The Most Powerful Women in Banking
Honorees gathered at Tiffany's Landmark building in New York City, where American Banker interviewed them about the industry's trajectory and leadership lessons they've learned in their careers.
After 40 years on the job, Catherine "Cathy" Pombier Bessant is well ensconced among the sparse but growing ranks of senior stateswomen in finance. Bank of America's global technology and operations executive for 12 years and its vice chair of global strategy since September 2021, Bessant has topped American Banker's list of the Most Powerful Women in Banking three years in a row, from 2017 to 2019, and was inducted into AB's Hall of Fame in 2020.
-
Maria Hackley, managing director and global co-head of industrials, banking, capital markets and advisory at Citi, understands how crucial it is for bankers to create strong, original content to distinguish themselves during client presentations.
October 5
-
Ida Liu became head of Citi's North American private bank in 2019 and then went on to beat her projections by 12% in 2020 despite the pandemic. That helped her get a promotion last year to global head, running 50 offices across the globe and overseeing more than $500 billion in client business.
October 5
-
Four years after AllianceBernstein announced it was relocating its headquarters from New York City to Nashville, the move was completed in May. Kate Burke, then the chief operating officer and head of private wealth, oversaw the move, relocating over 1,000 employees to the Music City.
October 5
-
Kara McShane took over as head of the commercial real estate team at Wells Fargo at an inauspicious time: February 2020, when COVID-19 was heading toward pandemic status and offices were starting to empty out.
October 5
-
Michelle Seitz has a long history of advocating for responsible investing and diversity and inclusion. Before joining Russell Investments in Seattle as CEO in 2017, Seitz spent 22 years in senior roles at Chicago-based William Blair, where she pushed for diversity and support for women in finance.
October 5
The latest news and perspective on women in the industry | The Most Powerful Women in Banking program convenes and empowers the community of female executives in financial services.