30 Financial Services IT Influencers to Follow in 2022

Accion is a global nonprofit organization seeking to build a financially inclusive world with access to economic opportunity and financial tools for all. Its vision is to give people the financial tools they need to improve their lives.

Alex Konrad is a senior editor at Forbes covering venture capital and technology. He edits the annual Midas List, Cloud 100 and 30 Under 30 for Venture Capital.

Alex Lazarow is a venture capitalist with Cathay Innovation, a global fund that invests across North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. He teaches entrepreneurship at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and is a senior contributor for fintech for Forbes magazine.

American Banker’s technology coverage runs the gamut from mobile payments to data privacy and partnerships between banks and financial technology companies (aka fintechs). Dating back to 1836, the news source has pivoted to the future with its extensive online coverage of digital banking and even a podcast for its audience of industry executives.

Founded as Bank Innovation in 2009, Bank Automation News is a veteran explorer of financial services technology. With a belief that automation is a critical piece of the future of financial services innovation, Bank Automation News delivers insights and information that guide industry professionals to better results.

BankThink is American Banker’s destination for commentary and informed opinion on critical topics in financial services.

Bradley Leimer is the co-founder of Unconventional Ventures, a startup seed funding and consulting firm. He is also co-author of the book Beyond Good and co-host of the podcast One Vision, which interviews startup founders, investors, industry players, thought leaders and policymakers in the innovation ecosystem. Leimer is a public speaker, adviser and consultant on financial technology, project management, public relations and financial inclusion.

A speaker and bestselling author, Brett King is the host of the highly ranked podcast Breaking Banks. A self-proclaimed futurist, King founded neobank Moven and serves as its executive chairman. His reach has stretched to the public sector as an adviser to the Obama administration on the future of banking.

Cathie Wood is founder, CEO and CIO of ARK Invest, a “thematic” investment company focused solely on disruptive innovation. With over 40 years of experience identifying and investing in innovation, Wood provides her 1.5 million followers with regular updates on market trends and analysis.

If it’s related to fintech, Chris Gledhill is talking about it. Whether it’s a keynote address, a blog post or a tweet, Gledhill is constantly sharing the latest about how artificial intelligence, Big Data and emerging tech affect banking.

Chris Skinner, creator of The Finanser website, is a public speaker and the author of several bestselling books on digital banking and transformation. He’s also a global ambassador for Innovate Finance, a not-for-profit membership association representing the U.K.’s fintech community.

Pylarinou, an independent blockchain and fintech adviser, is among the top voices in the field as she helps organizations navigate their digital transformation journeys. She is an international speaker who brings extensive Wall Street experience to the fintech conversation.

Fintech Insider, a podcast by 11:FS, is your one-stop shop for all things fintech. The podcast brings in-depth interviews with the best and brightest of financial services to a global audience.

The Fintech Times describes itself as the world’s first and only newspaper dedicated to fintech. The publication combines firsthand insight, opinion and expertise with observational journalism to keep readers in the know amid rapid change in the industry. Tech coverage includes the latest in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and the digital economy.

Helen Yu is a Fortune 500 adviser and the award-winning author of Ascend Your Start-Up. In 2019, Yu was named one of IBM’s Top 10 Global Thought Leaders in Digital Transformation.

As a public speaker, publisher and one of the minds behind The Financial Brand, Jim Marous is at the forefront of tech in finance and an industry thought leader in fintech, banking and digital transformation. He is also the host of the Banking Transformed podcast.

Jo Ann Barefoot is CEO of the Alliance for Innovative Regulation, which strives to transform financial regulation from manual, analog design a digitally native approach.

Mary Ann Azevedo is a senior reporter at TechCrunch and co-host of the podcast Equity, which endeavors to unpack the numbers and nuance behind the world of business, technology and venture capital.

Mike Quindazzi is the managing director and U.S. digital alliances leader for PwC. As a public speaker, he covers the global megatrends that are shaping future paths for business and society.

The executive editor for technology at American Banker, Penny Crosman has become one of the industry’s most influential thought leaders.

Penny Lee is CEO of the Financial Technology Association, which champions the transformative role of financial technology for American consumers, businesses and the economy.

Ron Shevlin is chief research officer for the financial services consultancy Cornerstone Advisors and the author of Smarter Bank, which looks at how legacy institutions can “grow and thrive in the new world of banking.”

Ronald van Loon is the CEO of Intelligent World, an on-demand and live video content portal where executives and technology experts can come together to share insights and educate target audiences about the latest technology trends, developments and processes shaping a digital-first business world.

A CTO and fintech professor, Sally Eaves lets her diverse experience influence her holistic approach to financial services. Eaves is a member of the Forbes Technology Council and an award-winning international speaker and author.

International speaker Scarlett Sieber, a former CIO, brings a wealth of experience to the fintech conversation. She’s the senior editor at Money20/20, the industry’s leading payments and financial services innovation event.

Shamir Karkal is the co-founder and CEO of Sila, a fintech software platform that provides payment infrastructure as a service. An industry veteran, Karkal also co-founded Simple, touted as the first American neobank, in 2009.

Steve McLaughlin left his job as a senior investment banker in Goldman Sachs’ Financial Technology Group to launch FT Partners, where he is CEO and managing partner. The firm bills itself as the only investment bank focused on the financial technology sector.

Syed Bukhari is a digital transformation leader, product manager and technology executive at the chief experience officer level who specializes in effective storytelling, design-led transformation and culture change.

The Paypers is the leading independent source of news and analysis for professionals in the global payments, fintech and commerce community.

Theodora (Theo) Lau is a public speaker, writer, adviser and the founder of Unconventional Ventures, which focuses on developing an ecosystem of financial institutions, corporations, startups, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and accelerators to better address the unmet needs of consumers, with a focus on women and minority founders.