2024
Finance and Fintech Judging Panel
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Name |
Greg CULLEN |
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Company |
Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) at Pendula |
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Profile |
Over the past 20 years Mr.Cullen has held leadership positions with some of the fastest growing software companies of our time, including the IPO of NOW (NYSE), TLND ( Nasdaq) and contributing to the IPO of ZUO (NYSE) and PlateSpin, Acquired by Novell. |
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Name |
Paul SAKR |
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Company |
WSN Consulting Head of APAC |
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Profile |
With over 10 years in financial markets and banking professional, Mr. Sakr has worked in Senior positions at E-Trade, ANZ Bank and now head APAC for WSN Consulting. |
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Name |
Akash Kilaru |
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Company |
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Profile |
Akash Kilaru, Vice President at City National Bank in Los Angeles, California, is a seasoned professional with over 11 years of experience in technical project lifecycle management. His expertise in integrating AI into financial services has significantly enhanced efficiency, accuracy, and customer experiences at the bank. Kilaru has been instrumental in advancing cybersecurity measures, ensuring the protection of sensitive data and operational continuity. His strategic insights and proactive approach to emerging threats have positioned him as a leading figure in the fintech sector, demonstrating his exceptional qualifications and innovative leadership in information technology. |
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Anshul Sharma |
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Company |
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Profile |
Anshul Sharma is a seasoned Lead/Senior Software Engineer with 18 years of experience working at Amazon AWS Glue. He specializes in Financial Technologies and Cloud Development, crafting platforms for data scientists and building low-latency services for financial data. Sharma has a strong background in Big Data technologies and is proficient in developing backend and middle-tier applications in Java/Scala, C++, and Python3. He has also led significant projects, like designing low-latency MIFID2 services for Bank of America and developing a Source Code Generator Eclipse Plugin for JP Morgan Chase, significantly reducing development efforts. |
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Ankur Mahida |
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Company |
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Profile |
Ankur Mahida is a Site Reliability Engineer specializing in cloud infrastructure optimization and system reliability. He has developed and implemented tools that improve operational efficiency, such as a monitoring and alerting system at Barclays, which reduced system downtime by 25 percent and increased availability by 15 percent. His expertise extends to designing system architectures that boost performance and reduce operational costs. Mahida’s work also involves mentoring teams, fostering collaboration, and driving innovation in cloud technology. His technical proficiency and strategic thinking make him a key figure in enhancing cloud infrastructure and performance in the FinTech industry. |
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Name |
Philip Pelucha |
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Company |
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Profile |
Philip Pelucha, CEO and founder of Billionaires in Boxers, is a seasoned business consultant known for his expertise in scaling companies through innovative strategies. With over a decade of experience, he has consistently helped businesses navigate complex market challenges, positioning them for sustainable success. Pelucha is recognized for his results-driven approach, particularly his integration of media, such as podcasting, to accelerate business growth. His extensive global experience equips him to assess and support businesses in achieving their goals, making him a key figure in driving innovation and leadership within the industry. |
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Abhaar Gupta |
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Company |
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Profile |
Abhaar Gupta has excelled in the FinTech industry, particularly in product development, with over a decade of experience. His innovative approach to creating digital financial solutions has transformed banking experiences, addressing market needs while anticipating future challenges. Known for his leadership and long-term vision, Gupta has launched several successful products, emphasizing efficiency, user engagement, and scalability. His contributions have significantly influenced the broader FinTech ecosystem, inspiring continuous innovation within the field. Gupta’s commitment to excellence and forward-thinking solutions has positioned him as a key figure shaping the future of financial technology. |
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Name |
Kumar Shanmugasamy |
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Company |
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Profile |
Kumar Shanmugasamy is a Senior Vice President of Instant Payments at Citi, with 19 years of experience in the digital payments industry. He specializes in instant payment platforms like Zelle, RTP, FedNow, and bill payments. Shanmugasamy’s expertise spans cloud adoption, Kubernetes, and microservices architecture, driving efficient and scalable solutions. He has implemented mandatory changes to The Clearing House (TCH) and leverages AI and machine learning to enhance payment systems. His work focuses on optimizing payment infrastructure, improving security, efficiency, and customer experience in financial transactions. Shanmugasamy’s role involves developing cutting-edge solutions that shape the future of digital payments and financial technology. |
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Name |
Merlin Balamurugan |
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Company |
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Profile |
Merlin Balamurugan is a Digital Software Engineer Senior Manager at Citi with over ten years of experience in banking, specializing in digital identity, fraud prevention, and artificial intelligence integration. Her expertise lies in leading digital banking transformations, driving AI-powered solutions, and enhancing security in digital transactions. With a strong foundation in performance engineering and application development from her early career at Tata Consultancy Services, Balamurugan brings a comprehensive understanding of the banking industry’s challenges and opportunities. Her broad technical knowledge and strategic leadership make her well-suited for roles that require evaluating innovative digital solutions. |
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Max Matrenitski |
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Company |
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Profile |
Max Matrenitski is a leader in the Bitcoin mining industry and the founder of Cyberian Mine and Everminer. He has pioneered innovative solutions that enhance the accessibility and sustainability of cryptocurrency mining. At Cyberian Mine, he introduced a user-friendly model that simplifies the mining process by abstracting the hardware complexities. His launch of Everminer revolutionized the market with prepaid hash rate contracts, allowing small-scale participants to engage in Bitcoin mining without operational costs. By utilizing sustainable energy sources like hydropower, Matrenitski promotes environmentally responsible practices while expanding opportunities within the cryptocurrency ecosystem. |
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Niloy Gupta |
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Company |
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Profile |
Niloy Gupta, Co-Founder and CTO of Lambent Logic specializes in applying machine learning and artificial intelligence to optimize financial and operational systems in various industries, with a strong focus on the pharmaceutical sector. At Lambent Logic, Gupta leads the development of AI-driven revenue management platforms that help pharmaceutical companies reduce revenue leakages and improve pricing strategies. With a background in fintech, he has implemented advanced machine learning models for ad performance optimization, loan underwriting, and fraud detection. His work bridges technical innovation with practical business applications, creating impactful finance and pharmaceutical management solutions. |
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Sachin Gadiyar |
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Company |
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Profile |
Sachin Gadiyar, a Senior Product Manager at JPMorgan Chase, brings over a decade of expertise in FinTech innovation. He excels in developing customer-centric digital banking solutions, particularly in credit card services. Gadiyar’s role involves creating intuitive experiences across web, mobile, and branch platforms. His approach combines deep customer insight with cutting-edge technology, including cloud strategies and event-driven architecture. Gadiyar’s collaborative leadership style and ability to navigate complex technological landscapes while prioritizing user experience make him an industry standout. His comprehensive understanding of FinTech trends and his track record of implementing transformative digital solutions position him as an ideal evaluator of industry innovations. |
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Judith Nwoke |
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Company |
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Profile |
Judith Nwoke excels as a Senior Business Analyst, leveraging her 15-year banking and finance career to drive significant improvements in business processes and financial systems. At Thomas Jefferson University, she leads process automation initiatives and portfolio management system enhancements. Her expertise extends to sustainable development, particularly promoting renewable energy solutions for small businesses. Her innovative work combines technical proficiency with strategic vision, while her professional certifications, MBA, and membership in Delta Mu Delta International Honor Society demonstrate her commitment to excellence in business practice. |
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Name |
Dr. Srinidhi Vasan |
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Company |
LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) |
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Profile |
Dr. Srinidhi Vasan is a distinguished financial services leader with expertise in ethical decision-making, strategic vision, and organizational leadership. They excel in guiding multinational teams to achieve complex goals while fostering professional development through mentorship initiatives. Dr. Vasan’s contributions include implementing innovative financial strategies that enhance operational efficiency, improve client service quality, and drive sustainable practices. Their ability to merge technical expertise with market insights results in meaningful advancements in service delivery methods. Dr. Vasan is also recognized for its commitment to ethical leadership, shaping a positive organizational culture, and setting new financial service benchmarks. |
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