Finance & Banking

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

Matthew J Smith

Matthew J Smith

Matthew J Smith has built a professional path centered on investment leadership and operational experience across the energy, power, and data center industries. With nearly twenty years of work, he has developed a practical understanding of how financial strategy connects to real-world performance. His background includes responsibilities in both hedge funds and public companies, allowing him to approach decisions with balance and clarity. Through every stage, he has focused on steady progress and responsible management.

He started his career as an analyst, where he gained valuable experience in studying companies, assets, and market cycles. In these early roles, he learned how to evaluate financial data, forecast potential results, and assess business risks. Those lessons shaped his careful and structured way of thinking about investments. His time in these positions provided him with the tools to interpret economic patterns and enhance his ability to make informed, disciplined decisions in complex environments.

Matthew advanced into senior research and portfolio management roles within established investment firms. His work focused on the industrial and energy sectors, where changing market trends demanded thoughtful analysis. By concentrating on the relationships between cyclical and long-term market forces, he refined an approach that valued consistent research and sound judgment. His contributions supported institutional portfolios managing significant assets, where he maintained an emphasis on careful evaluation, long-term focus, and risk control in rapidly evolving markets.

He carried those principles into his own firm when he founded Deep Basin Capital. As Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer, he created a strategy that combined detailed industry analysis with teamwork and structured processes. Matthew led efforts in recruiting, technology development, and investment execution, prioritizing investor trust at every step. Under his guidance, the firm grew and ultimately completed its operations successfully, reflecting his commitment to disciplined leadership and long-term value creation.

He later extended his experience into the public company space, serving as both a board member and Chief Financial Officer for a merchant power and data center operator. In this capacity, he managed financial reporting, operational planning, and asset oversight during a period of organizational challenge. His steady leadership supported financial recovery, strategic development, and a sale that provided strong results for stakeholders. The experience strengthened his understanding of governance and operational responsibility.

Matthew J Smith continues to value community involvement alongside professional work. He founded a food drive that helps families in need and has sustained the initiative over several years with consistent local support. Outside of his career, he enjoys sports, outdoor activities, and creative projects that balance his demanding professional life. His outlook combines financial understanding, operational discipline, and a genuine commitment to steady improvement. He remains focused on making meaningful contributions to both his field and the community.

Matthew J Smith has built a professional path centered on investment leadership and operational experience across the energy, power, and data center industries. With nearly twenty years of work, he has developed a practical understanding of how finan... Show more

Phillip Dawson

Phillip Dawson

In addition to building strong partner relationships across the UK and EU, Phil is one of the leading Banking and payments experts at Yavrio.

Built on Open Banking technology, Yavrio delivers a comprehensive embedded banking solution for businesses—providing direct connections to over 10,000 banks globally, instant bank reconciliation, and the ability to make fast, simple payments both domestically and internationally—all within Business Central.

In addition to building strong partner relationships across the UK and EU, Phil is one of the leading Banking and payments experts at Yavrio. Built on Open Banking technology, Yavrio delivers a comprehensive embedded banking solution for business... Show more

Shivam Dhar

Shivam Dhar

With nearly a decade of experience across sectors such as e-commerce, healthcare, gaming, open-source, and cybersecurity, within both large enterprises and agile startups, Shivam brings a creative, solutions-driven approach to complex challenges. Committed to community engagement, he actively mentors early-career cybersecurity professionals, judges prestigious tech awards, peer-reviews academic research, and contributes to tech-for-good initiatives with nonprofit organizations. He currently leads cloud security efforts at JPMorganChase, driving robust solutions to support the firm’s ongoing growth.

With nearly a decade of experience across sectors such as e-commerce, healthcare, gaming, open-source, and cybersecurity, within both large enterprises and agile startups, Shivam brings a creative, solutions-driven approach to complex challenges. Com... Show more

Ben Francis

Ben Francis

With over 18 years of experience at Bridgeview Financial Partners, Ben Francis specializes in guiding clients through the complexities of retirement and distribution planning. A native of Chattanooga, Ben is an expert in Social Security strategies, Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs), Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), income maximization, tax management, long-term care planning, and other critical areas affecting retirees.
He works closely with clients to address unique challenges during the transition from accumulation to decumulation, providing ongoing reviews of Social Security, distribution planning, income generation, investment strategies, and risk management to ensure their financial well-being.
In addition to his client work, Ben is a highly regarded speaker known for his engaging presentations at private companies, public events, and conferences. His ability to simplify complex retirement topics into understandable and actionable insights has made him a favorite among audiences.
Ben holds a Master of Science in Financial Services from The American College and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting & Finance from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. His professional designations include CFP® (Certified Financial Planner™), RICP® (Retirement Income Certified Professional), WMCP® (Wealth Management Certified Professional), ChFC® (Chartered Financial Consultant), and CLU® (Chartered Life Underwriter). He is also licensed with Series 7, 6, and 63.

With over 18 years of experience at Bridgeview Financial Partners, Ben Francis specializes in guiding clients through the complexities of retirement and distribution planning. A native of Chattanooga, Ben is an expert in Social Security strategies, R... Show more

Basant Mounir

Basant Mounir

Basant Mounir is a Senior Data Scientist at the Central Bank of Egypt, Industry Expert & Mentor for MIT ADSP, AI Advisor, Angel Investor, and Speaker. She thrives on collaborating with stakeholders to bring their vision to life, learning whatever it takes to deliver the end-to-end product that revolutionizes their workflows. Mounir is an active community builder; she founded an award-winning data science school at her IEEE branch, and most recently, co-hosted Egypt's first GenAI agent hackathon. A global thinker, Mounir travels across Africa, Europe, the US, and Japan to work with and learn from their data communities.

Basant Mounir is a Senior Data Scientist at the Central Bank of Egypt, Industry Expert & Mentor for MIT ADSP, AI Advisor, Angel Investor, and Speaker. She thrives on collaborating with stakeholders to bring their vision to life, learning whatever it... Show more

Jason Ghassan Barakat

Jason Ghassan Barakat

Ghassan Barakat has demonstrated a rare ability to move between sectors such as finance, law, technology, and philanthropy, applying strategy while keeping community needs at the forefront. Whether launching startups, growing multi-million-dollar platforms, or supporting charitable initiatives, he has always emphasized systems that strengthen people's lives and leave a lasting legacy.

In 2022, Jason founded Nolos Cabinet Multidisciplinaire Inc., serving as Founder & CEO. Nolos was created to integrate FinTech, InsurTech, and LegalTech under a single platform. This venture aims to democratize financial and legal services, particularly for middle-class families. The company combines a Quebec-based legal firm, a notarial study, and a national financial MGA distributing solutions from Canada's leading institutions. With his leadership, Nolos has expanded through acquisitions and new partnerships. Among these was the acquisition of Skylegal in 2022, followed by creating a charitable foundation in 2023 to help families access justice and financial protection during estate and legacy planning. More recently, Jason acquired a technology firm that builds software for public and private organizations, further enhancing the B2B reach of the Nolos platform.

Before establishing Nolos, Ghassan gained experience as a Strategic Senior Consultant, working with Chubb Insurance and other major industry players. From 2003 to 2021, he was President and Principal Officer with AMF of La Capitale Services Conseils, where he grew assets under management from $300 million to over $3 billion, serving public sector employees with specialized solutions. In 2017, he became President of La Capitale Financial Security, where he expanded national operations for disability and personal finance services, redesigned compensation structures, and created an inclusive and high-performance culture. He also served as President of SSQ Financial Group Distribution, where he modernized retirement planning, oversaw post-merger alignment, and improved client experience and compliance.

Philanthropy has been a central part of Jason Barakat's life for over two decades. He has supported the Guignolet de Saint-Vincent de Paul tradition and contributed to various charitable efforts connected to public institutions and retirement planning. In 2021, he partnered with Peartree Canada to advance philanthropic planning for organizations and families. He later launched the Nolos Foundation, which is dedicated to expanding access to Justice & Family Legacy Planning. Jason is also a volunteer leader for nonprofit boards and interfaith humanitarian initiatives.

Jason studied at Concordia University, John Molson School of Business, focusing on finance, business law, and theology. He has also completed studies in securities, investments, estate planning, insurance, venture capital, and strategic philanthropy, earning certifications in these areas.

Outside of his professional accomplishments, Ghassan Barakat is a devoted husband and father of two. His family provides daily motivation and guides his values of love, faith, and responsibility, shaping his personal and professional life. With empathy, service, and humility, he remains committed to leaving a legacy for his children, his community, and future generations.

Ghassan Barakat has demonstrated a rare ability to move between sectors such as finance, law, technology, and philanthropy, applying strategy while keeping community needs at the forefront. Whether launching startups, growing multi-million-dollar pla... Show more

Sergiu Petean

Sergiu Petean

I have a proven track record in transforming, scaling and managing large and distributed organisations operating in complex regulatory environments. What sets me apart is my ability to drive change at the intersection of business and technology. With a legacy of scaling engineering teams and managing complex transformations, I excel in integrating strategic thinking with hands-on expertise in AI, DevOps, and cloud solutions.

Over the last 15 years I have built and led engineering teams in Financial Services and Insurance, cloud infrastructure and startups. I also contributed to global communities such as Linux Foundation and Cloud Native Computing Foundation(CNCF), co-authored several research papers on AIOps and Decision Making and publicly spoken on different events such as Kubecon, Deloitte NextGen(AI) Cloud Transformation Summit and Cloud Native Days.

I have a proven track record in transforming, scaling and managing large and distributed organisations operating in complex regulatory environments. What sets me apart is my ability to drive change at the intersection of business and technology. With... Show more

Vijay Kumar Soni

Vijay Kumar Soni

Vijay Soni is an Expert Architect & Engineer at Discover's business technology department. He architected and designed Discover's cloud native Open banking and Click to Pay ecommerce Digital Wallet Payments platforms. He is seasoned software engineer and passionate about solving complex emerging finance, digital payment, identity and payment product problems using scalable, secure, future-proof and innovative approach. Vijay also led multiple EMVCo, eCommerce, Mobile SE/HCE Payments technology initiatives as lead architect and engineer. Vijay has worked on large industry led financial services & payments technology integration projects including Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Click to Pay and FDX Open Banking integrations, Pay with Rewards, Contactless Mass Transit acceptance etc.

Vijay Soni is an Expert Architect & Engineer at Discover's business technology department. He architected and designed Discover's cloud native Open banking and Click to Pay ecommerce Digital Wallet Payments platforms. He is seasoned software engineer... Show more

Jose Pereira Cabezuelo

Jose Pereira Cabezuelo

Driven Economist 📈 with a Master in International Trade, deeply passionate about the fast-paced world of financial markets, trading, and investment banking. My experience in economy & finance education 📚, financial markets 📊, and asset management 💼 provides a strategic and well-rounded approach to navigating today's complex market conditions. I thrive on challenges 💪 and bring strong skills in team leadership 🧑‍🤝‍🧑, problem-solving 💡, and business development 💼 to every opportunity. From sales & trading📈 and real estate 🏠 to international trade 🤝, I've honed my adaptability 🔄 and time management skills ⏱️.
➡️ #Finance #InvestmentBanking #Trading #FinancialMarkets #Economics #InternationalTrade #MarketMaking #FinTech #Career #Networking #LetsConnect

Driven Economist 📈 with a Master in International Trade, deeply passionate about the fast-paced world of financial markets, trading, and investment banking. My experience in economy & finance education 📚, financial markets 📊, and asset management ... Show more

Craig Bonn

Craig Bonn

Over the course of his career, Craig Bonn has dedicated more than thirty years to developing strategies that help investors participate in opportunities outside of traditional markets. He focuses on alternative investments, private equity, and pre-IPO companies. Today, he is the Managing Partner of Harley Capital LLC, an independent broker-dealer, and the Managing Member of Edge Partners LLC, which organizes Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) for accredited investors seeking access to late-stage private companies. His professional record includes exposure to various industries—technology, healthcare, energy, and consumer markets—and early involvement in companies such as Facebook, Databricks, and Anthropic.

Craig’s path began in New York, where he was born and raised, before pursuing his undergraduate education at the University of Hartford. Soon after completing his degree, he joined Lehman Brothers. Working at the firm placed him amid global financial activity, where he learned to evaluate risk, manage portfolios, and advise clients across diverse situations. While the environment was demanding and competitive, it also revealed to him the limitations of conventional financial instruments. He observed that not every client’s long-term goals could be met through traditional markets alone, which inspired him to look more closely at alternatives.

Guided by this insight, Craig established Harley Capital LLC. He aimed to create an independent, transparent, and long-term client service firm. Harley Capital grew into a boutique investment company, serving high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and trusts. Clients of Harley Capital benefit from carefully selected opportunities in areas such as private equity and pre-IPO investments, which are often beyond the reach of conventional investors. The firm emphasizes diversification, clear communication, and fiduciary responsibility as central to its mission.

Craig further extended his professional focus through Edge Partners LLC. At Edge Partners, he applies the SPV model to give accredited investors structured participation in pre-IPO and late-stage venture opportunities. Organized under a Delaware Series LLC, the firm is efficient and flexible while maintaining thorough due diligence. Edge Partners has prioritized investments in fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics, and software, which are industries positioned for long-term growth. He oversees acquiring securities in private companies and holding them until liquidity events such as acquisitions or public offerings occur.

His approach to investing emphasizes three pillars: disciplined risk management, appropriate timing, and a long-term vision. Craig believes that successful outcomes require choosing companies with potential and structuring the investments to safeguard participants. His preference for SPVs reflects this philosophy, providing both access to growth and a framework that manages risk.

Beyond pre-IPO markets, Craig has been active in natural gas mineral funds, venture partnerships, hospitality REITs, and specialized financing. His involvement includes WhiteHawk Energy and investments in Outstanding Foods, Braemar Hotels and Resorts, Prospect Capital, and Urica Therapeutics. Each reflects his practice of assessing industries, market conditions, and company fundamentals before committing capital.

Craig has remained committed to philanthropy and community involvement outside his professional roles. He supports organizations such as Pink Aid and Fred’s Team, which fund cancer research and health initiatives. His contributions include both financial support and participation in awareness-building events.

Craig has lived with his wife in Westport, Connecticut, for over 25 years. He is a runner who has completed five marathons, including the New York Marathon. He also enjoys traveling and gaining perspective by engaging with different cultures and economies.

Balancing his career achievements with philanthropy and personal pursuits, Craig Bonn continues to follow a path that reflects dedication, long-term vision, and community engagement.

Over the course of his career, Craig Bonn has dedicated more than thirty years to developing strategies that help investors participate in opportunities outside of traditional markets. He focuses on alternative investments, private equity, and pre-IP... Show more

Shadab Hussain

Shadab Hussain

Shadab Hussain is a global technology leader at the forefront of Artificial Intelligence , Blockchain, and Quantum Computing. As a Lead Engineer at MathCo, he spearheads innovations in Engineering and Generative AI, delivering transformative solutions that shape the future of enterprise technology.

He is the Co-founder of Quantum Computing India and previously served as a Developer Advocate at the London Stock Exchange Group, where he bridged advanced engineering with real-world application across global developer ecosystems. Recognized as a Google Developer Expert for AI/ML (GenAI) and an AWS Community Builder, Shadab also holds certifications in AWS Machine Learning Specialty and Google Cloud Machine Learning Engineering.

A TEDx speaker and active contributor to the Davos Digital Council, Shadab operates at the intersection of emerging technologies, policy, and innovation strategy. He has presented at premier global platforms including the Data Engineering Summit, Quantum Innovation Summit, Google Developer Groups (GDG), and AWS events, where he actively champions AI governance, workforce development, and national innovation ecosystems.

An accomplished author and researcher, Shadab is the co-author of a book on Quantum Computing in Finance, merging academic insight with practical execution. Through ongoing mentorship, technical workshops, and hackathon leadership, he plays a pivotal role in addressing the global AI & Quantum talent gap—particularly in the United States—and advancing the responsible deployment of frontier technologies.

Shadab Hussain is a global technology leader at the forefront of Artificial Intelligence , Blockchain, and Quantum Computing. As a Lead Engineer at MathCo, he spearheads innovations in Engineering and Generative AI, delivering transformative solution... Show more

Hernan Parada

Hernan Parada

I'm Hernán. I'm 41. I’m a retired handball player, and totally into technology and cybersecurity.
I studied Computer Science, got a diploma in Cybersecurity Management, and I've been working in different areas of IT and cyber for the past 20 years.
I started out doing tech support for internet services, then worked as a systems auditor at PwC.
For 10 years, I led teams handling tech and operational risk management. My curiosity pushed me to explore other industries too — I took on cybersecurity roles, and then became IT Manager in the civil aviation sector in the public sphere, where I stayed for nearly six years.
Now I’m back to my first love — the financial world — and currently working as a CISO at a financial company.

And as a little "bonus track": I'm passionate about communication, so I went back to something I left hanging in my teens — in 2021, I graduated as a Professional Radio & TV Broadcaster from ETER School of Communication.

I'm Hernán. I'm 41. I’m a retired handball player, and totally into technology and cybersecurity. I studied Computer Science, got a diploma in Cybersecurity Management, and I've been working in different areas of IT and cyber for the past 20 years. ... Show more

Robert Nordlander, CPA, CFE

Robert Nordlander, CPA, CFE

Robert Nordlander has over 20 years of experience as a special agent with IRS-Criminal Investigation, where he chased tax evaders and money launderers around the world. He is currently the owner of a CPA firm that focuses on forensic accounting and resolving tough tax problems. He is an author of three books on criminal taxes and unpaid payroll taxes. Nordlander speaks on national stages on forensic accounting, tax resolution, and white-collar investigations.

Robert Nordlander has over 20 years of experience as a special agent with IRS-Criminal Investigation, where he chased tax evaders and money launderers around the world. He is currently the owner of a CPA firm that focuses on forensic accounting and ... Show more

Natalie Cook

Natalie Cook

Natalie Cook is the founder of Finance Fight Club, an Outsourced CFO & Financial Services firm dedicated to empowering small business owners with financial clarity and strategic guidance. With extensive experience in financial management, Natalie has guided over 50 small businesses to transform their operations, achieve sustainable profitability, and build confidence in their financial decisions. Specializing in cash flow optimization, strategic planning, and due diligence for business transactions, she brings a unique blend of expertise and accessibility to her work.

A passionate speaker and educator, Natalie is known for breaking down complex financial concepts into practical, actionable insights for entrepreneurs and business leaders. Her recent engagements include workshops like the Small Business KPI Workshop and live sessions on cash flow management. As a trusted advisor, she helps business owners move beyond gut feelings to data-driven decisions.

Natalie is committed to making finance approachable, often drawing from her deep industry knowledge across professional services, construction, SaaS, and manufacturing. Outside of her professional life, she is dedicated to supporting small business communities and fostering financial literacy.

Natalie Cook is the founder of Finance Fight Club, an Outsourced CFO & Financial Services firm dedicated to empowering small business owners with financial clarity and strategic guidance. With extensive experience in financial management, Natalie has... Show more

Sanath Chilakala

Sanath Chilakala

Director of Data and AI with 18 years of extensive experience specializing in architecting and implementing complex data solutions tailored for the Healthcare, Life Insurance, and Finance sectors. My expertise encompasses Digital Solution Architecture, Advanced Data Engineering, Data Governance, Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics, and Regulatory Reporting, with a strong emphasis on regulatory compliance and data integrity.

I possess niche skills in AI model development and deployment, including proficiency in natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) algorithms that enhance predictive analytics capabilities. In Data Architecture, I excel in designing cloud-native architectures, implementing data lakes, and optimizing data warehousing solutions. My Data Governance expertise includes establishing frameworks for data stewardship, data quality management, and compliance with regulations such as HIPPA and GDPR.

Throughout my career, I have successfully developed scalable data models and architectures that support real-time analytics and machine learning initiatives, driving enhanced decision-making and operational efficiencies. In the Healthcare industry, I have led projects that align data governance practices with regulatory standards, ensuring the protection of sensitive patient information while maximizing the utility of health data for clinical insights. In the Life Insurance sector, I have engineered data solutions that optimize underwriting processes and claims management through the integration of advanced analytics. In Finance, I have focused on improving compliance reporting mechanisms, employing sophisticated analytics to ensure accuracy and timeliness in submissions to regulatory bodies.

My leadership philosophy emphasizes collaboration with cross-functional teams, aligning data architecture strategies with overarching business goals. I advocate for a culture of innovation, empowering teams to explore emerging technologies and methodologies that promote continuous improvement. I am passionate about mentoring emerging data professionals and sharing best practices in data management and governance to foster organizational growth.

In summary, my extensive background as a Director of Data and AI equips me to deliver sophisticated data solutions that effectively address the unique challenges within the Healthcare, Life Insurance, and Finance industries, while ensuring compliance and enhancing operational capabilities.

Director of Data and AI with 18 years of extensive experience specializing in architecting and implementing complex data solutions tailored for the Healthcare, Life Insurance, and Finance sectors. My expertise encompasses Digital Solution Architectur... Show more

Rashi Agrawal

Rashi Agrawal

Rashi leads AI Engineering at GoodLeap, a leading FinTech startup revolutionizing sustainable energy financing. She orchestrates cross-functional teams across the globe, driving enterprise-wide AI transformation initiatives that optimize everything from customer engagement to loan processing and servicing.

Combining strategic vision with deep technical expertise, Rashi has pioneered AI-driven automation solutions, sophisticated risk assessment systems, and intelligent decision-making platforms that deliver tangible business outcomes through Generative AI and agentic AI platforms.

Before GoodLeap, Rashi led engineering teams at Yahoo, where she converted early challenges into notable successes, significantly expanding their advertising business. Her active involvement in engineering and leadership communities enriches her approach, seamlessly integrating technical innovation with strategic business transformation. Beyond her professional pursuits, Rashi is an enthusiastic world traveler who has explored over 40 countries, bringing valuable global perspectives to her leadership role.

Rashi leads AI Engineering at GoodLeap, a leading FinTech startup revolutionizing sustainable energy financing. She orchestrates cross-functional teams across the globe, driving enterprise-wide AI transformation initiatives that optimize everything f... Show more

Sergei Nasibian

Sergei Nasibian

I’m Sergei Nasibian, a Quantitative Strategist at Rothesay, where I’ve developed a comprehensive risk calculation framework that powers the analytics used for hedging our market exposure. Prior to this, I worked as a Senior Analyst at Yandex Eats, where I helped build the pricing model from scratch and supported the company’s expansion into new geographies. I started my career as a Data Scientist at McKinsey, working on a wide range of analytical problems in both private and public sectors. With a strong foundation in mathematics from Lomonosov Moscow State University, I specialize in leveraging graph-based computation, real-time analytics, and system-level experimentation to solve complex challenges across finance, business, and technology.

I’m Sergei Nasibian, a Quantitative Strategist at Rothesay, where I’ve developed a comprehensive risk calculation framework that powers the analytics used for hedging our market exposure. Prior to this, I worked as a Senior Analyst at Yandex Eats, wh... Show more

Suresh Nageswaran

Suresh Nageswaran

Suresh Nageswaran is a hands-on engineer with over 25 years of building solutions for wealth management and investment banking. An AWS-certified architect, he codes in Rust to deliver real-time payment systems, AI-driven advisor tools, and regulatory compliance platforms for Fortune 50 clients. Also a Linux enthusiast and open source contributor, Suresh collaborates with business and technology leaders to solve business challenges with practical, high-impact technology platforms.

Suresh Nageswaran is a hands-on engineer with over 25 years of building solutions for wealth management and investment banking. An AWS-certified architect, he codes in Rust to deliver real-time payment systems, AI-driven advisor tools, and regulatory... Show more

Pradeep Kumar Yadav

Pradeep Kumar Yadav

Pradeep is an accomplished technology leader with over 17+ years of experience in driving digital transformation across banking, IoT, and cloud domains. As Head of Architecture at Danske Bank, Pradeep has led large-scale modernization projects, including the migration of legacy systems to cloud-native solutions using cutting-edge technologies like event-driven architecture and domain-driven design. He is a NEXT100 CIO Awardee, recognized for his expertise in building scalable, future-ready platforms. A passionate advocate for innovation and collaboration, Pradeep regularly contributes to thought leadership through industry events, sharing insights on architecture, IoT, and agile practices.

Pradeep is an accomplished technology leader with over 17+ years of experience in driving digital transformation across banking, IoT, and cloud domains. As Head of Architecture at Danske Bank, Pradeep has led large-scale modernization projects, inclu... Show more

Orion Willis

Orion Willis

Orion Willis is a seasoned financial planner and the founder of Prime Wealth Advisors, a firm dedicated to providing clients with comprehensive, personalized financial planning services. With over 28 years of experience in the financial industry, he has spent his career helping individuals and families navigate the complexities of wealth management, retirement planning, estate planning, and tax strategies. His primary focus is delivering integrated financial solutions, ensuring clients achieve long-term financial security and peace of mind.

Raised in Lake Side, Arizona, Orion's interest in finance began early, which led him to pursue a degree in finance at Arizona State University. At ASU, he gained valuable experience through an internship at MetLife, where he noticed a significant gap in the financial services industry. While many people had financial planners, their advice was often fragmented, with each advisor focusing on a single aspect of their finances. This observation inspired him to establish a firm that would take a more comprehensive approach to financial planning, combining wealth management, tax planning, estate planning, and other services in one place.

In 2002, Orion founded Prime Wealth Advisors to provide clients with a holistic approach to financial planning. His firm offers a full range of services, including retirement planning, tax strategies, estate planning, and wealth management. By addressing all aspects of a client’s financial life, Prime Wealth Advisors ensures clients receive customized plans designed to meet their unique needs and goals.

As a fiduciary, Orion is committed to always acting in the best interests of his clients. He is legally obligated to put his clients’ needs ahead of his own, ensuring that every recommendation he makes benefits them, not him. This commitment to integrity and trust has earned him the loyalty and respect of his clients, who know they can rely on his guidance for sound financial decisions.

Outside of his professional life, Orion values his family and is committed to his community. He is married with two children and enjoys spending time with them whenever possible. He also actively supports local initiatives, such as the Sun City West Pickleball Club, where his contributions have helped foster growth and support for charitable efforts. Orion Willis continues to positively impact those around him through his work and personal life.

Orion Willis is a seasoned financial planner and the founder of Prime Wealth Advisors, a firm dedicated to providing clients with comprehensive, personalized financial planning services. With over 28 years of experience in the financial industry, he ... Show more

J. Grant Mizell, CPM

J. Grant Mizell, CPM

Problem obsessed for +15 years, Grant's path to product started in traditional advertising before spending the last dozen years shaping digital products from startup to enterprise. Grant operates as Banking Strategist and Head Coach of Product Management for Ippon USA, a technology consultancy that supports digital transformation, data & cloud modernization and organizational change management. Recently Grant finds passion coaching regional & community banks on data & AI strategy.

Favorite successes -
1) taking a 2-sided market startup redesign from seed round to multi-million Series A;
2) reducing a community bank's account opening by more than 300% that helped support more than $1B in new assets; and
3) playing a leading role in a F500 bank's deployment and rollout of custom agent servicing app for +1500 agents.

Problem obsessed for +15 years, Grant's path to product started in traditional advertising before spending the last dozen years shaping digital products from startup to enterprise. Grant operates as Banking Strategist and Head Coach of Product Manage... Show more

Jhonathan David , MBA, Data Scientist|Data Analytics

Jhonathan David , MBA, Data Scientist|Data Analytics

Jhonathan David Shaikh is a remarkable professional making an impressive industry impact in banking & finance, healthcare, trade & exports and education. JD started his career in banking furthered his education by earning a Masters degree in Business Administration with a major in finance and global markets from the prestigious School of Business at Tulane University as well as becoming a Data Scientist from the New York School of Data Flatiron. Jhonathan completed a 15 year career track. In 2017, he became a Global Lead in Data Digital Transformation, and later an Executive Manager in Data Models & Database Reviews, at a global firm based New York City -He has research and published business applications of data sciences and AI in major media outlets. Today he is Chief Data Strategist for Xabios Data, a data analytics| business intelligence and data science firm optimizing businesses.

Notably, JD was featured on an international article for Grant Thornton International in Data Monetization. Hi research reached more than 15,000 followers - He has spoken at more than 13 conferences in the USA and LATAM- He founded a non-profit in LATAM that helps limited-resources entrepreneurs with micro-lending and educational resources. These recognitions, along with his Top 5 Awards in Leadership reflect his dedication and impact in industry and to people.

Jhon enjoyes being called to speak at the National and International Conferences to speak about real world experiences in the world of AI , Data Analytics & Data Science. Highlights include: the State of Mexico Business Association, in Mexico City, the Data Science Panels at the S&P 500 Building in Wall street for Data Science Salon, and at the The University of Houston College of Technology. Jhonathan makes complex topics, easy to understand to non-technical audiences, and makes technical audiences understand the world and language of business.

Experience for yourself as Jhonathan speaks to businesses leaders, management groups, professionals, scientist and students about real world applications of data sciences, from real life experiences. As he speaks the language of business and science, learned through his management of global teams in real-life projects, working with the leadership of top institutions, he shares his previous and ongoing client business experiences and what's happening in the world of data science.

His expertise topics include themes around : Data Science in a Business Context, Project Experiences, Data Modeling, and Financial Education.

Jhonathan David Shaikh is a remarkable professional making an impressive industry impact in banking & finance, healthcare, trade & exports and education. JD started his career in banking furthered his education by earning a Masters degree in Busines... Show more

Edwin Kwan

Edwin Kwan

Edwin Kwan is a DevSecOps advocate and strong believer in having a developer focused approach towards embedding security into the software development life cycle. Trained as a software engineer, he transitioned into security 9 years ago and now heads up the application security and security advisory teams at an Australian financial services company.

Edwin Kwan is a DevSecOps advocate and strong believer in having a developer focused approach towards embedding security into the software development life cycle. Trained as a software engineer, he transitioned into security 9 years ago and now heads... Show more

Dhruv Chopra

Dhruv Chopra

I m a finance guy, optimised ERP systems , cloud securitya and have 10 research paper on quick commerce and internet banking

I m a finance guy, optimised ERP systems , cloud securitya and have 10 research paper on quick commerce and internet banking Show more

Ambica Dixit

Ambica Dixit

Ambica Dixit is a Principal Partner for Data, AI & Robotics at VedArc, where she leads large-scale data modernisation and AI strategy initiatives across New Zealand and Australia. She specialises in enterprise AI, modern data platforms, and agentic systems, with a strong focus on the responsible, secure, and sustainable use of AI in complex organisations. Ambica is known for guiding enterprises from early experimentation toward safe, governed, and production-grade AI adoption, ensuring strategic alignment while enabling high-quality execution across multidisciplinary teams. She works extensively with regulated sectors including energy, forestry, finance, and public service agencies, bringing together strategy, technology, and governance to deliver measurable, real-world outcomes.

Ambica Dixit is a Principal Partner for Data, AI & Robotics at VedArc, where she leads large-scale data modernisation and AI strategy initiatives across New Zealand and Australia. She specialises in enterprise AI, modern data platforms, and agentic s... Show more

Pradeep Kalluri

Pradeep Kalluri

Data Engineer with 3+ years of experience building production data platforms at NatWest, Accenture, and Dpoint. Specialized in cloud-native architectures, real-time processing with Kafka and Spark, and data quality frameworks. Published technical writer on Medium, sharing practical lessons from production systems. Passionate about making data platforms reliable and trustworthy.

Data Engineer with 3+ years of experience building production data platforms at NatWest, Accenture, and Dpoint. Specialized in cloud-native architectures, real-time processing with Kafka and Spark, and data quality frameworks. Published technical wri... Show more

Frédéric Valentin

Frédéric Valentin

Head of Wealth Planning - SGPB Europe https://www.linkedin.com/in/frederic-valentin-ab313920 | Member of Cercle des Fiscalistes (https://www.lecercledesfiscalistes.com) | Member of the IACF - Institute of Tax Lawyers https://www.iacf.fr | Membre of Estate Planning Skill Group (https://epsg.international/fr/)

Head of Wealth Planning - SGPB Europe https://www.linkedin.com/in/frederic-valentin-ab313920 | Member of Cercle des Fiscalistes (https://www.lecercledesfiscalistes.com) | Member of the IACF - Institute of Tax Lawyers https://www.iacf.fr | Membre of E... Show more

Leslie-Schall Schall

Leslie-Schall 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

Surbhi Pokharna

Surbhi Pokharna

I spent my career in designing and managing enterprise scale data solutions with fundamental building blocks of Reliability, Security, Scalability, Governance and Maintainability in business-critical private and public cloud data platforms in financial domain.
Architecting the operationalization aspect in a client facing role, delivering relational and advanced analytics solution for large scale Operational and Data Warehouse implementations with focus on learning and innovation remained a constant part of my data journey.
Currently I am leading enterprise scale cloud data migrations in SQL Server/Snowflake/Azure SQL/Managed Instance/PostgreSQL and am involved with delivery of next generation Data & AI solutions using various data platforms. Also, I am managing large on/offshore teams, applying inclusive leadership, vendor management and technical skills.
As a woman in tech and part of data community, I have advanced with grit to create an impact, work with the mindset of ‘how I can’, passion for continuous learning and delivering results.
** I am board member of the New England SQL Server User Group, part of Snowflake Data Superhero 2025 program, member of PASS, speaker in PAAS Summit/Snowflake User Group/Azure Data User Groups/Data Saturdays/SQLBits. **

I spent my career in designing and managing enterprise scale data solutions with fundamental building blocks of Reliability, Security, Scalability, Governance and Maintainability in business-critical private and public cloud data platforms in financi... Show more

Aki Asahara

Aki Asahara

Aki Asahara, Ph.D., is an AI systems performance engineer and the Chief Marketing Officer at Fixstars. With a doctorate in astrophysics and more than 15 years of hands-on engineering and project management experience, he specializes in GPU performance engineering for large-scale AI training and inference workloads. His work spans autonomous driving, finance, healthcare, and industrial AI applications, with expertise in distributed training, mixed-precision optimization, and cluster-level observability on NVIDIA H100/H200/B200 architectures.

Aki serves as a Session Chair and Speaker at HPC Asia 2026 and has delivered invited talks at multiple GenAI-focused conferences in Japan. He also represents Fixstars as an exhibitor at the Supercomputing Conference (SC). He contributes to publications in AI systems performance engineering and leads industry projects that significantly improve throughput and cost efficiency.

Aki Asahara, Ph.D., is an AI systems performance engineer and the Chief Marketing Officer at Fixstars. With a doctorate in astrophysics and more than 15 years of hands-on engineering and project management experience, he specializes in GPU performanc... Show more

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