6 Women Changing The Face Of Leadership In Banking And Finance
By Jaime Catmull
Women have always made an impact in the world of finance and banking, but they are being observed closer than ever in today’s market. Women are taking on more and more executive leadership roles across the board in the financial and banking world, including many at Fortune 500 companies. Here are six inspiring women to watch who prioritize community, diversity, and women as they lead in their workplace.
Thasunda Brown Duckett
Thasunda Brown Duckett serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America-College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA). Before joining TIAA, Duckett worked as Chief Executive Officer of Chase Consumer Banking. Prior to that Duckett has served in executive roles at Chase Auto Finance, Chase Mortgage Banking, and Fannie Mae. At TIAA and in her previous roles, Duckett strives to help communities of color achieve financial, educational, and career success. Duckett is very active in her community and serves on the boards of several companies and universities. To further support her community, Duckett founded Otis and Rosie Brown Foundation to recognize those who make great impacts in their communities.
Diane Morais
Diane Morais is President of Consumer & Commercial Banking at Ally Bank, where she was instrumental in launching the Ally brand in 2009. At Ally, Morais oversees Ally’s customer care and Community Reinvestment Program. Before her work at Ally, Morais worked for twelve years at Bank of America and nine years at Citibank in various roles. Recognizing her leadership, American Banker Magazine placed Morais on their ‘25 Most Powerful Women in Banking’ list for five consecutive years. Morais is active in her community in Charlotte, where she serves as Executive in Residence for Queens University and volunteers for several institutions. Her career and community activity saw her named one of only 25 outstanding businesswomen who earned one of Charlotte Business Journal’s 2018 Women in Business Awards.
Lule Demissie
Lule Demissie is the US CEO of eToro, a social investing network. At eToro, Demissie oversees the company’s expansion and investment within the US and is helping to build a customer-centric platform to increase adoption. Before her time at eToro, Demissie was President of Ally Invest where she led Ally Invest Securities, Ally Invest Advisors, and API Business Lines. Demissie has also worked in various roles at J.P. Morgan, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, and TD Ameritrade. Stemming from her range of intersectional identities as a woman of color and a member of the LGBTQ community, Demissie seeks to empower everyone from any community to take control of their finances. She received TD Ameritrade’s 2015 Impact Award recognizing her commitment to diverse perspectives.
Holly Hynes
Holly Hynes is the Chief Marketing Officer for Wells Fargo Consumer and Small Business Banking. Hynes has more than 20 years of experience in marketing, including brand strategy, digital marketing, advertising, social media, and more. Before starting as CMO at Wells Fargo CSBB, Hynes worked for 11 years at Huntington Bank. There she held various roles such as head of Brand, Digital Experience Innovation, Strategy, and Consumer and Business Marketing. At Huntington Bank, Hynes also developed many new marketing capabilities. Before this, Hynes directed marketing strategy at Direct Energy and Nationwide Insurance. Hynes believes that all of life’s moments intersect with money and has dedicated her career to helping simplify the complexities of wealth for everyone.
Mary Kate Loftus
Mary Kate Loftus is the Senior Vice President, Director of Digital for M&T Bank. Loftus started at M&T in 2018 as the Head of Strategic Planning for the Consumer & Business Bank. Loftus has over 20 years of experience in financial services. Loftus is committed to providing consumers with financial freedom and recognizes the difference community banks and financial wellness makes in people’s lives. Loftus enjoys conversations about future trends and has been a guest on several podcasts including, the Breaking Banks podcast, the Global Digital Banker podcast, and Business Insider podcasts. Loftus advocates for diversity and sponsors upcoming talent through the African American Resource Group.
Jennifer Roberts
Jennifer Roberts is the Chief Executive Officer of Chase Consumer Banking. Before that, Roberts was the Chief Executive Officer of Chase Business Banking. Roberts has been a leader at Chase since 1996, serving in executive roles in Card Services, Ultimate Rewards, Chase Sapphire products, loyalty, and acquisitions. Roberts is active in her community, serving as a board member for Philadelphia’s public radio station, WHYY. Roberts seeks to promote diversity in the workplace as executive sponsor of Chase’s Hispanic Leadership Forum.
