Most Powerful Women in Banking | Standouts

October 6, 2021 12:00 AM

Enjoy complimentary access to top ideas and insights — selected by our editors.

This is a special recognition that is a first for our Most Powerful Women program. We’ve chosen some specific types of roles that have taken on outsize importance in recent times and, within each category, highlighted a few extraordinary female leaders who stand out.

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Human Resources

With a pandemic wreaking havoc and outrage over racial
injustice rejuvenating diversity efforts, human resources
executives have been more high-profile than ever before,
and their work is essential to the future of banking.

Shown, from left, are:

Jolen Anderson, Global Head of Human Resources, BNY Mellon
Claudine Gallagher, Chief Human Resources Officer, Corporate and Investment Banking, Americas, BNP Paribas
Susan LaMonica, Chief Human Resources Officer, Citizens Financial
Tracie Morris, U.S. Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Inclusion Officer, BMO Financial Group

Community Banking

Though not in the chief executive role, the women selected in the community banking category are having a major impact on their organizations. And even in the face of heightening competition from big banks, challenger banks and credit unions, smaller banks like the ones here are thriving by doing what they do best: serving their communities.

Shown above, from left, are:

Kimberly Kirk, Chief Operations Officer, Queensborough National Bank & Trust
Leslie Lunak, Chief Financial Officer, BankUnited
Maria Tedesco, President, Atlantic Union Bank

Risk

The risks in banking have been multiplying — from reputational
pitfalls to cybersecurity threats — and the pressure is
on for those who must help navigate the thicket to the satisfaction of regulators and shareholders. The pandemic introduced an entirely new plethora of interwined risks that took even the best by surprise.

Yet so far, so good, for this group, from left:

Tracie Ahern, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Risk Officer, PineBridge Investments
Harsha Kapur, Head of Business Risk, Controls and Shared Services, KeyBank, and Chief Banking and Risk Officer, Laurel Road, KeyCorp
Jodi Richard, Vice Chair and Chief Risk Officer, U.S. Bancorp

Audit

With audit activities being so essential to strong risk management and governance, there is no overlooking how much regulators are expecting from these
executives, all the more with so many processes being created or entirely changed due to COVID-19.

Shown above, from left, are:

Denise DeMaio, Global Chief Operations Officer for Internal Audit and Chief Audit Executive for the Americas, MUFG
Anita O'Dell, Chief Auditor, TD Bank
Julie Scammahorn, Chief Auditor, Wells Fargo

Tech/Banking

Facing intense competition from well-funded fintechs, traditional banks are redoubling efforts to upgrade their
digital capabilities and beat the upstarts at their own game. They are also funneling more money into tech
efforts to meet regulatory demands, improve security,
eliminate redundant work and serve up timely customer
insight. These executives are on the front lines.

Shown above, from left, are:

Mary Ellen Baker, Head of Business Services and Technology, Citizens Financial
Amala Duggirala, Chief Operations and Technology Officer, Regions Bank
Tracy Kerrins, Group Chief Information Officer and head of Enterprise Functions Technology, Wells Fargo

Tech/Finance

Highly regulated financial companies have long struggled with how to be more nimble and innovative, and a global pandemic has upped the ante considerably for all of those leading the effort.

The following executives are receiving special recognition for the leadership they have shown in tackling these challenges at their companies. Shown, from left, are:

Vanessa Colella, Head of Citi Ventures and Citi Productivity, and Chief Innovation Officer for Citigroup
Bridget Engle, Chief Operations and Technology Officer, BNY Mellon
Carol Juel, Chief Technology and Operating Officer, Synchrony

Asset Management

Asset management is a sector that is undergoing both dramatic growth and dramatic change, in terms of who is running the business, who they are serving and how to go about navigating shifts in both.

Shown above, from left, are three leaders in asset management who stand out:

Carole Brown, Chief Executive Officer, Asset Management Group, PNC Financial Services
Dina DiLorenzo, Co-president, Guggenheim Investments, and Managing Partner, Guggenheim Partners
Jean Hynes, Chief Executive Officer, Wellington Management

ESG

Environmental, social and governance principles are quickly becoming part of the mainstream and being applied by businesses across every aspect of their
operations.

These women are on the forefront and effecting change at their companies and beyond in their distinct roles:

Karen Fang, Head of Global Sustainable Finance, Bank of America
Christine Hurtsellers, Chief Executive Officer, Voya Investment Management
Florence Pourchet, Chief Executive Officer, Latin America, and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility for the Americas, BNP Paribas