The Most Powerful Women in Banking

Since her 20s, Wechter has served as a sounding board to Chairmen Richard Parsons and Mike O'Neill and CEOs Michael Corbat and now Jane Fraser. Wechter, 41, eventually took over the human resources department, where she has set in motion changes reshaping life at the bank for its 238,000 employees.

Silicon Valley Bank named Erin Platts head of its private banking and wealth management arm, which caters to the financial needs of technology and venture capital executives.

Banks are developing technology to identify potential mass shooters, according to a CEO backing the push to get credit card companies to track gun purchases more closely.

Thomas Montag, once the second-most powerful executive at Bank of America, is returning to Wall Street with the launch of a carbon-credit venture backed by TPG Inc.

Savarese was drawn to a career in the financial services industry after witnessing firsthand how economic stability can improve the lives of others. She then spent 17 successful years running the Massachusetts mutual.