About the 'Women in Payments: Next' program
For many years, American Banker's Most Influential Women in Payments has been celebrating top-performing senior executives. And now the Next program, entering its fourth year, recognizes high-achieving women in the pipeline to the C-suite. Women 40 years of age and younger (as of the application deadline) are eligible, and each honoree will be selected for her accomplishments and influence within the industry.
Applications for Most Influential Women in Payments: Next are now being accepted. The deadline to apply is Thursday, July 18, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Applicants and honorees may also be asked to participate in next year's
Eligibility
Each applicant will need to be nominated by an executive at her company (a mentor or manager of hers) who can speak to her exceptional work and leadership skills.
Applicants must be employed by a private-sector firm — whether financial services, fintech or retailer — and must focus on payments as a primary job responsibility. Women whose primary employment is at any type of trade association, regulatory agency or law, accounting or other professional services firm are not eligible to apply. Eligibility is not restricted by geography. Again, applicants must be 40 or younger.
In selecting women for recognition, the judges will choose no more than one honoree per organization. However, there is no restriction on the number of women who may apply from a single organization.
Once selected to be part of the program, honorees will not be eligible to apply again in subsequent years. But applicants who are not selected remain eligible.
Judging criteria
Applications are read by a selection committee made up of American Banker staff members. This is the same committee that reviews the applications for the Most Influential Women in Payments.
To recognize women in the talent pipeline, the candidates are evaluated primarily on:
- The nomination from her mentor/manager.
- Performance on a specific initiative at her organization within the past 18 months.
- The impact of that initiative on the organization (whether that is reflected in the bottom line or otherwise).
- Qualities such as leadership, teamwork and personal initiative, as demonstrated through action.
- Perceived potential for an extraordinary and influential career, as evidenced by all of the above.
Sponsorship Information
For information about sponsoring Women in Payments: Next, contact Brad Bava at
Please send any questions to
Application Instructions and Links
Only applications submitted through our secure online system will be considered. (Please note that the deadline to apply for the 2024 Women in Payments: Next is Thursday, July 18, at 11:59 p.m. ET)
We recommend previewing the application, gathering all material offline first and then cutting and pasting answers directly into the online form. Partially completed submissions may be saved in the system until ready to submit the final application. Detailed instructions will be provided once you begin.
ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE APPLICATION, OTHER THAN DIRECT CONTACT INFORMATION, MAY BE USED FOR PUBLICATION UNLESS SPECIFICALLY NOTED.
Application preview:
Before clicking above, make sure you have:
- Nominee's name, date of birth, title, employer, email address, phone number, X/Twitter handle (if applicable)
- A quality high-res color photo of the nominee
- Company's website, X/Twitter handle
- An alternate contact (executive assistant, media relations, etc.) with email and phone number
- A letter of nomination from an executive at the nominee's company, EVP level or above, who mentors or manages the nominee. Email and phone contact for that executive.
We also require:
- A description of the nominee's role and responsibilities, including highlights/accomplishments from the past year
- List of nominee's previous roles
- Time employed by current employer, time in current role, time in the payments industry
- Name of nominee's manager
- Number of direct reports nominee has
- Nominee's education
We ask that the nominee answer at least three of these five questions, min. 400 words each, with the answers intended to be excerpted for publication:
- How are you handling or preparing for generative AI's effects on your existing job and your long-term career path?
- What are your best tips for developing or editing your personal brand — in the workplace, on social media and in your free time?
- What strategies work best for cultivating mentors and mentees in the hybrid workplace?
- How do you prepare for (and make the most of) unexpected career opportunities?
- What's working or not working when it comes to payment companies helping develop and promote diverse/inclusive leaders?
And finally, we ask if the nominee is willing to participate in live or virtual events; her answer has no bearing on the selection process.
