Julia Streets

Julia Streets is a champion of fintech and entrepreneurship, innovation, diversity and inclusion.   In 2007, she founded Streets Consulting, the business development, marketing and communications consultancy. She and her team advise a wide range of international firms in the field of fintech, capital markets, investment management and payments innovation, as well as specialist offerings including NFTs, digital assets, tokenisation, blockchain, artificial intelligence and more.  Prior to becoming a founder & CEO, Julia was global head of communications at NYSE Technologies, serving on the Executive Committee and European head of marketing and sales development at Instinet Europe.  She was head of eCommerce for a City PR agency throughout the dotcom boom and over the past 30+ years she has advised hundreds of startups, scaleups and global banks and financial institutions.   A certified transformational leadership coach, she works with senior executives to help them build and lead high performing teams, develop proud and solid growth-minded cultures and outperform as enlightened leaders. Julia is the host of ‘DiverCity Podcast’ talking about diversity, equity and inclusion in financial services.  Now in its 15th series, DiverCity Podcast has listeners in >50 countries and is ranked one of the world’s top DE&I podcasts.  She is also the host of CityAM’s ESG show "Impact AM Live", Shell’s Energy Podcast and host of ‘Metaverse: What matters?”, recorded in the metaverse, available on You Tube to educate the world about the opportunities and risks as we navigate this multi-trillion dollar industry. She is an advisor, mentor and investor and is called upon to chair many of the world’s leading conferences drawing not only on her industry experience, but also on her skills as a speaker, host and sell-out stand up comedian. Julia had received many awards and accolades including being listed as one of Brummell Magazine’s 30 Women on Boards, 39 Female Entrepreneurs, and 30 Women of Influence.  She is one of the Global Diversity List’s 20 global champions and is regularly called out as a trailblazer and changemaker.  Julia is a founding member of the Power Women Network, a fellow of the British American Project and proud to serve as a board trustee of Street Child, a global education charity that believes that all children should be safe, in school and learning.

Kristy Duncan

Kristy Duncan is the founder and CEO of Women in Payments. This growing professional network unites women in payments from around the globe with a shared vision of gender parity. Women in Payments offers career development opportunities through conferences, recognition programs, leadership and mentorship programs, and by hosting a growing global online community.  Kristy is an avid supporter of her fellow female trailblazers, serving as an investor and advisor to a number of fintechs. As a respected leader in the field, she’s been invited to speak to audiences around the world, and act as a judge for accelerators, fintech contests, and awards programs.  Before founding Women in Payments, Kristy was a leading payments consultant to global financial institutions, payment networks, fintechs, and other industry leaders. Prior to that, she held leadership positions at a tier one Canadian bank. 

Teresita Meza

Teresita Meza joined HSBC in 1997 and has 28 years’ financial services experience. She is Regional Head of Client Service, Global Payments Solutions, with expertise in products, marketing, process re-engineering and cash management.

Lucy Hirota

Lucy leads the strategy and implementation for the growth of the SME segment. Lucy has more than 10 years of experience in the financial sector. She has worked in several Latin American countries. Lucy has an MBA from IESE Business School and a degree in accounting and administration from the University of Applied Sciences (UPC) of Peru.

Martin Barrios

A pioneering financial technology leader with nearly three decades of global expertise, Martin Barrios drives innovation at the intersection of banking and digital transformation. Leading the Global Payments Solutions team for Financial Institutions and Public Sector across Latin America and the Caribbean Region. Seasoned banker with extensive experience in his previous roles, where he led strategic teams managing complex financial ecosystems across Global Multinationals, Large Local Corporates and Commercial Banking segment groups.​ A recognized thought leader, Martin specializes in:​ - Strategic Treasury & Cash Management, Global Liquidity and Trade Finance​ - Innovative Financial-Treasury Solutions for Complex Enterprises​ - Global Payments and Advanced Payment Systems​ - Blockchain and Disruptive Financial Technologies​ A distinguished IPADE MBA graduate, Martin is a sought-after speaker and advisor, regularly shaping conversations in treasury and financial innovation forums across Latin America.

Zoya Lieberman

Zoya Lieberman is a Certified Treasury Professional with over 20 years in the financial services industry, specializing in the commercial banking space — including payables, receivables, digital banking, and user experiences. Her career spans roles from an early start at Washington Mutual Bank through progressive leadership positions, including Co-Founder of Fintech Fight Club, CEO of The Lieberman Financial Group, and Banking Industry Principal Strategist. She holds a BS in Business and a BA in Languages from the University of Southern California, and an MBA from the Graziadio School of Business at Pepperdine University.  She also completed Executive Education in Female Leadership & Strategy at Yale. Zoya is known for her ability to “connect the dots” in financial services — with a particular focus on understanding the why behind decisions, the role of AI in shaping the industry’s future, and the need for global perspectives on financial inclusion. She serves on the board of directors for the Southern California Association for Financial Professionals and holds the role of co-president for the organization. She is also a keynote speaker at major industry events including Money 20/20, NACHA Smarter Faster Payments, and Women in Payments.

Federica Gregorini

Federica Gregorini is an executive with international experience across technology and financial services. Since March 2023, she has served as General Manager of Belvo in Mexico, where she leads the company’s operations and strategy in one of the region’s most important markets for the adoption of open finance and recurring payments. Originally from Italy and naturalized Mexican, Federica moved to Mexico a decade ago and has built her career locally by bridging two worlds that do not often interact seamlessly: technological innovation and disciplined execution in regulated industries. Her focus is on turning the promise of open finance into measurable outcomes for companies and end users, including better origination and risk decisions, as well as more efficient collections operations. At Belvo, her leadership has been closely tied to the expansion of solutions that combine data and payments, including the advancement of modern recurring payment rails built on regulated infrastructure. Belvo is authorized to operate as an IFPE in Mexico, enabling the development of payment initiation products and bank-to-bank collection flows through APIs. Before joining Belvo, Federica was part of Kavak during key stages of operational scaling and new business unit development. Her previous experience also includes roles at global companies such as BNP Paribas and General Electric, where she strengthened her expertise in finance, commercial strategy, and cross-functional team leadership.

Martin Barrios

A pioneering financial technology leader with nearly three decades of global expertise, Martin Barrios drives innovation at the intersection of banking and digital transformation. Leading the Global Payments Solutions team for Financial Institutions and Public Sector across Latin America and the Caribbean Region. Seasoned banker with extensive experience in his previous roles, where he led strategic teams managing complex financial ecosystems across Global Multinationals, Large Local Corporates and Commercial Banking segment groups.​ A recognized thought leader, Martin specializes in:​ - Strategic Treasury & Cash Management, Global Liquidity and Trade Finance​ - Innovative Financial-Treasury Solutions for Complex Enterprises​ - Global Payments and Advanced Payment Systems​ - Blockchain and Disruptive Financial Technologies​ A distinguished IPADE MBA graduate, Martin is a sought-after speaker and advisor, regularly shaping conversations in treasury and financial innovation forums across Latin America.

Victoria Ibañez Aleman

Victoria began her career in payments in 2008, joining Fiserv in 2011 as legal counsel for Latin America. She became General Counsel for LATAM in Oct 2022, overseeing legal matters and advocating for competitive market access.

Tiara Chesmer-Williams

Tiara Chesmer-Williams leads Global Inclusive Programs & Partnerships at Visa, shaping worldwide strategies and alliances that advance economic inclusion and expand equitable access for underrepresented communities. She is also the Founder of Deuce Consulting and previously held transformative leadership roles at LVMH, Morgan Stanley, and Blackstone, driving cultural evolution, inclusive strategies, and multicultural engagement across global organizations. Beyond her corporate work, Tiara contributes her expertise as a board member and trusted advisor to organizations committed to innovation, inclusion, and the future of work. She holds a degree in Finance and Business Management from New York University & City College as well as a Diversity & Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University. Tiara is rooted in and driven by a lifelong commitment to authenticity, equity, and empowering others.

Myriam Rubalcava

Myriam works at Monex, a Mexican financial group specializing in cross-border payments and foreign exchange. Over the past four years, she has focused on overseeing and coordinating operations between its international subsidiaries and headquarters, supporting the firm’s global presence across the United States, Canada, Europe, the United Kingdom, and Singapore. Previously, she worked as an economics analyst at Banamex and other financial institutions. Myriam holds a Master’s in International Development from the Harvard Kennedy School and an Executive MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.

Rocio Neri

Rocío has more than 22 years of experience in Financial services. Experience in Operations across all the different Business services and Transformation, leading large teams across LAM. She has implemented large scale initiatives such as Robotics Process Automation in Operations, migration of new services into GSC México, outsourcing operative processes to specialized vendors, implementing Debit Cards chip technology, etc. Passionate about innovation and leading change. Currently responsible of GPS Operations including cross-border and domestic payments as well as Client Management and Screening Utility. Rocío is married and has 2 children, she loves running and enjoys listening to all kind of music.

Claudia Fabiola Reyes

Claudia Reyes is Head of Remittances for Mexico and Central America and Head of Payments for Mexico, leading the strategy and expansion of digital payments and cross-border solutions across the region. With over 20 years of experience across insurance, remittances, banking, and fintech, she specializes in digital payments, financial inclusion, and scaling high-impact financial solutions in Latin America. She has led product innovation and strategic partnerships that expand access to financial services across diverse markets. She is recognized for her strategic leadership and actively contributes to industry forums, including Women in Payments, sharing insights on the future of payments and remittances.

Tatiana Blanco Cruz

Tatiana Blanco Cruz serves as Vice President and Commercial Lead for Central America & Caribbean Payments within the Corporate portfolio at JPMorgan. With more than 15 years of experience in transactional banking and payments across Latin America, Tatiana has built a strong track record in delivering innovative solutions for corporate clients. Prior to joining JPMorganChase, she held leadership positions at Citi, where she led regional teams, managed multinational client portfolios, and drove commercial growth across multiple markets. Tatiana holds a degree in Economics from Universidad de Los Andes and an Executive MBA from INALDE Business School. She is an active member of JPMorgan’s Next Gen leadership team, a forum where new joiners and early-stage colleagues connect with senior leaders to share knowledge and experiences that strengthen emerging careers. Tatiana is committed to fostering talent development and collaboration within the organization, supporting the growth of future leaders in the payments industry. She is passionate about continuous learning, enjoys exploring new possibilities, and believes that while the environment constantly changes, attitude is always a personal choice.

Estelita Hass

Estelita Hass is a Manager of Product Marketing and Intelligence at EBANX, where she leads a strategic team combining market data and customer insights to support product positioning and drive business growth. Drawing on her background as a journalist and a passion for people and data, she is a firm believer that the right payment solutions generate both consumer inclusion and significant business results.

Claudia Vargas Penagos

Claudia Vargas is Partner Sales Manager Latam at Feedzai. She has over 16 years of experience in the technology ecosystem, standing out in strategic roles focused on fraud prevention solutions and payment risk management for the financial sector. Her expertise lies in key account management and growth, driving retention and revenue expansion through the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning. She has led complex implementations and fostered cross-functional collaboration across Marketing, Sales, and Product teams, as well as building strong and strategic partner alliances, aligning technology with business needs. Her approach is focused on delivering measurable impact, optimizing customer experience, and building long-term, strategic, and sustainable relationships.

Julia Streets

Julia Streets is a champion of fintech and entrepreneurship, innovation, diversity and inclusion.   In 2007, she founded Streets Consulting, the business development, marketing and communications consultancy. She and her team advise a wide range of international firms in the field of fintech, capital markets, investment management and payments innovation, as well as specialist offerings including NFTs, digital assets, tokenisation, blockchain, artificial intelligence and more.  Prior to becoming a founder & CEO, Julia was global head of communications at NYSE Technologies, serving on the Executive Committee and European head of marketing and sales development at Instinet Europe.  She was head of eCommerce for a City PR agency throughout the dotcom boom and over the past 30+ years she has advised hundreds of startups, scaleups and global banks and financial institutions.   A certified transformational leadership coach, she works with senior executives to help them build and lead high performing teams, develop proud and solid growth-minded cultures and outperform as enlightened leaders. Julia is the host of ‘DiverCity Podcast’ talking about diversity, equity and inclusion in financial services.  Now in its 15th series, DiverCity Podcast has listeners in >50 countries and is ranked one of the world’s top DE&I podcasts.  She is also the host of CityAM’s ESG show "Impact AM Live", Shell’s Energy Podcast and host of ‘Metaverse: What matters?”, recorded in the metaverse, available on You Tube to educate the world about the opportunities and risks as we navigate this multi-trillion dollar industry. She is an advisor, mentor and investor and is called upon to chair many of the world’s leading conferences drawing not only on her industry experience, but also on her skills as a speaker, host and sell-out stand up comedian. Julia had received many awards and accolades including being listed as one of Brummell Magazine’s 30 Women on Boards, 39 Female Entrepreneurs, and 30 Women of Influence.  She is one of the Global Diversity List’s 20 global champions and is regularly called out as a trailblazer and changemaker.  Julia is a founding member of the Power Women Network, a fellow of the British American Project and proud to serve as a board trustee of Street Child, a global education charity that believes that all children should be safe, in school and learning.

Carolina Dorado

Carolina is an Executive Director at J.P. Morgan Corporate & Investment Bank’s Payments business based in Mexico City. In May 2025 she became Head of Payments for Mexico and is actively involved in the industry, primarily in the areas of Innovation, Product Development, Fintechs, and New Business Development. In her role as the country's leader, she has overall responsibility for the business, its strategy, and the development and positioning of transactional banking and treasury services, foreign trade, and supply chain financing. She used to run the Payments Sales Team for Mexican Corporates. Before this role, she acted as Head of Payments Sales for Andean, Central American and The Caribbean Corporates since May 2022. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, Carolina held several roles at Citibank in Treasury and Trade Solutions both in Colombia and Ecuador with responsibility for driving cash management, trade services, trade finance and export agency finance strategies. Carolina was also Member of the Board in Citi Ecuador and at Banred’s, the largest private bank association in Ecuador. She began her career in J.P. Morgan Colombia, working as Associate in Treasury and Security Services and she also worked in New York and London. She was speaker on Money 20/20 event in October 2022 representing Latam for JPMorgan Payments. Carolina holds a BAs degree in Finance and International Relations from Universidad Externado de Colombia and has an MBA from Durham University in the UK. She is married and mother of two little kids, Julieta (6y) and Gabriel (4y).

Sinead O’Connor

Sinead is the Head of Consumer Banking at Banamex, a position she has held since April 2022. In this role, she leads the definition and execution of the strategy focused on customers—Individuals and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises—as well as products, channels, and other key areas such as Marketing, Data & Personalization, Consumer Credit Risk, Payments, and Digital. She leads the delivery of financial results for Consumer Banking, overseeing a team of more than 17,000 people, while ensuring outstanding customer experience and sound risk management. She is also deeply committed to transforming the Consumer Banking business toward more digital, integrated and intelligent models. She joined Banamex in 2018 as Chief Digital Officer. Prior to joining Banamex, she spent 15 years at Santander Spain, holding leadership roles across several areas of the bank, including Treasury and Internal M&A as well as Corporate Human Resources, Retail banking and Technology. She began her career at Citigroup in Equity Derivatives in London and Madrid.

Alina Nitcheva

Alina Nitcheva is Vice President, Technology Governance & Performance for International Banking at Scotiabank, where she leads enterprise initiatives that strengthen technology strategy, governance, and delivery across an international footprint. Alina has worked across Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean, building deep expertise in transformation, digital modernization, and payment enablement at scale. Alina holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business in Toronto, Canada and a Certificate in Corporate Innovation from Stanford Graduate School of Business. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Bulgarian, she is known for her ability to bridge strategy and execution, build high‑performing teams, and enable future‑ready, secure, and scalable payment and technology platforms. Passionate about inclusion and leadership, Alina is a strong advocate for advancing women in technology, fintech, and payments.

Daniella De Caprio

Daniella De Caprio is a corporate reputation and communications executive with over 17 years of experience advising global technology and fintech companies across Latin America. Having held leadership roles at PayPal and Cisco, Daniella has been a trusted advisor to C-suite executives — including regional leaders and global CEOs — during defining moments such as regulatory investigations, executive transitions, confidential leaks, and large-scale organizational changes. Her expertise lies in navigating complexity under pressure and transforming high-risk situations into opportunities for clarity, alignment, and trust. Recognized for bridging global strategy with local execution, Daniella brings a unique perspective on how companies can build and protect reputation in diverse and fast-moving markets like Brazil and Mexico, while leading communication strategies across multiple countries in the region. She is also the author of Método CEO: O Segredo das Lideranças Mais Respeitadas do Mundo, an Amazon best-seller that has become a reference in executive communication and leadership in Latin America. Her work reinforces a central belief: communication is not a support function — it is a defining leadership skill. As a speaker, Daniella shares practical insights and real-world experiences on topics such as crisis leadership, corporate reputation, executive positioning, and the evolving role of communication in business strategy. Brazilian, based in Mexico City, she is a native Portuguese and Spanish speaker and fluent in English.

Gretchen Rodriguez

Gretchen is an Entrepreneurial-minded Product Leader with experience designing and launching global financial and non-financial products in multiple areas including Fintech & Payments, e-Commerce, Cybersecurity, Identity & Trust. Her career encompasses product development, business growth, and tech consulting. Passionate about innovative payment solutions, she currently focuses on faster payments, AI, and other related technologies shaping the future of money movement. She is dedicated to delivering seamless and secure payment solutions that benefit both businesses and consumers, consistently pushing the boundaries of innovation in the payments industry. Gretchen is currently working for TD Bank, holding a position as Head of Payments for US, foreseeing topics including faster payments, agentic commerce, pay by bank and more.

Carolina Rezemini

Carolina Rezemini is Senior Manager & Head of Sales at Feedzai, where she leads the commercial team and go-to-market strategy for fraud prevention and payments risk solutions serving banks and financial services. With more than 25 years in the market, Carolina blends expertise in risk strategy and AI-driven solutions to help banks, fintechs, acquirers, and processors across Brazil implement defenses that reduce fraud and enhance the customer experience. She previously held strategic roles at large companies such as Experian, Credolab, BNP Paribas and Itaú Unibanco, where she drove commercial initiatives and led complex client implementations.

Lauren Wilson

Lauren Wilson is a seasoned sales leader at Spreedly, where she partners with global merchants across regions, including Latin America, to optimize payment performance and drive growth through orchestration. She brings over a decade of leadership experience, beginning as a Nuclear Engineering Officer in the U.S. Navy before transitioning into enterprise SaaS. At Spreedly, Lauren works closely with enterprise businesses navigating complex, global payments environments, with a focus on improving authorization rates, reducing friction, and enabling more flexible, resilient payment strategies. An active participant in the payments ecosystem, Lauren is engaged with industry communities such as MRC and Women in Payments, where she contributes to conversations on innovation, fraud, and payment optimization

Regina García Cuéllar

Regina García-Cuéllar is CEO for the Mexican Bank Association. She holds a Master’s and Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University, where she earned the Citibanamex National Economics Award for her Ph.D. thesis on trade, location, and the Gender Gap. She is also a Fulbright and Ford/McArthur Scholar. She completed her Bachelor’s in Economics at ITAM. From 2022 to 2023, Regina served as Chief Commercial Strategy Officer at Izzi, Mexico’s second-largest telecom company. Before Izzi, she held key roles at Citibanamex as Customer Experience MD and Strategy Head. Regina’s public sector contributions include serving as Chief of Advisors to the Finance Minister during NAFTA negotiations and pension reform efforts. As Chief of Staff for Pemex’s CEO (2016-2018), she led initiatives that resulted in Pemex’s 2016-2021 business plan and led Pemex’s first farmouts and other significant projects. She also headed the Strategic Planning Office at the Mexican Social Security Institution, where she helped reduce the Institution’s deficit and enhance digital services for over 70 million beneficiaries. Regina is an Independent Board member for Grupo Rotoplás, Grupo Gigante, Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte (OMA) and the Mexico Fund. She is currently President for the Harvard Foundation in Mexico and organization that gives scholarships and loans to Mexican students accepted in Harvard’s graduate programs. Regina’s career also includes research roles at Harvard Business School’s Latin America Research Center and consulting work at Cornerstone Research in New York.

Maíra Oltra

Maíra Oltra is a senior executive and recognized leader with over 23 years of experience spanning Tax, Strategy, and Diversity, Equity, Belonging, and Inclusion. She has held senior leadership positions at global giants including Stripe, Heineken, Amazon, and GE, driving strategic tax initiatives and operational excellence. Beyond her corporate achievements, Maíra is a committed advocate for talent development and workplace equity. She is the founder of "Black Tax Matters" and the "BASE project", an initiative dedicated to accelerating the careers of women and boosting belonging and inclusion in the professional environment.

Anna Aguilar Gallart

Anna Aguilar serves as the Commercial Director for Adyen in Mexico, where she spearheads the company’s strategic growth and business development initiatives. With over 15 years of leadership experience in the technology and commercial sectors, Anna has built a distinguished career at global giants such as Meta, Stripe, and Groupon. In recent years, she has become a key figure in Mexico’s fintech landscape, empowering ambitious companies to leverage payment technology as a driver for global expansion. Anna is a passionate advocate for the transformative power of Unified Commerce and is dedicated to harnessing digital innovation to create a positive economic impact across Mexico. She holds a degree in Business Administration and a Master’s in Marketing from ESADE and HEC Montréal.

Diana Palacios

Diana Palacios Mann is an Economist and holds a Master's degree in Finance from Universidad de Chile. She currently serves as General Manager of Shinkansen Clearinghouse, the first fintech payment clearing house in Chile. Prior to Shinkansen, she worked at Fintual, the first regulated fintech in Chile, and at Platanus Ventures. She is also a professor in fintech programs at the university and a mentor at Start-Up Chile, combining an executive career with a sustained commitment to making financial knowledge accessible to all.

Joanne Strobel-Cort

Joanne Strobel-Cort is the Head of International Payments Products in the Treasury Services Client Platform group. In her current role, Joanne is responsible for managing, developing and executing international payments products and distribution strategy, working with all Treasury Services Global segments and Global Sales organizations to grow revenues and ensure risk and compliance measures are met. Joanne has 30+ years of experience. She has held various senior positions at Wells Fargo Bank, as Managing Director and Head of Segment Solutions & Advisory for Global Payments & Liquidity, Head of Technical Sales for the Global Payments Services, and Head of Network Management for the Corporate and Investment Banking. Prior to this Joanne was Head of Payables Products for Citizens Bank, and held various Transaction Banking roles across Deutsche Bank, ABN Amro Bank and Citibank. Joanne’s various industry experiences include Swift councils such as the Swift vision group and Swift Cash & Trade, the CHIPS Business Committee, the BAFT Payments and Americas Councils, and NACHA. Joanne has been a frequent speaker at SIBOS, and has lead and participated in panels across The Clearing House, The Faster Payments Council, BAFT Payments & Trade Conference, and Money 20/20. Joanne has also published articles on cross-border and international payments via publications and podcasts such at the PaymentsJournal, Finextra, and the Faster Payments Council.

Karla Patricia Baez Lozano

I lead PMO and IT governance in the financial sector. I currently coordinate international teams and align portfolios across global operations. I specialize in creating delivery models, enhancing execution, and promoting teamwork between business and technology. I support sustainable leadership in high-performance environments.

Estephany Ley

Estephany holds a dual bachelor's degree in Economics and Finance from Boston University and an MBA from Dartmouth College. Estephany has over 13 years of professional experience in financial services. She began her career as an analyst at Credit Suisse in Singapore and continued her banking career in Europe. After completing her MBA, she joined Coppel Group, where she initially led the internal consulting unit. She subsequently moved to corporate development, founding the Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) arm, and later headed the Product Division before assuming her current role as Managing Director of Retail Banking. She is responsible for consumer financial services, over 1,300 banking operations, digital channels, as well as marketing and business intelligence.

Tiara Chesmer-Williams

Tiara Chesmer-Williams leads Global Inclusive Programs & Partnerships at Visa, shaping worldwide strategies and alliances that advance economic inclusion and expand equitable access for underrepresented communities. She is also the Founder of Deuce Consulting and previously held transformative leadership roles at LVMH, Morgan Stanley, and Blackstone, driving cultural evolution, inclusive strategies, and multicultural engagement across global organizations. Beyond her corporate work, Tiara contributes her expertise as a board member and trusted advisor to organizations committed to innovation, inclusion, and the future of work. She holds a degree in Finance and Business Management from New York University & City College as well as a Diversity & Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University. Tiara is rooted in and driven by a lifelong commitment to authenticity, equity, and empowering others.

Irina Valassi

As Vice President of Digital Payments at Mastercard, Irina leads the strategy and execution of Click to Pay for Latin America and the Caribbean, leveraging tokenization and biometric authentication. She is responsible for defining the product strategy and driving its implementation across the region, delivering highly secure experiences that meet evolving consumer needs and support the transition from traditional products to the digital world, accelerating the adoption of safer and simpler digital payments, transforming our way of living. With more than 20 years of experience in the financial sector, Irina specializes in innovation, digital transformation, payments, financial inclusion, cybersecurity, and financial project management. At Mastercard, she has held key roles in Product, the Customer Solution Center (CSC) in Mexico, and the Consumer & Digital area. She holds a degree in Business Administration from La Salle University, a master’s degree in finance from Tecnológico de Monterrey, and an MBA from Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez (Chile) and ESADE Business & Law School (Spain).

Brigitte Brousset

Brigitte Brousset is Co-Founder & CEO of GOW, building AI-native solutions for SMB lending. She brings over a decade of experience building and scaling products for small and medium-sized businesses across Latin America. Prior to GOW, she led SMB Financing and SMB growth at Mercado Libre and Mercado Pago. She also held leadership roles at Rappi, and Wingstop. Brigitte began her career at CEMEX through its Young Leaders Program, later specializing in strategic planning and business development. In parallel, she founded a restaurant in Valle de Guadalupe, reflecting her hands-on entrepreneurial mindset. Throughout her career, she has worked closely with thousands of SMBs, developing a deep understanding of their challenges and the structural barriers they face in accessing capital. This experience shapes her mission to drive financial inclusion through scalable, technology-driven solutions. She currently leads in the VP of SMB Financing at the Asociación Fintech México, where she leads ecosystem-wide initiatives to expand access to credit for SMBs. Brigitte holds a degree in International Business from Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León and the American Business School of Paris, and executive education in Behavioral Economics at the London School of Economics and Leadership at Stanford.

Martin Barrios

A pioneering financial technology leader with nearly three decades of global expertise, Martin Barrios drives innovation at the intersection of banking and digital transformation. Leading the Global Payments Solutions team for Financial Institutions and Public Sector across Latin America and the Caribbean Region. Seasoned banker with extensive experience in his previous roles, where he led strategic teams managing complex financial ecosystems across Global Multinationals, Large Local Corporates and Commercial Banking segment groups.​ A recognized thought leader, Martin specializes in:​ - Strategic Treasury & Cash Management, Global Liquidity and Trade Finance​ - Innovative Financial-Treasury Solutions for Complex Enterprises​ - Global Payments and Advanced Payment Systems​ - Blockchain and Disruptive Financial Technologies​ A distinguished IPADE MBA graduate, Martin is a sought-after speaker and advisor, regularly shaping conversations in treasury and financial innovation forums across Latin America.

Karen Arroyo

Karen Arroyo Moguel is a senior executive in the payments industry with extensive experience in electronic payments, fraud management, and analytics across Latin America. Currently serving as Senior New Business Developer at ACI Worldwide, she has held roles spanning engineering, project management, solutions consulting, and senior sales leadership. Karen is recognized for her ability to align technology innovation with business strategy, build executive-level relationships, and guide financial institutions through complex transformation initiatives. She holds an MBA, a PMP certification, and a degree in Computer and Information Science.

Elisa Familia

Elisa Familia is a senior banking leader with over two decades of experience across operations, product and segment leadership, client sales, customer experience, and payments‑enabled business transformation at Scotiabank. Her leadership roles have spanned Canada and Caribbean markets, including regional operations, merchant acquiring, small business and affluent segments, and multi‑country contact‑centre environments—leading large‑scale, multidisciplinary teams, overseeing diverse client portfolios, and managing product portfolios exceeding CAD $500MM. Across these roles, she has consistently applied a strong risk and controls mindset, embedding governance, loss prevention, and regulatory discipline into high‑volume, customer‑facing businesses undergoing digital change. Over the past four years, Elisa has focused her leadership on Business Risk Management, currently serving as Director, Business Risk Management – Global Transaction Banking, with global oversight across GTB’s footprint. In this role, she oversees internal controls, AML, compliance, and non‑financial risk programs across global payments activities, including cross‑border flows, third‑party dependencies, and technology‑driven initiatives. She brings a First Line of Defense perspective to payments security—grounded in operational execution, accountability, and real‑world decision‑making—bridging day‑to‑day business realities with enterprise risk frameworks to strengthen fraud prevention, control effectiveness, and resilience in increasingly real‑time and interconnected payment ecosystems.

Andrea Navarro

Leading cybersecurity with a strategic regional vision and global reach. Vice President and Regional CISO for Latin America, Andrea Navarro is a recognized cybersecurity leader with over 20 years of experience in consulting, financial services, and protecting complex enterprise environments. For the past four years, she has led a multicultural team across Latin America, working closely with global leaders in the United States to align strategies and strengthen the region’s digital resilience. Known for her ability to translate technical risks into business value, Andrea has advised major corporations and boards of directors, driving secure and sustainable digital transformations. Her leadership blends strategic vision, multicultural management, and a steadfast commitment to innovation and excellence.

Karen Pepper

Karen Pepper is the Director of Payments for Mexico and the Head of Payments Marketing for LATAM. She has more than 20 years of experience leading global teams that innovate on behalf of customers at the intersection of financial inclusion, payments and technology.  She has been at Amazon for 10 years, starting in London as the Head of Amazon Pay, then in Seattle as the Technical Advisor (Chief of Staff) for the VP of payments, and for the last 5 years in Mexico. Prior to Amazon she held global and regional leadership roles at JP Morgan and American Express. Outside of the corporate world, she founded and led a venture-capital backed chain of health clubs and spas for families. She is also a passionate board member on charities that support Social Entrepreneurship and Anti-Human Trafficking. She holds an MBA from London Business School.

Diego Szteinhendler

Diego Szteinhendler is Senior Vice President of Fintechs, Digital Partners, and Commerce at Mastercard, overseeing Latin America and the Caribbean. In this role, he leads the strategy, partnerships, and growth of the region’s non‑traditional banking and digital commerce ecosystem, working at the intersection of payments, fintech innovation, and platform-led growth. Diego joined Mastercard in 2008 and has since built a diverse, global career across multiple leadership roles. Most recently, he led Business Development for Mastercard’s fast‑growing Cyber & Intelligence business in North America, partnering with established enterprises and high‑growth startups to strengthen fraud prevention, cybersecurity, AI-driven risk management, authentication, biometrics, chargebacks, and crypto AML capabilities. Prior to Mastercard, Diego held senior roles in product management and business development at industry leaders such as Discover and PayPal, as well as innovative startups including Transpay and CheckWow. His experience spans building new products, scaling partnerships, and translating complex technology into tangible business impact. Diego holds an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin and is a graduate of Columbia University’s Digital Transformation program. A global citizen at heart, he is an avid traveler who has visited 76 countries, bringing a truly international perspective to his leadership.

Laura de la Fuente

Laura de la Fuente is a senior legal executive specializing in financial services law. She holds a Law Degree and a Master’s degree in Financial Law Institutions from Universidad Panamericana, alongside specializations in International Financial Law, Corporate and Commercial Law, the North American legal system, Data Privacy and Fintech Laws. Her executive education includes high impact programmes as the Corporate Governance at University of Pennsylvania, the Leadership Programme at Columbia Business School, Sustainable Finance at AFI School of Finance, International Payments and Foreign Trade by the ICC and Universidad Anáhuac and the Initial Public Offering Structuring Programme by the Mexican Association of Securities Intermediaries, among others. Laura has taught Business Law at ITAM and currently teaches Corporate Governance at the Universidad Panamericana Law Faculty, combining practice-led expertise with academic leadership in regulatory innovation and AI governance across Mexico and Latin America. Her career began at León Abogados Law Firm, delivering legal audits for broker-dealers and banks and supporting financial arbitration matters, followed by in-house roles at Abaco Casa de Bolsa and Citibank before joining HSBC, where she has advised asset management, consumer banking, and digital banking functions. At HSBC, she has also served as Legal Fiduciary Director, Head of Legal Risk Management for LATAM, and later led  transactional legal teams for Corporate Banking. She is currently Legal Director for Mexico and Latin America for Markets and Securities Services, Global Trade and Payments Solutions at HSBC, coordinating Legal’s LAM Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Assets initiatives. She represents HSBC on the Legal Committees of the Mexican Association of Securities Intermediaries, the International Chamber of Commerce, leading also the AI Legal Group of the British Chamber of Commerce in Mexico. Laura also serves as sponsor of the Developing Our People and DE&I People Programmes in Legal at HSBC, as well as the Legal Pro Bono Programme. Through these initiatives, she champions the personal and professional development of lawyers across the organization while advancing HSBC´s commitment to supporting nonprofit organizations and individuals in vulnerable circumstances.

Blanca Sañudo

Blanca Sañudo is Chief of Staff to the COO of Bitso, Latin America's leading crypto-first financial platform. She works at the intersection of business strategy, product, and commercial execution for one of the region's most ambitious financial infrastructure companies. She led the launch of MXNB and Juno — Bitso's Mexican-peso backed stablecoin and its issuing entity — from zero to one, driving the product and go-to-market effort that put Bitso at the forefront of local-currency stablecoins in Latin America. Today, as Chief of Staff to the COO, she oversees the strategic and commercial initiatives reshaping how stablecoin-powered FX and payments move across the region. Before Bitso, she was Fintech Lead at Hi Ventures, one of Mexico's top VC funds, where she sourced and backed the next generation of Latin American fintech companies. With a degree in Economics from ITAM (Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México), Blanca brings both the builder's perspective and the investor's lens to the future of stablecoins and payments.

Felipe Pechi

Felipe brings over two decades of senior leadership across Latin America's most complex and dynamic banking markets. As former Head of Treasury & Trade Solutions for Citi Peru, he was responsible to reposition the transactional business in the country and transform the existing operating model. He simultaneously served as Board Director for CCE Peru (Electronic Clearing System).​ Prior to Peru, Felipe led Treasury & Trade Solutions for Citi Costa Rica repositioning the franchise following the divestiture of the retail business, restructuring the lending portfolio, consolidating the institution as the leading Institutional Corporate Bank in the country.​

Kristy Duncan

Kristy Duncan is the founder and CEO of Women in Payments. This growing professional network unites women in payments from around the globe with a shared vision of gender parity. Women in Payments offers career development opportunities through conferences, recognition programs, leadership and mentorship programs, and by hosting a growing global online community.  Kristy is an avid supporter of her fellow female trailblazers, serving as an investor and advisor to a number of fintechs. As a respected leader in the field, she’s been invited to speak to audiences around the world, and act as a judge for accelerators, fintech contests, and awards programs.  Before founding Women in Payments, Kristy was a leading payments consultant to global financial institutions, payment networks, fintechs, and other industry leaders. Prior to that, she held leadership positions at a tier one Canadian bank. 

Dan Pan

Dan is the Americas economist at Standard Chartered Bank based in New York. She has been covering macroeconomic research for US, Canada and Latam during the past five years. Prior to joining the Bank she worked in the Western Hemisphere Department at the IMF. Dan holds a Master’s degree in international economics and finance from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor’s degree in economics from Beijing Normal University.

Isabel Sica Longhi

Maria Isabel Carvalho Sica Longhi is the Director of Public Policy for Latin America at Ripple. Prior to joining Ripple, Isabel led the financial regulatory team at Google, where she worked for 12 years. Isabel has served and serves on boards of directors, including those of Google Pay and Women in Payments.A specialist in payment regulation, data protection, and fintech, Isabel holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree from the University of São Paulo (USP), with specializations in Contract Law and Corporate Law. She also completed the Board Directors Program at IBGC. She led the New Technologies and Data Protection Committee of the São Paulo Bar Association (IASP) and coordinated the Technology and Innovation Committee of the Brazilian Institute for Business Law (IBRADEMP).

Nur Cristiani

Nur Cristiani is Head of Latin America Investment Strategy for J.P. Morgan’s International Private Bank. Her team is responsible for directing the narrative of the Private Bank’s global views across asset classes as well as providing strategic investment advice to our internal advisors and external clients. Prior to her current role, Nur was Head of Mexico Equity Strategy and Research for J.P. Morgan’s Investment Bank for over 10 years. During her tenure, she was consistently ranked among the top 3 best analysts for Mexico Equity Strategy by Institutional Investor. Before J.P. Morgan, Nur was Head of Emerging Market Strategy for Credit Suisse’s Mexico On-shore Private Bank and Portfolio Manager for various funds managed by BBVA LatAm ranging from regional fixed income, derivatives and equities, among other roles in the industry. Nur has over 20 years experience in financial markets and is frequent guest speaker at industry events and media outlets. She is a strong advocate for equity and women’s inclusion in the financial industry, actively participating in organizations both in and outside of J.P. Morgan.

Amanda Jacobson

Amanda Jacobson is Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Radar, a company that automates and optimizes financial operations for corporations across Latin America. With over a decade of experience in the fintech ecosystem, she has worked as an operator, investor, and regional expansion leader, supporting the growth of startups across Mexico, Chile, Colombia, and Argentina. Under her leadership, Radar has expanded across the region, helping enterprises automate financial reconciliation and payments operations while transforming fragmented financial data into actionable visibility. Amanda is recognized for her strategic vision, operational execution, and commitment to innovation within the fintech and payments ecosystem. She is also an active advocate for diversity and the development of the next generation of female leaders in fintech.

Kristy Duncan

Kristy Duncan is the founder and CEO of Women in Payments. This growing professional network unites women in payments from around the globe with a shared vision of gender parity. Women in Payments offers career development opportunities through conferences, recognition programs, leadership and mentorship programs, and by hosting a growing global online community.  Kristy is an avid supporter of her fellow female trailblazers, serving as an investor and advisor to a number of fintechs. As a respected leader in the field, she’s been invited to speak to audiences around the world, and act as a judge for accelerators, fintech contests, and awards programs.  Before founding Women in Payments, Kristy was a leading payments consultant to global financial institutions, payment networks, fintechs, and other industry leaders. Prior to that, she held leadership positions at a tier one Canadian bank.