The Financial Technology Report is pleased to announce The Top 25 Financial Technology Leaders of New York for 2022. From founders to CEOs and COOs, this year’s awardees represent some of the most innovative technologists and bold operators ushering in the next generation of financial services.
Executives such as Andrew Reiser, CEO of Kapitus, lead one of the most reliable and respected names in small business financing. And Jason Lee, CEO and founder of DailyPay, has carved a path of his own while setting the highest standard for on-demand pay. Perhaps most fitting for today’s economy, Nico Simco, CEO and founder of Clair, has built a mission-driven digital banking platform that provides American workers with fee-free access to their earnings.
We recognize these notable individuals for their professional achievements in financial technology, their leadership of people and teams, and for cultivating company cultures that yield stability and growth. Please join us in celebrating The Top 25 Financial Technology Leaders of New York for 2022.
1. Sarah Levy
Chief Executive Officer
Betterment
Sarah Levy is the Chief Executive Officer of Betterment. She first joined the company in 2020. Betterment is an investing and savings app. It is a solid robo-advisor choice for people who want to get serious about investing for something big, like a home down payment, college fund, or retirement. Betterment’s algorithms match risk tolerance and specific goals to diversified portfolios of low-cost exchange traded funds (ETFs) and mutual funds.
Previously, Levy was a COO of media networks at Viacom. Before that, she was a COO at Nickelodeon. Earlier in her career she worked with The Walt Disney Company as a senior analyst of corporate strategic planning. Levy earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, and an undergraduate degree in economics from Harvard University.
2. Nico Simko
Chief Executive Officer and Founder
Clair
Nico Simko is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Clair. Clair is a New York-based mission-driven digital banking platform that provides American workers with fee-free access to their earnings anytime via its Clair Debit Mastercard and FDIC-insured Spending and Savings accounts. Clair’s On-Demand Pay product is embedded within the digital or physical punch clocks of its HR technology partners, where American workers clock in and out daily. By giving workers control and access to their earnings anytime, Clair is bringing financial confidence to the American workforce. Previously, Simko was an analyst at J.P. Morgan. He earned an undergraduate degree in economics from Harvard University and an undergraduate degree in physics and applied mathematics from Ecole Moser.
3. Edwina Johnson
Chief Operating Officer
Alloy
Edwina Johnson is the Chief Operating Officer of Alloy, a developer of an identity verification platform used to detect fraud and make identity management simple and effective for banks. It makes it easy for financial services companies to quickly and safely onboard and manage more customers, automating decisions, mitigating fraud and high-cost financial risk, and reducing the burden on the back office and manual review queues. Alloy transforms credit policies into easy-to-use workflows that integrate with credit bureau and alternative underwriting data for a clear picture of customers.
Before joining Alloy, Johnson was a program director at Startupbootcamp FinTech. Before that, she was COO at Smug Living. Earlier in her career she worked with Steak Media as a senior account executive. Johnson graduated from the University of Nottingham with an undergraduate degree in psychology.
4. Jason Lee
Chief Executive Officer and Founder
DailyPay
Jason Lee is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of DailyPay. He founded the company in 2015. DailyPay, powered by its industry-leading technology platform, is on a mission to build a new financial system. Partnering with America’s best-in-class employers, including Dollar Tree, Adecco and Berkshire Hathaway, DailyPay is the recognized gold-standard in on-demand pay. Through its massive data network, proprietary funding model, and connections into over 6,000 endpoints in the banking system, DailyPay works to ensure that money is always in the right place at the right time for employers, merchants and financial institutions.
Previously, Lee was a managing director and global head of Structured Equity Group at Goldman, Sachs & Co. He earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
5. Ran Landau
Chief Technology Officer
Splitit
Ran Landau began his professional career over 14 years ago. Today, he is the Chief Technology Officer of Splitit. Splitit is a completely new way to pay 0% interest monthly payments, right on your credit card. It powers the next generation of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) through its merchant-branded Installments-as-a-Service platform. It solves the challenges businesses face with legacy BNPL while unlocking BNPL at the point of sale for card networks, issuers, and acquirers all through a single network API.
Landau first got his start in 2008 as a software engineer at ConTrust. From there, he went on to Conduit, before eventually rising to CTO at Intelligo Group, his most recent position before joining Splitit. Landau graduated from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem with an MBA and from The College of Management Academic Studies with an undergraduate degree in computer science.
6. Sean Ryan
Chief Technology Officer
NODE40
Sean Ryan is the Chief Technology Officer of NODE40, a financial services provider for individuals and businesses interacting with cryptocurrency. It sits at the intersection of industry and government compliance to demystify the treatment of cryptocurrency (e.g. Bitcoin) across its many governing bodies. Beginning his career in 2003, Ryan has over 19 years in the financial services industry. Before joining NODE40, Ryan was a senior technologist at Troy Web Consulting. Before that, he was a software developer at New York State Department of Civil Service. Ryan earned his master’s degree in information science and an undergraduate degree in computer science from University at Albany, SUNY.
7. Francois Lame
Co-Founder
Policygenius
Francois Lame is a Co-Founder of Policygenius. He helped found the company in 2014. Policygenius is the online insurance marketplace combining cutting-edge technology with the expertise of licensed agents to help people get the coverage they need to protect their family, property, and finances -with confidence. Since 2014, its content, digital tools, and experts have served as a resource for millions of people on their insurance journey. Policygenius has sold more than $160 billion in coverage from its headquarters in New York City and Durham, North Carolina. Its mission is to help people get insurance right by making it easy to understand their options, compare quotes, and buy a policy all in one place.
Previously, Lame was a senior associate at McKinsey & Company, and before that, a CMO at Identified. Earlier in his career he worked with McKinsey & Company as a business analyst. Lame earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and an undergraduate degree in business science and economics from the University of Cape Town.
8. Gaurav Suri
Chief Executive Officer
Arcesium
Gaurav Suri is the Chief Executive Officer of Arcesium, a global financial technology and professional services firm. He first joined the company in 2015. Arcesium delivers post-investment and enterprise data management solutions to some of the world's most sophisticated financial institutions -including hedge funds, banks, institutional asset managers, and private equity firms. Expertly designed to achieve a single source of truth throughout a client's ecosystem, Arcesium's cloud-native technology systematizes the most complex workflows and helps clients achieve scale.
Previously, Suri was a managing director at The D. E. Shaw & Co. Earlier in his career, he worked with AT&T Bell Laboratories as a member of technical staff. Suri earned an MS in computer science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an undergraduate degree in computer science from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
9. Chris Pento
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
Clear Street
Chris Pento began his professional career over 33 years ago. Today, he is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Clear Street. Clear Street is building a modern infrastructure for capital markets. It started with Prime brokerage, an industry that has struggled to see any real innovation in decades. Its cloud-native platform has redefined what it means to work with a prime broker - improving access, speed, and service for its clients.
In 1989, Pento served as VP of Operations at Merrill Lynch. He then went on to Knight Capital Group and eventually became managing director and head of global operations at Exos Financial, his most recent position prior to joining Clear Street. Pento graduated from Rutgers University with an undergraduate degree in economics and finance.
10. Anneloes Hesen
Chief Operating Officer
Arcesium
Anneloes Hesen began her professional career 22 years ago. Today, she is the Chief Operating Officer of Arcesium, a global financial technology and professional services firm, delivering solutions to some of the world’s most sophisticated financial institutions, including hedge funds, banks, and institutional asset managers. Expertly designed to achieve a single source of truth throughout a client’s ecosystem, Arcesium’s cloud-native technology can systematize the most complex tasks.
Hesen first got her start in 2000 as a Project Officer at Ministerie van Economische Zaken. From there, she went on to Marsh as a Managing Director, her most recent position prior to joining Arcesium. Hesen graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology with an MS in technology and policy program, civil and environmental engineering, and an MS in natural sciences and business management from Utrecht University.
11. Rohit Arora
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
Biz2Credit
Rohit Arora is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Biz2Credit. Biz2Credit focuses on funding the growth of small businesses. It leverages data, cash flow insights, and the latest technology to give business owners an automated small business funding platform. The company has provided over $7 billion in small business loans and financing. With over 550 employees globally, its team of top-notch engineers, marketers, and data scientists – is building the next generation in business lending solutions. Arora has over 16 years in the financial services industry. Arora graduated from Delhi University with a master of business in engineering. He also earned an undergraduate degree from the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs.
12. Scott Galit
Chief Executive Officer
Payoneer
Scott Galit is the Chief Executive Officer of Payoneer, a financial services company that provides online money transfer and digital payment services. It also provides customers with working capital. It is the world’s go-to partner for digital commerce everywhere. From borderless payments to boundless growth, Payoneer promises businesses in any market the technology, connections, and confidence to participate and flourish in the new global economy. Since 2005, Payoneer has been powering growth for customers ranging from aspiring entrepreneurs in emerging markets to the world’s leading digital brands like Airbnb, Amazon, Google, Upwork, and Walmart.
Before joining Payoneer, Galit was an EVP at Meta Payment Systems. Before that, he was SVP of global prepaid at MasterCard International. Earlier in his career he worked with First Data Corporation as an SVP and GM of prepaid solutions. Galit graduated from the University of Virginia with an undergraduate degree in business administration.
13. Andrew Reiser
Chief Executive Officer
Kapitus
Andrew Reiser has served as Chief Executive Officer of Kapitus since he established the company over 16 years ago. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in NYC, Kapitus is one of the most reliable and respected names in small business financing. As both a direct lender and a marketplace built with a trusted network of lending partners, Kapitus offers financing to small businesses when and how they need it. With one application, business owners can save time and money while eliminating the stress of applying to different lenders.
Reiser began his career in accounting at Coopers & Lybrand and Price Waterhouse and held multiple roles in the financial services industry – including CEO of Arcavista Corporation, Managing Director of Donald & Co. Securities, Inc., EVP of Fidelco Capital Group, and President of Windsor Group, Inc. – prior to founding Kapitus. Reiser holds a BS from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business.
14. Sam Bobley
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
Ocrolus
Sam Bobley is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Ocrolus, a document automation platform that powers the digital lending ecosystem, automating credit decisions across small business, mortgage, and consumer lending. It analyzes and classifies all types of documentation submitted by applicants, including parseable PDFs, scans, and smartphone images. Its process yields a structured output of labeled and indexed documents, quickly enabling customers to notify borrowers of incorrectly submitted or missing information. Bobley has over eight years in the financial services industry. He graduated from the University of South Carolina with an undergraduate degree in mass communications and business.
15 Jason Guss
Chief Executive Officer
Octane
Jason Guss began his professional career nearly eight years ago. Today, he is the Chief Executive Officer of Octane. Octane offers access to instant financing; it dramatically simplifies and accelerates the transaction process for major recreational purchases. For purchases such as motorcycles, ATVs, and zero-turn lawn mowers, Octane adds value at each stage of the buying journey. Through their in-house lender Roadrunner Financial, Inc.® -they offer automated underwriting, innovative credit products, and financing. Octane is revolutionizing lending in underserved verticals within markets that account for tens of billions of dollars in annual transactions. Guss graduated from Yale University with an undergraduate degree in political science and government.
16. Casey Powers
Chief Executive Officer
Climb Credit
Casey Powers is the Chief Executive Officer of Climb Credit. She first joined the company in 2019 as Senior Vice President of Operations. Climb Credit is an innovative student lending platform that makes career creation and transformation more accessible, affordable, and accountable than ever. It is driven by a mission to empower individuals to unlock their career potential no matter their credit profile. Climb Credit identifies programs and schools with a demonstrated ability to improve the earnings of its graduates. It provides learners with financing options that are priced and structured to meet the unique needs of those seeking career elevation and increased earning power. Recognizing the dynamic and diverse nature of an economy in rapid change, Climb Credit partners with schools that teach everything from cybersecurity to pilot training, from heavy machine operation to data science, and from culinary arts to coding.
Previously, Powers was the CEO of Ecocentric Mom, and before that a director of finance at LenddoEFL. Earlier in her career, she worked as a vice president for Goldman Sachs and an associate for Lehman Brothers. Powers earned a master of international affairs with a concentration in economic and political development from Columbia School of International and Public Affairs and a bachelor of science in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
17. Sean Black
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
Knock
Sean Black is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Knock. He helped found the company in 2015. Knock is on a mission to make homeownership simple and absolute. Whether a homeowner looking to buy a new home before selling or a first-time buyer, Knock offers fully digital end-to-end solutions that bring certainty, convenience and cost-savings to the often stressful complications of homeownership.
Previously, Black was a founder & CEO at SalesCrunch, and before that, a founding team member and VP of revenue at Trulia. Earlier in his career he worked with The Vatican as a director of international development. Black earned an MBA in entrepreneurship from Babson F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business and an undergraduate degree in international business management from Penn State University.
18. Gal Krubiner
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
Pagaya
Gal Krubiner is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Pagaya. He helped found the company in 2016. Pagaya enables financial institutions to expand access to more customers through its artificial intelligence network. Its AI network combines two powerful features. First, Pagaya enables partners to evaluate credit and other assets using AI. Secondly, it assumes the risk of the assets approved via its AI network. The company can do this because its network connects it with investors happy to purchase those assets. This AI network creates new lending opportunities for Pagaya’s partners. More precise evaluation gives people greater access to the credit they deserve.
Previously, Krubiner was a CEO and co-founder at Super Price, and before that, an investment manager and board member at ORMOR CAPITAL. Krubiner earned an undergraduate degree in economics & statistics from Tel Aviv University.
19. Yvonne Wang
Chief Operating Officer
DirectBooks
Yvonne Wang began her professional career over 25 years ago. Today, she is the Chief Operating Officer of DirectBooks, which leverages its technology expertise and the market knowledge of its participants to optimize the communications process for primary issuances. Its innovative digital platform serves as a singular distribution point to manage communications across institutional participants, increasing efficiency and accuracy. DirectBooks optimizes the primary issuance workflow to improve efficiency for underwriters and enables the investor community to focus on their specific role in the investment process.
In 1997 Wang got her start as a senior technical engineer at Hewlett-Packard. From there, she went on to Pfizer before eventually rising to head of technology strategy at Exos, her most recent position prior to joining DirectBooks. Wang graduated from Cornell University with an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering.
20. David Sosna
Chief Executive Officer and Founder
Personetics
David Sosna began his professional career over 27 years ago. Today, he is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Personetics. Personetics is the global leader in financial-data-driven personalized banking and customer engagement for financial services and the company behind the industry’s first Self-Driving Finance™ platform. Harnessing the power of AI, Personetics’ self-driving finance solutions are used by the world’s largest financial institutions. It provides real-time personalized insight and advice, automating financial decisions, and simplifies day-to-day money management.
Sosna started in 1994 as a CEO and Founder at Gilon. From there, he went on to Actimize as CEO and Founder, his most recent position prior to joining Personetics. Sosna graduated from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev with an undergraduate degree in industrial engineering and information systems.
21. Brandon Krieg
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
Stash Financial
Brandon Krieg is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Stash Financial, a financial technology and financial services company based in New York, NY. It is a personal finance app that can make investing easy and affordable for millions of Americans. The company operates both a web platform and mobile apps, allowing users to invest small amounts incrementally. From budgeting paychecks to saving for retirement, Stash helps 6 million Stashers create more financial freedom and a more secure financial future for themselves.
Before joining Stash Financial, Krieg was the head of global electronic execution at Macquarie Securities Group. Before that, he was managing director of electronic trading at Knight Capital Group. Earlier in his career he worked with EdgeTrade as a partner.
22. Ronnie Mateo
Chief Executive Officer and Founder
Trumid
Ronnie Mateo began his professional career 26 years ago. Today, he is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Trumid, a financial technology company building tomorrow’s trading network. It is an electronic bond trading platform powered by advanced technology and rich analytics. With emphasis on domain-focused and intuitive product design, the platform will seamlessly fit into participants’ workflow. The company optimizes the credit trading experience by combining agile technology and market expertise with a focus on product design. The result is a differentiated and easy-to-use trading solution for its community of users.
Mateo first got his start in 1996 as a VP at SalomonSmithBarney. From there, he went on to QUIX Capital, LLC, before eventually rising to credit trader at Trinity Brokers, his most recent position prior to joining Trumid. Mateo graduated from Cornell University with an undergraduate degree in agricultural economics.
23. Aaron Schumm
Chief Executive Officer and Founder
Vestwell
Aaron is the founder and CEO of Vestwell, the modern engine powering savings and investment programs for small businesses and individual savers. The savings gap is growing wider, despite millions of Americans asking for a flexible, cost-effective, modern solution to save for the critical aspects of life - retirement, education, and healthcare. Vestwell has created the only single platform to address this ask, both in and out of the workplace. Vestwell’s cloud-based digital platform provides the underlying architecture to support financial services, payroll, and state partnerships. Together, we are rapidly closing the saving gap by working to serve the 32 million small businesses and 100 million undersaved people across the country. Vestwell currently powers nearly 25,000 small businesses, more than a million savers, and $27 billion in assets in all 50 states.
Prior to founding Vestwell, Aaron co-founded FolioDynamix, a wealth management fintech platform. At FolioDynamix, Aaron oversaw the strategy, revenue, marketing, customers and product development. FolioDynamix was acquired by Envestnet (NYSE: ENV). Outside of Vestwell, Aaron has served on the board of directors and the advisory board for several fintech companies, including Quovo (acquired by Plaid), Vestorly, OfColor, and Chalice Financial Network.
Aaron holds a B.S. degree in finance from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and an M.B.A. degree from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. He was included in InvestmentNews’ 40 Under 40 and WealthManagement.com’s “10 to Watch.”
24. Lori Hotz
Co-Founder
Lobus
Lori Hotz is the Co-Founder of Lobus, which she helped found in 2018. Lobus offers essential infrastructure for art, allowing owners to manage their assets in the 21st century with integrations to financial planning, insurance, and lending. It provides all the tools necessary to manage value and decision-making in a $2.4 trillion asset class. It is the only platform that supports physical and digital art. Lobus enables artists and collectors to become active owners of their art, to create, market, and distribute NFTs, retain fractional ownership, and execute smart-contracts and transactions seamlessly, all on-chain.
Previously, Hotz was a global managing director of post-war and contemporary art at Christie's, and before that, a COO of wealth management at Lazard Asset Management. Earlier in her career she worked with J.P. Morgan as an SVP of strategy and planning. Hotz earned an MBA from Yale University, a master’s degree in environmental studies from Yale School of the Environment, and an undergraduate degree in history and e-commerce from the University of Toronto.
25. Max Goldman
Co-Founder and CEO
Carefull
Max Goldman is co-founder and CEO of Carefull, a company creating digital services to support older adults and caregivers in monitoring, managing and protecting daily money matters. When the Internet was new, Max fell in love with its possibilities and has never looked back: He has spent 20 years building software companies and is a four-time founder.
An early employee at SuccessFactors, Max led NextLabs, the company’s product innovation group, through the firm’s IPO and eventual sale to SAP for $3.4 billion. Next, he was co-founder and CEO of Director, a video creation platform, ultimately acquired by Google. Max spent several years at Google as a product leader, launching and leading its SMB video ads product group.
As a caregiver, Max is deeply passionate about solving the financial challenges faced by the tens of millions of American families who support and care for older loved ones. Carefull is building the future of finance for older adults: Proactive, data-driven and less defined by the chaotic, constant state-of-emergency world families inhabit today. Max’s goal is for Carefull to empower better financial decisions and enrich families through one of life’s most challenging and precious times. He holds a BS from NYU and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
