Ferris has had two pivotal experiences in her career at Vantiv — first, leaving a 20-year career in finance to become general manager of Vantiv’s bank referral business; and second, becoming CFO of Vantiv (now Worldpay) in March 2017.
In the first instance, the business line needed a significant turnaround including re-acceleration of sales, development of a new strategy, value proposition and product set.
“This was a fantastic challenge as well as a major turning point trying to do things like sales, customer service, and product development — things that I had only ever advised on from a finance chair,” said Ferris. “My team and I created a consultative approach that developed a partnership that customers trusted, attracting and retaining customers and improving product economies. The strategy grew the underperforming business unit to become the fastest growing channel in the company within two years.”
Innovation in the payments industry has been at the core of Ferris’ professional interests, which is why she is recognized this year as one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments.
READ MORE:Stephanie Ferris, Worldpay
In the first instance, the business line needed a significant turnaround including re-acceleration of sales, development of a new strategy, value proposition and product set.
“This was a fantastic challenge as well as a major turning point trying to do things like sales, customer service, and product development — things that I had only ever advised on from a finance chair,” said Ferris. “My team and I created a consultative approach that developed a partnership that customers trusted, attracting and retaining customers and improving product economies. The strategy grew the underperforming business unit to become the fastest growing channel in the company within two years.”
Innovation in the payments industry has been at the core of Ferris’ professional interests, which is why she is recognized this year as one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments.
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Debbie Gamble, Interac
It still surprises Debbie Gamble that a chance summer job she took at a bank turned into nearly a 30-year career leading to her current post influencing Canada’s payments technology at Interac, the national debit card system.
That first hitch at CIBC lasted seven years and put Gamble in charge of the operations team that backed Mondex, an early cryptocurrency. When Mondex expanded in Canada, Gamble became head of its North American operations.
"It was a turning point in my career, giving me insight into the requirements and structures necessary to roll out technology internationally and how big ideas in payments technology can come to life through collaboration and believing in ‘the art of the possible,’ which is now a fundamental element of how I approach work,” said Gamble, who is one of PaymentsSource’s Most Influential Women in Payments this year.
After Mondex, Gamble co-founded a startup. Zig-zagging between startups and consulting at companies including Visa, she gained different perspectives on everything from evolving point-of-sale and e-commerce systems to digital currency and contactless payments.
Joining Interac's nonprofit affiliate Acxsys in 2014, Gamble advanced to her present role at Interac in 2016, where she leads the debit network's efforts to digitize payments in stores, online and through mobile channels.
READ MORE:Debbie Gamble, Interac
That first hitch at CIBC lasted seven years and put Gamble in charge of the operations team that backed Mondex, an early cryptocurrency. When Mondex expanded in Canada, Gamble became head of its North American operations.
"It was a turning point in my career, giving me insight into the requirements and structures necessary to roll out technology internationally and how big ideas in payments technology can come to life through collaboration and believing in ‘the art of the possible,’ which is now a fundamental element of how I approach work,” said Gamble, who is one of PaymentsSource’s Most Influential Women in Payments this year.
After Mondex, Gamble co-founded a startup. Zig-zagging between startups and consulting at companies including Visa, she gained different perspectives on everything from evolving point-of-sale and e-commerce systems to digital currency and contactless payments.
Joining Interac's nonprofit affiliate Acxsys in 2014, Gamble advanced to her present role at Interac in 2016, where she leads the debit network's efforts to digitize payments in stores, online and through mobile channels.
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Reetika Grewal, Silicon Valley Bank
How do you get to the top of the payments stack at one of the nation’s preeminent digital-forward banks? You reach for every challenging opportunity you see, according to Reetika Grewal, head of payments strategy and solutions at Silicon Valley Bank.
Throughout a long career beginning in bank product management and strategy, Grewal made big leaps forward by taking chances, leaving secure positions at large financial institutions to explore new frontiers at payments-related startups because she wanted to be part of things that would have a bigger impact, she said.
At startups like Pay By Touch, where she helped develop biometric payments technology in the years before the "fintech" category really existed, Grewal gained a deep understanding of the payments ecosystem, and her own role within it. Pay By Touch shut down ten years ago, but its ideas live on in the era of Touch ID and fingerprint-based mobile payments.
"Being in a less structured startup environment allowed me to challenge myself to think more broadly about these companies and how I contributed,” Grewal said, noting that while she eventually went back to banking, she had an entrepreneur’s vision of the big picture for clients, partners, financial institutions and for herself. This mindset earned her the recognition as one of PaymentsSource’s Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018.
READ MORE:Reetika Grewal, Silicon Valley Bank
Throughout a long career beginning in bank product management and strategy, Grewal made big leaps forward by taking chances, leaving secure positions at large financial institutions to explore new frontiers at payments-related startups because she wanted to be part of things that would have a bigger impact, she said.
At startups like Pay By Touch, where she helped develop biometric payments technology in the years before the "fintech" category really existed, Grewal gained a deep understanding of the payments ecosystem, and her own role within it. Pay By Touch shut down ten years ago, but its ideas live on in the era of Touch ID and fingerprint-based mobile payments.
"Being in a less structured startup environment allowed me to challenge myself to think more broadly about these companies and how I contributed,” Grewal said, noting that while she eventually went back to banking, she had an entrepreneur’s vision of the big picture for clients, partners, financial institutions and for herself. This mindset earned her the recognition as one of PaymentsSource’s Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018.
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Carleigh Jaques, Visa
Ask Carleigh Jaques to build a new digital payments system, and there's a very good chance she'll turn to her "inner architect" and deliver the goods.
After all, the senior vice president and global head of digital products for Visa has designed and built three houses — in her spare time.
If she had to choose another career, "I would be an architect," Jaques said. "It makes most people crazy, but I find it relaxing, since it is so different from my day-to-day."
That same passion for creativity comes into play for Jaques in a fast-paced payments landscape. "It's been one of my most critical skill sets," said Jaques, an honoree in this year's Most Influential Women in Payments.
READ MORE:Carleigh Jaques, Visa
After all, the senior vice president and global head of digital products for Visa has designed and built three houses — in her spare time.
If she had to choose another career, "I would be an architect," Jaques said. "It makes most people crazy, but I find it relaxing, since it is so different from my day-to-day."
That same passion for creativity comes into play for Jaques in a fast-paced payments landscape. "It's been one of my most critical skill sets," said Jaques, an honoree in this year's Most Influential Women in Payments.
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Martina King, Featurespace
The wave of payments fraud that's sweeping the globe shows no signs of abating, leaving anxious businesses in search of something that can keep up with the crooks.
Martina King has an answer in an artificial intelligence-driven platform that has attractedTSYS as a partner and drawn the interest of some of the world's largest banks, payment processors, merchant acquirers, insurance companies and gaming organizations.
"Our technology really started in academia, then moved to product trial and is now recognized as the best methodology to have in your risk management arsenal," said King, CEO of Featurespace and one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018. "This happened in under five years, which is super-fast."
READ MORE:Martina King, Featurespace
Martina King has an answer in an artificial intelligence-driven platform that has attracted
"Our technology really started in academia, then moved to product trial and is now recognized as the best methodology to have in your risk management arsenal," said King, CEO of Featurespace and one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018. "This happened in under five years, which is super-fast."
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Deborah Liu, Facebook
Deborah Liu’s career in the payments industry has included roles at some of the best-known Silicon Valley giants — including eBay and PayPal — before her current job leading payments at Facebook.
But for a California tech firm, Facebook is drawing a lot of its influence from overseas.
At the social network, Liu spent the past five years overseeing billing and consumer payment systems, as well as Marketplace, Facebook’s portal for connecting consumers and small businesses. She cites the payments revolution in Asia as the most exciting thing happening today — echoes of which can be seen in Facebook Messenger's transformation into a platform for commerce.
“These payments markets … leaped to mobile payments directly. This innovation has unlocked new businesses and opportunities for people," said Liu, one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018.
READ MORE:Deborah Liu, Facebook
But for a California tech firm, Facebook is drawing a lot of its influence from overseas.
At the social network, Liu spent the past five years overseeing billing and consumer payment systems, as well as Marketplace, Facebook’s portal for connecting consumers and small businesses. She cites the payments revolution in Asia as the most exciting thing happening today — echoes of which can be seen in Facebook Messenger's transformation into a platform for commerce.
“These payments markets … leaped to mobile payments directly. This innovation has unlocked new businesses and opportunities for people," said Liu, one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018.
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Tim Parker
Dana J. Lorberg, Mastercard
To accomplish what she has in her 10-year tenure with Mastercard, Dana J. Lorberg simply had to be two things: "I am a programmer and a girl geek."
That really says it all. Lorberg, an executive vice president at Mastercard overseeing operations and technology, has spent the past decade mastering her craft by advancing technology platforms such as loyalty, digital marketing, and prepaid offerings.
In that span, Lorberg went from writing code to leading commercial departments, including consulting, mergers and acquisitions and technical security. That type of work resulted in her being named as one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments this year.
In her role, it is not unusual for Lorberg to want to put her geekiness to work in a way that solves an industry problem no one else has perfectly addressed. She views the lack of ubiquity for person-to-person payments as a disappointment, noting, "I want us to be the ones to solve it."
READ MORE:Dana J. Lorberg, Mastercard
That really says it all. Lorberg, an executive vice president at Mastercard overseeing operations and technology, has spent the past decade mastering her craft by advancing technology platforms such as loyalty, digital marketing, and prepaid offerings.
In that span, Lorberg went from writing code to leading commercial departments, including consulting, mergers and acquisitions and technical security. That type of work resulted in her being named as one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments this year.
In her role, it is not unusual for Lorberg to want to put her geekiness to work in a way that solves an industry problem no one else has perfectly addressed. She views the lack of ubiquity for person-to-person payments as a disappointment, noting, "I want us to be the ones to solve it."
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Suneera Madhani, Fattmerchant
Suneera Madhani knew she had a good idea.
What if her employer, a merchant acquirer, stopped pilfering extra cash from clients through a labyrinth of vague language, a barrage of nickel-and-dime fees and opus-length invoices? Instead, what if it would offered a streamlined, easy-to-understand approach to income?
Her pitch drew knee-slapping guffaws.
"I had the idea of a simple subscription-based model for payments that I took to my male bosses. Not only did they shoot me down, but they laughed at my idea and asked me why I would ever enact a model that they felt would make them less money," said Madhani. "It was clear that they didn't understand my vision or the model I was passionate about building. The rejection fueled my fire and served as a sign that I was onto something."
After leaving her old job, Madhani became the founder and CEO of Fattmerchant, an Orlando-based subscription merchant acquirer and independent sales organization.
You know what they say about "laughing last." After founding Fattmerchant, Madhani, one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018, submitted to venture competitions, which led to an initial $250,000 in funding. "This proved to us that we were onto something big with our business model, and for the first time, I realized we were on track for a very successful company."
READ MORE:Suneera Madhani, Fattmerchant
What if her employer, a merchant acquirer, stopped pilfering extra cash from clients through a labyrinth of vague language, a barrage of nickel-and-dime fees and opus-length invoices? Instead, what if it would offered a streamlined, easy-to-understand approach to income?
Her pitch drew knee-slapping guffaws.
"I had the idea of a simple subscription-based model for payments that I took to my male bosses. Not only did they shoot me down, but they laughed at my idea and asked me why I would ever enact a model that they felt would make them less money," said Madhani. "It was clear that they didn't understand my vision or the model I was passionate about building. The rejection fueled my fire and served as a sign that I was onto something."
After leaving her old job, Madhani became the founder and CEO of Fattmerchant, an Orlando-based subscription merchant acquirer and independent sales organization.
You know what they say about "laughing last." After founding Fattmerchant, Madhani, one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018, submitted to venture competitions, which led to an initial $250,000 in funding. "This proved to us that we were onto something big with our business model, and for the first time, I realized we were on track for a very successful company."
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CHRISTOPHER APPOLDT
Alice Milligan, Citi Global Cards
One of the reasons Alice Milligan loves the payments field is because there’s so much room to improve processes. This satisfies her on many levels.
“I get immense joy out of fixing things, seeing them change and transform—whether it’s a cumbersome payment process within an app or renovating a house so the floor plan maximizes design, space and function,” said Milligan, managing director and chief customer and digital experience officer at Citi Global Cards.
Milligan joined Citi in 2014 after working in key global marketing positions at companies including AT&T, American Express and Coach, steadily intensifying her focus on the digital customer experience. When she arrived at Citi, the bank was working to achieve parity with competitors in terms of core digital functionality, but things were about to change.
A turning point came when Citi’s global consumer banking chief Stephen Bird in 2015 radically accelerated the bank’s digital transformation by putting mobile technology at its center, and Milligan’s job put her on the front lines.
In its mission to be a mobile-first bank, Citi became first major credit card issuer to allow customers to dispute a charge directly within its banking app, according to Milligan, who is one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018.
READ MORE:Alice Milligan, Citi Global Cards
“I get immense joy out of fixing things, seeing them change and transform—whether it’s a cumbersome payment process within an app or renovating a house so the floor plan maximizes design, space and function,” said Milligan, managing director and chief customer and digital experience officer at Citi Global Cards.
Milligan joined Citi in 2014 after working in key global marketing positions at companies including AT&T, American Express and Coach, steadily intensifying her focus on the digital customer experience. When she arrived at Citi, the bank was working to achieve parity with competitors in terms of core digital functionality, but things were about to change.
A turning point came when Citi’s global consumer banking chief Stephen Bird in 2015 radically accelerated the bank’s digital transformation by putting mobile technology at its center, and Milligan’s job put her on the front lines.
In its mission to be a mobile-first bank, Citi became first major credit card issuer to allow customers to dispute a charge directly within its banking app, according to Milligan, who is one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018.
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Amy Parsons, Discover
In a 26-year career at Discover Financial Services, it would seem that Amy Parsons has earned the title of a "doctor" of payments.
Her longtime interest in science and biology had her thinking at one time about becoming a doctor, even a neurology surgeon. As the senior vice president of global acceptance, Parsons says she often feels like those worlds collided: "Here I am, saving the world of payments."
Parsons, an honoree among Payments Source's Most Influential Women in Payments this year, began her long career with Discover in 1992, holding 10 different positions since then. The most dramatic change came when Parsons took a phone call from Discover in 2008, offering a new position as a senior vice president for Pulse and head of global ATM expansion.
She went home that night, contemplating whether to take on the new role. "This will either be the smartest thing I have ever done, or it will not go well," Parsons recalled thinking.
READ MORE:Amy Parsons, Discover
Her longtime interest in science and biology had her thinking at one time about becoming a doctor, even a neurology surgeon. As the senior vice president of global acceptance, Parsons says she often feels like those worlds collided: "Here I am, saving the world of payments."
Parsons, an honoree among Payments Source's Most Influential Women in Payments this year, began her long career with Discover in 1992, holding 10 different positions since then. The most dramatic change came when Parsons took a phone call from Discover in 2008, offering a new position as a senior vice president for Pulse and head of global ATM expansion.
She went home that night, contemplating whether to take on the new role. "This will either be the smartest thing I have ever done, or it will not go well," Parsons recalled thinking.
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Louise Pentland, PayPal
Against the backdrop that is the contentious immigration debate in the U.S., Louise Pentland can say she has a passion and firsthand experience for improving the lives of those navigating the process of being accepted into this country.
Her pro bono legal work for the nonprofit Human Rights Institute put her on the front lines of helping refugees in desperate situations. It was an experience that convinced her that she wanted to work for a company that "had a strong set of values and a purpose that was even bigger than just driving value for shareholders," Pentland said.
"I found what I was looking for in PayPal and our CEO Dan Schulman," said Pentland, an executive vice president with the e-commerce giant and an honoree in PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018.
Pentland came into the corporate world of PayPal in April of 2015 with a wealth of experience. She spent 17 years in management and legal work at Nokia before taking a sabbatical to spend time with her family — and discover the human rights organization in the process.
"Since working with HRI, almost everything I've done can be traced back to my time with the organization and what I learned about service and commitment," Pentland said.
READ MORE:Louise Pentland, PayPal
Her pro bono legal work for the nonprofit Human Rights Institute put her on the front lines of helping refugees in desperate situations. It was an experience that convinced her that she wanted to work for a company that "had a strong set of values and a purpose that was even bigger than just driving value for shareholders," Pentland said.
"I found what I was looking for in PayPal and our CEO Dan Schulman," said Pentland, an executive vice president with the e-commerce giant and an honoree in PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018.
Pentland came into the corporate world of PayPal in April of 2015 with a wealth of experience. She spent 17 years in management and legal work at Nokia before taking a sabbatical to spend time with her family — and discover the human rights organization in the process.
"Since working with HRI, almost everything I've done can be traced back to my time with the organization and what I learned about service and commitment," Pentland said.
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Denise Pickett, American Express
A motivating speech from a female executive at the Ogilvy ad agency 15 years ago helped steer Denise Pickett to new heights at American Express.
As did having a family willing to move to the U.S. from Canada.
After 17 years with Amex in Canada, the company offered Pickett a position at its New York headquarters. It would call for moving her family from its home of many years in Toronto, to a suburb in New Jersey.
"Surprisingly, my husband and three children were almost immediately on board," said Pickett, one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments this year. "When I arrived in New York, I dove into my new position, adjusted to the new office and began to build relationships with my new colleagues."
Last month, Pickett was promoted to her new role as chief risk officer and president of global risk, banking and compliance, after serving as president of U.S. consumer services for three years. The new role represents another significant achievement in her 26-year career at American Express.
READ MORE:Denise Pickett, American Express
As did having a family willing to move to the U.S. from Canada.
After 17 years with Amex in Canada, the company offered Pickett a position at its New York headquarters. It would call for moving her family from its home of many years in Toronto, to a suburb in New Jersey.
"Surprisingly, my husband and three children were almost immediately on board," said Pickett, one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments this year. "When I arrived in New York, I dove into my new position, adjusted to the new office and began to build relationships with my new colleagues."
Last month, Pickett was promoted to her new role as chief risk officer and president of global risk, banking and compliance, after serving as president of U.S. consumer services for three years. The new role represents another significant achievement in her 26-year career at American Express.
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Archana 'Archie' Puri, Braintree
To hear Archana "Archie" Puri tell it, the technology changing the payments market is every bit as dramatic as laser eye surgery is to someone who has had lifelong issues with her vision.
"One day you can't see without your glasses, and the next day you open your eyes, and everything falls into perspective," she said. "It's like The Matrix…you suddenly start seeing the code!"
And once she saw the code, everything changed for Puri, who is the head of product management at PayPal's Braintree and one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018.
By finding her voice and confidence, "I stopped doing without thinking about the best way to accomplish a task," Puri said. "It was almost like a switch that gets turned on and then a moment of clarity."
Puri is in her second year of overseeing product management, but previously worked three years at PayPal as a product leader for payments and card processing. In that time, she's seen some impressive growth.
READ MORE:Archana 'Archie' Puri, Braintree
"One day you can't see without your glasses, and the next day you open your eyes, and everything falls into perspective," she said. "It's like The Matrix…you suddenly start seeing the code!"
And once she saw the code, everything changed for Puri, who is the head of product management at PayPal's Braintree and one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018.
By finding her voice and confidence, "I stopped doing without thinking about the best way to accomplish a task," Puri said. "It was almost like a switch that gets turned on and then a moment of clarity."
Puri is in her second year of overseeing product management, but previously worked three years at PayPal as a product leader for payments and card processing. In that time, she's seen some impressive growth.
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Talbott Roche, Blackhawk Network
As CEO and President of Blackhawk Network, Talbott Roche has presided over some significant changes in the industry, notably the growth of third-party retailing of gift cards, but this wasn’t necessarily an easy sale to skeptical retailers.
And brands didn't want to relinquish a portion of their gift card revenues in exchange for distributing cards through a wider network.
“We started with just seven card partners and one distribution partner in the U.S,” Roche said. “Today, Blackhawk is one of the largest third-party distributors of gift cards in the world based on the value of funds loaded on the cards we distribute. Our retail channels accounted for over $14.5 billion in transaction dollar volume during fiscal 2016."
While Blackhawk’s presence has historically been focused on the U.S., international partnerships have been growing, notably through a pact with China’s Alipay.
READ MORE:Talbott Roche, Blackhawk Network
And brands didn't want to relinquish a portion of their gift card revenues in exchange for distributing cards through a wider network.
“We started with just seven card partners and one distribution partner in the U.S,” Roche said. “Today, Blackhawk is one of the largest third-party distributors of gift cards in the world based on the value of funds loaded on the cards we distribute. Our retail channels accounted for over $14.5 billion in transaction dollar volume during fiscal 2016."
While Blackhawk’s presence has historically been focused on the U.S., international partnerships have been growing, notably through a pact with China’s Alipay.
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Debra Rossi, First Data
Debra Rossi has been on the front lines of payments innovation since the late 1990’s, when the world of e-commerce was still in its infancy.
Back then, the pivot from brick-and-mortar to digital was problematic — there simply weren’t the payment platforms out there to match requirements. At that time, Rossi worked at Wells Fargo, where she was given the opportunity to collaborate on a new solution that was going to enable tens of thousands of merchants to accept card not present payments for the first time.
The result of these efforts was Billpoint, a venture in which eBay owned a 65% stake. This was to be the PayPal killer back when eBay was more interested in toppling PayPal than buying it.
“By listening to new innovative companies with a compelling vision for commerce, and partnering with some tremendous companies we built a very strong business case to develop Billpoint," said Rossi, one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018.
READ MORE:Debra Rossi, First Data
Back then, the pivot from brick-and-mortar to digital was problematic — there simply weren’t the payment platforms out there to match requirements. At that time, Rossi worked at Wells Fargo, where she was given the opportunity to collaborate on a new solution that was going to enable tens of thousands of merchants to accept card not present payments for the first time.
The result of these efforts was Billpoint, a venture in which eBay owned a 65% stake. This was to be the PayPal killer back when eBay was more interested in toppling PayPal than buying it.
“By listening to new innovative companies with a compelling vision for commerce, and partnering with some tremendous companies we built a very strong business case to develop Billpoint," said Rossi, one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018.
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Kim Schwendeman, Elavon
Kim Schwendeman's story is one of toughness, learning, perseverance, and the special job that teachers perform every day.
"When I was 13 years old, my mother passed away. I was left with my father and two brothers. At a time when I was leaving childhood and becoming a young woman, I had lost my closest female influence," said Schwendeman, who's now the chief of staff for global revenue at Elavon after a long and winding journey through her career and life.
With her mother gone, Schwendeman found new guidance from Nancy Litteral, her high school home economics teacher—one of those special teachers that we all have if we're lucky; a teacher that imparted a vision that Schwendeman has carried with her on her way to becoming a financial executive.
"[Mrs. Litteral] connected with me. She cared. It was that simple," Schwendeman said. "She took me under her wing and mentored me. I tried to emulate how she acted and interacted with the world. To me, she epitomized grace and what it meant to be a strong, professional woman. Many times over the years when faced with difficult situations, I’ve asked myself, 'What would Mrs. Litteral do?' In that simple way, she continues to guide me. I am eternally grateful for the valuable life lessons she taught me during my teenage years that have molded my adult life."
READ MORE:Kim Schwendeman, Elavon
"When I was 13 years old, my mother passed away. I was left with my father and two brothers. At a time when I was leaving childhood and becoming a young woman, I had lost my closest female influence," said Schwendeman, who's now the chief of staff for global revenue at Elavon after a long and winding journey through her career and life.
With her mother gone, Schwendeman found new guidance from Nancy Litteral, her high school home economics teacher—one of those special teachers that we all have if we're lucky; a teacher that imparted a vision that Schwendeman has carried with her on her way to becoming a financial executive.
"[Mrs. Litteral] connected with me. She cared. It was that simple," Schwendeman said. "She took me under her wing and mentored me. I tried to emulate how she acted and interacted with the world. To me, she epitomized grace and what it meant to be a strong, professional woman. Many times over the years when faced with difficult situations, I’ve asked myself, 'What would Mrs. Litteral do?' In that simple way, she continues to guide me. I am eternally grateful for the valuable life lessons she taught me during my teenage years that have molded my adult life."
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Susanne Steidl, Wirecard
Susanne Steidl loves building things, which suits her job as chief product officer for Wirecard, where she continuously develops new use cases for digital payments in everything from the gig economy to global travel.
Steidl, who joined the German company in 2006 after years in software and technology development, was closely involved with Wirecard’s purchase of Citi’s North American prepaid card business. In her role she played a part in assessing the business in 2016, performing the technical due diligence and helping to negotiate the deal, which closed last year.
“This was my first acquisition, and it was a big ship to steer,” Steidl said, reflecting on the high degree of collaboration and creativity the deal demanded from men—and many women—on both sides.
The process reminded her of the powerful camaraderie she experienced early in her career at a startup that zoomed quickly from five to 70 employees.
READ MORE:Susanne Steidl, Wirecard
Steidl, who joined the German company in 2006 after years in software and technology development, was closely involved with Wirecard’s purchase of Citi’s North American prepaid card business. In her role she played a part in assessing the business in 2016, performing the technical due diligence and helping to negotiate the deal, which closed last year.
“This was my first acquisition, and it was a big ship to steer,” Steidl said, reflecting on the high degree of collaboration and creativity the deal demanded from men—and many women—on both sides.
The process reminded her of the powerful camaraderie she experienced early in her career at a startup that zoomed quickly from five to 70 employees.
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Steve Niedorf
Nicole Tackett, U.S. Bank
Business payments are among the last major transaction types to cling to paper checks, an automation gap that's both an annoyance and an opportunity for Nicole Tackett.
"In B-to-B payments, I am frustrated with the slow adoption of digital payments. Around 50% of business transactions are conducted by check, which is astonishing, given the rapid evolution of the consumer payments industry," said Tackett, senior vice president and head of emerging markets and strategy for corporate payment systems at U.S. Bank, and one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018.
There are some signs of life for digitalB-to-B transfers , and Tackett hopes to spread the word among businesses that there are myriad benefits to dumping paper. "It remains both my personal and professional goal to work with businesses to increase the adoption of electronic payments and to realize the many benefits," she said.
Tackett, who completed her MBA shortly after entering the workforce, views the rapidly changing payments industry as a constant learning curve. As mobile commerce, real-time payments and nimble challengers create an almost constant state of disruption for banks, Tackett pays attention and learns.
READ MORE:Nicole Tackett, U.S. Bank
"In B-to-B payments, I am frustrated with the slow adoption of digital payments. Around 50% of business transactions are conducted by check, which is astonishing, given the rapid evolution of the consumer payments industry," said Tackett, senior vice president and head of emerging markets and strategy for corporate payment systems at U.S. Bank, and one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018.
There are some signs of life for digital
Tackett, who completed her MBA shortly after entering the workforce, views the rapidly changing payments industry as a constant learning curve. As mobile commerce, real-time payments and nimble challengers create an almost constant state of disruption for banks, Tackett pays attention and learns.
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Donna Turner, Early Warning
Controlling fraud for U.S. banking’s first industry-wide real-time payments network is not for the faint of heart.
As chief fraud policy and control officer for Early Warning, it’s Donna Turner’s job to ensure security when consumers enroll through the Zelle app, and protect consumers and participating banks when users zap payments to recipients at different institutions.
“I realized I had a passion for the challenge of staying aligned with the core product strategy, broad environmental threats, constantly challenging solutions and the human element of operations and experience, which all had to be bundled in quantitative analysis and monitoring to drive constant refinement of the tactical approach,” said Turner, who is honored as one of PaymentsSource’s for Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018.
It took her about 30 years to get there. Operating from a solid foundation of years in bank operations and debit product management positions—followed by deep immersion in fraud policy and controls in senior posts at Bank of America—Turner was ideally positioned to take the top fraud job at Early Warning in 2016.
READ MORE:Donna Turner, Early Warning
As chief fraud policy and control officer for Early Warning, it’s Donna Turner’s job to ensure security when consumers enroll through the Zelle app, and protect consumers and participating banks when users zap payments to recipients at different institutions.
“I realized I had a passion for the challenge of staying aligned with the core product strategy, broad environmental threats, constantly challenging solutions and the human element of operations and experience, which all had to be bundled in quantitative analysis and monitoring to drive constant refinement of the tactical approach,” said Turner, who is honored as one of PaymentsSource’s for Most Influential Women in Payments for 2018.
It took her about 30 years to get there. Operating from a solid foundation of years in bank operations and debit product management positions—followed by deep immersion in fraud policy and controls in senior posts at Bank of America—Turner was ideally positioned to take the top fraud job at Early Warning in 2016.
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Bard Wrisley
Patty Watson, TSYS
Patty Watson had a tenured career in the banking and payments industry before becoming a senior executive with TSYS. Her path included a 15-year stint with a financial institution that she found to be instrumental in developing her career as an innovator.
"Back in the early 2000’s, when I worked as a technology manager at a major national bank, they put me through a development program for women,” said Watson. “We spent a full year together, one day a month, discussing what we could do differently as females in our profession to meet some of the career goals many of us aspired to achieve.
"To me, one of the big takeaways from that program was around relationships — making a deliberate effort at maintaining relationships with people both inside and outside of your company, because it’s a way to learn and continue to grow. Many of the opportunities that I had during my 15-year tenure at the bank came from the relationships I established.”
The companies in the payments industry that survive are those that can adapt to the rapidly shifting technology trends, according to Watson, who says that despite TSYS having a 35-year pedigree, there is no room for complacency.
READ MORE:Patty Watson, TSYS
"Back in the early 2000’s, when I worked as a technology manager at a major national bank, they put me through a development program for women,” said Watson. “We spent a full year together, one day a month, discussing what we could do differently as females in our profession to meet some of the career goals many of us aspired to achieve.
"To me, one of the big takeaways from that program was around relationships — making a deliberate effort at maintaining relationships with people both inside and outside of your company, because it’s a way to learn and continue to grow. Many of the opportunities that I had during my 15-year tenure at the bank came from the relationships I established.”
The companies in the payments industry that survive are those that can adapt to the rapidly shifting technology trends, according to Watson, who says that despite TSYS having a 35-year pedigree, there is no room for complacency.
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