PayThink 2018 Direct Page

Firms like Brex and Ramp are adding new tech faster than legacy banks, according to payment experts.

Wilbur Jenkins is the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer at WoodmenLife — an industry leader with more than $11 billion in assets — where he leads Core Operations, Human Resources, and Strategic Initiatives with a focus on driving digital transformation to enhance the customer experience. His career includes senior roles at Argo Group International Holdings and Hartford Financial Services Group. Jenkins is known for his ability to lead cross-functional teams across enterprise-wide functions to achieve strategic goals.

Gemma Ros is the chief technology officer at TheZebra.com, the company simplifying the insurance shopping experience. In this role, Gemma leads the engineering, DevOps, and data teams, driving innovation and operational excellence. She is an excellent source on technology innovation in the insurtech space, what it means to be an impactful and effective leader, her journey to the CTO role and more. 

Gemma is a senior technology executive and business strategist with more than 20 years of experience in financial services and product development. Gemma began her career as a developer at a bulge bracket investment bank, where she gained deep expertise in building robust, scalable, and low-latency trading and risk management systems in dynamic environments. After eight years on Wall Street, she co-founded a technology startup, then expanded her expertise to insurtech and private lending before joining TheZebra.com in 2022.

Throughout her career, Gemma has been recognized for delivering high-impact technology solutions, building and scaling high-performing teams, and attracting and retaining top engineering talent.

She holds a master's degree in computer science from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College. Outside of her professional experiences, Gemma enjoys spending time with her kids, reading, and adding to her ever-expanding Lego collection.

Brad LaPorte is chief marketing officer at Morphisec and a former Gartner analyst. He is a seasoned cybersecurity expert and former military officer specializing in cybersecurity and military intelligence for the U.S. military and allied forces.

Anurag Shah heads Newgen's Products & Solutions Division in the Americas, including the Caribbean, South, and Central American regions. He also leads GSI relations as well as consulting and pre-sales in the Americas. He has been with Newgen for over 22 years. In his previous role, he led and managed delivery and professional services for enterprise customers.

Mark Pinsky is president and founder of CDFI Friendly America. He previously served as president and CEO of the Opportunity Finance Network and Current.

Oswaldo Acosta is CEO of City First Enterprises, a Washington, D.C., community Development Financial Institution.

Mike joined Simply Business in April 2018 and is Vice President of Insurance Panel and Partnerships and a member of the US Executive Leadership Team.  In his role, Mike is responsible for driving product growth with new and existing panel insurance carriers as well as expanding Simply Business's distribution reach through strategic partners. Collaborating with insurance carriers, Mike's team helps bring new insurance products to market that benefit business owners while meeting small business customers where they are via distribution partnerships.
Mike brings 20 years of commercial property and casualty experience to Simply Business, having had previous underwriting and distribution roles at Liberty Mutual Insurance.  Mike earned his bachelor's degree in finance from Bentley University in 2003 and his CPCU designation in 2009. Mike resides in the Greater Boston area with his wife and two sons.

Meghan Shue of Wilmington Trust sits down with Mary Ellen Egan of American Banker to discuss her business and what she's telling clients now.

Aiyengar discusses the dynamics of today's market and the challenges and opportunities of her role.