Finance & Banking

Experienced individuals involved in financial services, including banking, investment, insurance, and real estate

Sam Dengler

Sam Dengler

Sam Dengler is a Sr Principal Engineer at JPMorganChase, focused on AI-assisted developer experience, agentic systems, and high-scale event-driven architectures. He has spoken at AWS re:Invent, GOTO, Airflow Summit, and DevNexus on topics ranging from serverless patterns to distributed systems. Previously at AWS and Capital One, Sam has authored technical content on the AWS Compute, Architecture, and Database blogs, and designed official AWS training courses on event-driven and serverless architectures. When he's not building systems that refuse to die, he's probably debugging one that should have.

Sam Dengler is a Sr Principal Engineer at JPMorganChase, focused on AI-assisted developer experience, agentic systems, and high-scale event-driven architectures. He has spoken at AWS re:Invent, GOTO, Airflow Summit, and DevNexus on topics ranging fro... Show more

Samia Durrani

Samia Durrani

Samia leads the pre sales and delivery of large scale and complex security projects across a diverse portfolio of financial services clients. Samia is passionate about encouraging people from diverse backgrounds into technology careers. She does this by providing mentoring sessions, guest lectures to university courses and helping to lead D&I initiatives.

Samia leads the pre sales and delivery of large scale and complex security projects across a diverse portfolio of financial services clients. Samia is passionate about encouraging people from diverse backgrounds into technology careers. She does this... Show more

Sachin Gupta

Sachin Gupta

I am a senior backend and platform engineer at eBay with over 14 years of experience building and modernizing enterprise systems. I work on large scale billing and financial platforms that demand high reliability, strong security, and precise data correctness. I spend most of my time modernizing legacy architectures, designing cloud ready services, and building APIs and pipelines that hold up under heavy traffic and real world failure modes.

Lately, I have been integrating AI into engineering workflows, focusing on diagnostics, observability, testing, and automation that help teams move faster without sacrificing safety.

On stage, I share field tested patterns and mistakes to avoid, from migrations and cutovers to incident driven design and operational readiness. My goal is to give engineers practical takeaways they can apply immediately when building and modernizing systems at scale.

I am a senior backend and platform engineer at eBay with over 14 years of experience building and modernizing enterprise systems. I work on large scale billing and financial platforms that demand high reliability, strong security, and precise data co... Show more

Gregory Thoke

Gregory Thoke

Gregory Thoke is an entrepreneur based in Fort Collins, Colorado, with over a decade of professional experience in finance, strategy, and business development. He applies a disciplined, data-driven approach to building and scaling ventures, focusing on long-term growth, operational efficiency, and calculated risk management.

After beginning his career in financial services, Gregory transitioned into entrepreneurship, where he leverages his financial expertise to evaluate opportunities, manage cash flow, and execute sustainable growth strategies. His background provides a structured foundation for decision-making while allowing flexibility to innovate and adapt in competitive markets.

He earned his degree in Finance from the University of Northern Colorado’s Monfort College of Business in 2012. He is currently pursuing his MBA at Colorado State University, further strengthening his expertise in leadership, operations, and strategic management.
Outside of business and academics, Gregory enjoys skiing, hiking Colorado’s mountains, volunteering, and spending time with his family — embracing the same resilience, preparation, and long-term mindset that guide his professional work.

Gregory Thoke is an entrepreneur based in Fort Collins, Colorado, with over a decade of professional experience in finance, strategy, and business development. He applies a disciplined, data-driven approach to building and scaling ventures, focusing ... Show more

Alicia Tapia

Alicia Tapia

I am a Cloud Lead/Architect with a strong track record of successfully driven implementations. My experience spans multiple industries working with Microsoft Azure, Power Platform, Dynamics 365, and financial services ERPs.

I am a Cloud Lead/Architect with a strong track record of successfully driven implementations. My experience spans multiple industries working with Microsoft Azure, Power Platform, Dynamics 365, and financial services ERPs. Show more

Lora Vaughn

Lora Vaughn

Lora Vaughn helps business leaders understand technology risk without the jargon. A former NSA analyst and two-time CISO, she’s protected organizations from global fintechs to community banks. Now she advises executives on practical ways to protect their business, implement AI tools safely, and respond when things go wrong. A LinkedIn Learning instructor with courses taken by thousands, Lora delivers straight talk about what actually matters. No fear-mongering. No vendor pitches. Just what you actually need to know.

Lora Vaughn helps business leaders understand technology risk without the jargon. A former NSA analyst and two-time CISO, she’s protected organizations from global fintechs to community banks. Now she advises executives on practical ways to protect t... Show more

Zawadi Mukuru

Zawadi Mukuru

I am a data scientist and machine learning engineer with expertise in Python, SQL, Power BI, R, and Java. My experience spans data visualization, statistical modeling, web scraping, and machine learning algorithms. I have worked extensively with datasets across various domains, including finance, healthcare, real estate, and customer churn analysis.

I specialize in automating data pipelines, implementing feature engineering techniques, and optimizing machine learning models. Passionate about solving real-world problems through data-driven insights, I am continuously expanding my knowledge in cloud computing, ETL processes, and ML infrastructure.

I am a data scientist and machine learning engineer with expertise in Python, SQL, Power BI, R, and Java. My experience spans data visualization, statistical modeling, web scraping, and machine learning algorithms. I have worked extensively with data... Show more

Álvaro Rodríguez

Álvaro Rodríguez

Partner, Trainer Microsoft | Formación y consultoría análisis de datos | Excel, PowerBI, PowerPoint, Python, Azure, Power Platform | Msc Data Science | Financiero | Mercadólogo | CEO Finanzas VLR | Docente universitario.

Partner, Trainer Microsoft | Formación y consultoría análisis de datos | Excel, PowerBI, PowerPoint, Python, Azure, Power Platform | Msc Data Science | Financiero | Mercadólogo | CEO Finanzas VLR | Docente universitario. Show more

Jason Paolasini

Jason Paolasini

Jason Paolasini drives RBC’s hybrid cloud strategy, integrating on-prem and public cloud infrastructures using CNCF projects and Kubernetes. As a Kubernetes-first organization and CNCF Silver sponsor, RBC leverages open source frameworks to streamline security and operational efficiency. Jason fosters open source contributions while scaling multi-cluster environments to hundreds of thousands of cores, positioning RBC as a leader in financial cloud infrastructure.

Jason Paolasini drives RBC’s hybrid cloud strategy, integrating on-prem and public cloud infrastructures using CNCF projects and Kubernetes. As a Kubernetes-first organization and CNCF Silver sponsor, RBC leverages open source frameworks to streamlin... Show more

George Proorocu

George Proorocu

George is a seasoned IT professional with 15+ years of experience, evolving from technical roles to leading engineering teams in security-critical sectors. Passionate about coaching and empowering others, he combines hands-on expertise with strategic leadership.

A former professional chess player, George won the "Romanian Chess Champion" title with his club team in 2004. At 16, he founded and grew an ISP company in Bucharest to 600 clients before selling it at 18. He later pursued an Executive MBA at IMT Paris to strengthen his leadership skills.

Recognized in the Financial Times' "100 Faces of Innovation" in 2016, George is a sought-after Cybersecurity expert specializing in Fraud and Deepfakes. He has spoken at over 20 conferences all around the world, and his beginner’s Cybersecurity course has helped 150,000+ students start their careers in the field.

George is a seasoned IT professional with 15+ years of experience, evolving from technical roles to leading engineering teams in security-critical sectors. Passionate about coaching and empowering others, he combines hands-on expertise with strategic... Show more

Deep Patel

Deep Patel

Deep Patel is a senior data engineering and analytics leader with over a decade of experience designing and scaling large-scale data platforms across fintech and technology organizations. He has led enterprise-critical initiatives spanning executive metrics, real-time analytics, and AI-driven decision systems, helping leadership teams measure ROI, manage risk, and operate with data they can trust. Deep frequently speaks and writes on modern data infrastructure, AI governance, and translating complex systems into clear business outcomes.

Deep Patel is a senior data engineering and analytics leader with over a decade of experience designing and scaling large-scale data platforms across fintech and technology organizations. He has led enterprise-critical initiatives spanning executive ... Show more

Teresa wu

Teresa wu

Teresa is a public speaker, Google Developer Expert (GDE), mentor, and software engineer who is passionate about front-end development and Cloud technology. She has been working with many talented developers to craft various apps and projects throughout the years, and she likes to explore the world of multi-platform, the fun of continuous delivery, and seeing through the product from development to release. 

Teresa is a public speaker, Google Developer Expert (GDE), mentor, and software engineer who is passionate about front-end development and Cloud technology. She has been working with many talented developers to craft various apps and projects through... Show more

Rob Litjens

Rob Litjens

I am a DBA since 1997 and have worked with SQL6, 6,5 and upwards. My interest are merely platform based, but also interested in performance and monitoring. With the requirements changing I am working in DevSEcOps for SQL for my employer. Security is getting more focus. That means I am trying to setup builds that are secure by designed and securely designed. Tools help with that.

I am a DBA since 1997 and have worked with SQL6, 6,5 and upwards. My interest are merely platform based, but also interested in performance and monitoring. With the requirements changing I am working in DevSEcOps for SQL for my employer. Security is ... Show more

Nancy McClelland CPA

Nancy McClelland CPA

With her CPA firm The Dancing Accountant, Nancy has been on a lifelong mission to support small businesses and their communities – as well as educate the professionals who serve them. Known for her fun, personal and direct style, it’s no surprise she insists that the future of accounting is built on relationships.

She also runs the 'Ask a CPA' community: a non-judgmental, safe space for bookkeepers who want to learn more about preparing tax-ready books, collaborating with CPAs, booking complex accounting transactions, and breaking into advisory services.

Named one of the Top 10 ProAdvisors by Insightful Accountant, as well as one of Ignition’s Top 50 Women in Accounting, she writes an award-winning blog with insights and resources for business-owners and accounting professionals, and is an engaging speaker… and 60’s go-go dancer!

With her CPA firm The Dancing Accountant, Nancy has been on a lifelong mission to support small businesses and their communities – as well as educate the professionals who serve them. Known for her fun, personal and direct style, it’s no surprise she... Show more

Kamil Panfil

Kamil Panfil

Kamil Panfil er CFO, styreleder og foredragsholder med bred erfaring fra både oppstartsbedrifter og etablerte selskaper. Han kombinerer solid finansforståelse med praktisk innsikt i teknologi, automatisering og ledelse. Kamil har jobbet med å bygge selskaper fra idé til skalering, ledet digitale transformasjonsprosesser og hjulpet ledere å ta smartere beslutninger raskere. På scenen er han kjent for sin energiske, ærlige og inspirerende stil som gjør komplekse temaer konkrete og relevante – enten det handler om vekst, strategi eller menneskene bak tallene.

Kamil Panfil er CFO, styreleder og foredragsholder med bred erfaring fra både oppstartsbedrifter og etablerte selskaper. Han kombinerer solid finansforståelse med praktisk innsikt i teknologi, automatisering og ledelse. Kamil har jobbet med å bygge s... Show more

Leslie Schall

Leslie Schall

Equal parts strategist and storyteller, Leslie Schall brings humor, heart, and hard-earned expertise to every stage. As Director of Channel Partnership, Microsoft at Corpay, she leads the powerhouse alliance connecting fintech innovation with Microsoft’s global ecosystem—helping businesses simplify payments and scale smarter.

Leslie’s sessions blend real-world insights with relatable energy, turning complex financial topics like fraud prevention, cash flow optimization, AP automation, and workflow efficiency into engaging, actionable discussions. Audiences walk away inspired, informed, and ready to rethink what modern financial operations can be.

When she’s not sparking collaboration across the Microsoft ecosystem, you’ll find Leslie in Fort Collins, Colorado, chasing her three kids, mountain views, and the next great cup of coffee.

Equal parts strategist and storyteller, Leslie Schall brings humor, heart, and hard-earned expertise to every stage. As Director of Channel Partnership, Microsoft at Corpay, she leads the powerhouse alliance connecting fintech innovation with Microso... Show more

Tushar Pal

Tushar Pal

I’m a Senior IT Internal Auditor at American Express Global Business Travel, specializing in cybersecurity governance, risk management, and compliance frameworks including ISO 27001, SOX, and PCI DSS. As a cybersecurity professional who began with hands-on skills in penetration testing, exploit development, and digital forensics before choosing a career in governance, risk, and compliance, I bring a hacker’s mindset into the world of audits.

I’m also the author of a top-ranked digital forensics blog on the Autopsy tool, with over 75,000 views and the #1 spot on Google. Today, I lead the integration of Generative AI into internal audit processes, architecting a multi-phase roadmap that transforms legacy governance systems into dynamic, AI-powered frameworks. Alongside strategy, I actively design techniques for generating highly targeted GenAI prompts, enabling audit teams to extract precise, actionable intelligence while reducing noise and false positives.

By combining hacker-style curiosity with AI-driven execution, I offer a unique perspective on the future of IT audits. My talks challenge the perception of audits as checklist exercises and present a vision for Audit 2.0, where passion-driven professionals and AI together redefine assurance as resilience-building rather than compliance alone.

I’m a Senior IT Internal Auditor at American Express Global Business Travel, specializing in cybersecurity governance, risk management, and compliance frameworks including ISO 27001, SOX, and PCI DSS. As a cybersecurity professional who began with ha... Show more

Ursula Spencer

Ursula Spencer

Ursula Spencer is an eDiscovery and information governance SME with deep roots in enterprise Microsoft ecosystems. She pioneered and led the Federal Reserve System’s eDiscovery function following the 2008 financial crisis, designing defensible data collection and review workflows across 12 Reserve Banks. Her work supported Congressional investigations, regulatory audits, and high risk litigation, reducing manual processing by over 80 percent while maintaining NIST and FISMA aligned audit readiness. She has since led system wide migrations to Microsoft 365, designed governance ready collaboration environments, and advised public and private sector organizations on secure, people centered M365 adoption.

Today, Ursula designs secure, people centered adoption strategies for public sector, education, and enterprise organizations. She specializes in translating emerging technologies including AI, XR, VR, and AR into governed, scalable solutions that accelerate transformation while protecting data and compliance posture. Her approach blends deep technical expertise with change leadership, helping organizations safely navigate AI’s inflection point.

An award winning technologist, she has spoken at Politico LIVE, Microsoft Elevate and Innovate, BaddieCon, CIAA Tech Summit House, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, where she shares practical frameworks for AI readiness, collaboration at scale, and career reinvention in emerging tech.

Ursula Spencer is an eDiscovery and information governance SME with deep roots in enterprise Microsoft ecosystems. She pioneered and led the Federal Reserve System’s eDiscovery function following the 2008 financial crisis, designing defensible data c... Show more

Avinash Sabat

Avinash Sabat

Avinash Sabat is a Principal Cloud DevOps and Platform Engineer with 14+ years of experience building cloud-native platforms for large, regulated organizations. His work centers on platform engineering, developer enablement, and operational excellence, creating scalable, secure foundations that allow teams to move faster without sacrificing control. He brings a systems-level perspective that connects cloud engineering, governance, and business outcomes.

Avinash Sabat is a Principal Cloud DevOps and Platform Engineer with 14+ years of experience building cloud-native platforms for large, regulated organizations. His work centers on platform engineering, developer enablement, and operational excellenc... Show more

Philip Hillman

Philip Hillman

I'm a Product Strategy and UX Leader currently serving as UX Manager at Google in Zurich, Switzerland, with over 25 years of experience in digital product design, building and directing high-performing design organizations at scale.

I specialize in Product Strategy and Design Operations (DesignOps), leveraging AI to transform both how teams design and how users interact with products, systems, and services, driving measurable commercial impact across FinTech, AdTech, and E-commerce.

Previously, I served as Head of UX Research and Design at Credit Suisse (2017-2021) and Senior UX Design Manager at Amazon (2016), with earlier leadership roles at Tesco, Accenture, and Barclays.

I deliver keynotes and workshops on UX leadership, design operations, AI-powered design transformation, and building high-performing teams. My sessions focus on practical frameworks for scaling design organizations, navigating the IC-to-leader transition, and leveraging AI to accelerate both team workflows and product capabilities.

British-born and based in Zurich since 2017.

I'm a Product Strategy and UX Leader currently serving as UX Manager at Google in Zurich, Switzerland, with over 25 years of experience in digital product design, building and directing high-performing design organizations at scale. I specialize i... Show more

Sanket Bisne

Sanket Bisne

He is Google Developer Expert in GCP , working as Sr. DevOps Engineer at Lloyds Banking Group .He has previously worked as a cloud engineer at Searce (GCP Premium Partner) He is Google Cloud Champion Innovator in the category of Modern Architecture with CKA + 3X Certified in GCP and 1X in Azure . He has been helping small and mid sized startups to adopt and implement best practices in cloud and DevOps culture to fasten their software delivery process. He loves to integrate various GCP service like networking, compute, storage , containers, GKE etc, and likes to Implement various use cases. He loves to explore and deep dive into GCP services and also help community by creating content and writing medium blogs.

He is Google Developer Expert in GCP , working as Sr. DevOps Engineer at Lloyds Banking Group .He has previously worked as a cloud engineer at Searce (GCP Premium Partner) He is Google Cloud Champion Innovator in the category of Modern Architectur... Show more

Samuel Adekunle

Samuel Adekunle

Samuel is a Senior Mobile Engineer with 6+ years of experience developing robust and scalable mobile applications for fintech, e-commerce, and SaaS, serving hundreds of thousands of users.

Samuel is a Senior Mobile Engineer with 6+ years of experience developing robust and scalable mobile applications for fintech, e-commerce, and SaaS, serving hundreds of thousands of users. Show more

Cíntia Guberovic

Cíntia Guberovic

Sou KCP (Kanban Coaching Professional) e atuo como Superintendente de Governança, Planejamento e Performance no PagBank. Tenho carreira de +20 em TI com foco em agilidade nos últimos 12 anos. Hoje sou responsável pela expansão da agilidade organizacional, Gestão de Projetos e Portfolio do PagBank, através da disseminação de melhores práticas como alavanca de negócios, utilizando conceitos de Business Agility, Kanban e KMM como ferramentas de crescimento exponencial e maturidade organizacional, melhorando a assertividade no atingimento dos objetivos em níveis estratégicos e táticos. Sou também responsável pela gestão e alavancagem do plano de desenvolvimento profissional dos especialistas em agilidade, projetos e portfolio de um dos maiores bancos digitais do Brasil.

Sou KCP (Kanban Coaching Professional) e atuo como Superintendente de Governança, Planejamento e Performance no PagBank. Tenho carreira de +20 em TI com foco em agilidade nos últimos 12 anos. Hoje sou responsável pela expansão da agilidade organizaci... Show more

Diogo Ribeiro Braga

Diogo Ribeiro Braga

Diogo Ribeiro Braga is the Lead Data Scientist of Erste Group’s Risk AI Lab, the bank’s innovation center for AI in Risk Management. His work combines data architecture and software design principles with innovative approaches in graph technology, agentic AI, and advanced machine learning to build explainable, reliable, and scalable solutions.

Diogo Ribeiro Braga is the Lead Data Scientist of Erste Group’s Risk AI Lab, the bank’s innovation center for AI in Risk Management. His work combines data architecture and software design principles with innovative approaches in graph technology, ag... Show more

Ahmad Alsharif

Ahmad Alsharif

Ahmad Alsharif is a Google Cloud Authorized Trainer and a Cloud Architect Consultant at Eastnets. He specializes in Application modernization, Kubernetes, and Serverless, driving the design and implementation of cloud environments for complex highly-regulated financial workloads. He also leads the Google Developer Group Amman, actively advocating for Cloud-native technologies.

Ahmad Alsharif is a Google Cloud Authorized Trainer and a Cloud Architect Consultant at Eastnets. He specializes in Application modernization, Kubernetes, and Serverless, driving the design and implementation of cloud environments for complex highly-... Show more

Lolu Olufemi

Lolu Olufemi

Lolu Olufemi a.k.a Lolu Lessons is a Change Management Speaker, Consultant and Coach, helping organisations and individuals unlock their potential to navigate change with purpose and clarity.

Raised in Scotland, born in Nigeria, and having lived in seven different cities, Lolu has experienced first-hand the complexities of personal and professional transitions. Her journey from finance to change management consulting has taught her one crucial lesson: change is about people.

With an MBA from Imperial College London and 18+ years of experience in the Big 4 leading teams and working with multi-national clients, Lolu brings hands-on expertise in people-centred change management. Her practical, jargon-free approach has helped organisations across finance, retail, government, and media navigate change successfully by putting people at the heart of change.

Known for her engaging #LoluLessons across social media, Lolu makes change management accessible, actionable, and human.

Lolu Olufemi a.k.a Lolu Lessons is a Change Management Speaker, Consultant and Coach, helping organisations and individuals unlock their potential to navigate change with purpose and clarity. Raised in Scotland, born in Nigeria, and having lived ... Show more

Apratim Sarkar

Apratim Sarkar

Highly skilled Data Scientist & Full Stack Developer with extensive industry experience (3+ years) in analyzing complex datasets, developing innovative data models, and generating actionable insights. Proven track record of implementing effective data-driven strategies to drive business growth and enhance operational efficiency.

Highly skilled Data Scientist & Full Stack Developer with extensive industry experience (3+ years) in analyzing complex datasets, developing innovative data models, and generating actionable insights. Proven track record of implementing effective dat... Show more

Eric Bernstein

Eric Bernstein

Eric has helped thousands of people buy homes, build wealth, and feel confident about one of life’s biggest financial decisions. Since entering the mortgage industry in 2015, he’s closed over $1 billion in home loans and earned a reputation for solving complex financing scenarios with clarity, speed, and care. He also has extensive experience helping veterans use VA IRRRLs to reduce their monthly payments quickly with minimal documentation.

Eric’s approach is deeply shaped by the customer service philosophy in Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard—a book he credits as a major influence in his career. He believes every client deserves more than a smooth transaction—they deserve a standout experience that’s personal, consistent, and always better than expected. That mindset drives everything he does at LendFriend, from how his team communicates to how they show up when things get complicated.

While Eric works with a wide range of homebuyers and homeowners, he has deep expertise in helping clients who fall outside the traditional lending box—self-employed borrowers, real estate investors, crypto holders, and others with unique financial profiles. He specializes in VA, Conventional, and Jumbo loans, as well as Non-QM solutions like bank statement, DSCR, and asset depletion programs.

Whether you're buying your first home or financing your fifth, Eric brings the same thoughtful, personalized approach to every deal. He leads the LendFriend team with a focus on transparency, creativity, and making sure every client walks away feeling like they had someone in their corner from day one.

Eric has helped thousands of people buy homes, build wealth, and feel confident about one of life’s biggest financial decisions. Since entering the mortgage industry in 2015, he’s closed over $1 billion in home loans and earned a reputation for solvi... Show more

Jammie Jelks

Jammie Jelks

Jammie Jelks has spent more than 10 years building AI and automation products in mortgage lending, where skepticism isn’t resistance—it’s survival. Starting his career as an underwriter before becoming a product leader, he’s seen technically perfect systems fail while imperfect ones succeed because they earned user trust. Now Director of Product at Prudent AI, Jammie focuses on bridging the gap between AI capability and real-world adoption in high-stakes environments.

Jammie Jelks has spent more than 10 years building AI and automation products in mortgage lending, where skepticism isn’t resistance—it’s survival. Starting his career as an underwriter before becoming a product leader, he’s seen technically perfect ... Show more

Wade Tetsuka

Wade Tetsuka

Wade is a CPA who brings 20 years of financial expertise and business management experience to U.S. Transactions Corp.
He was previously with Ernst & Young in San Francisco and later PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Stuttgart, Germany where he was senior engagement manger responsible for the assurance work for IBM, Sony, and several other multinational companies.
He also served as President/General Manager to three early-stage fast growth companies in the life sciences industry. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business with a B.S. in Economics.
U.S. Transactions Corp. was founded in 2009.
We focus on the Microsoft Dynamics space as the only integrated credit card processing solution with built-in connections to 120+ gateways and processors with access to every international currency. See USTPay on Appsource
www.ustranscorp.com/ustpay

Wade is a CPA who brings 20 years of financial expertise and business management experience to U.S. Transactions Corp. He was previously with Ernst & Young in San Francisco and later PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Stuttgart, Germany where he was senior ... Show more

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