GLEIF Board of Directors

Ms. Glasser is the Principal for the Data Strategy & Analytics Practice at FRG, a consulting firm focused on data and risk, is an Independent Board Member of Oppenheimer & Co, Inc., and is on the Financial Research Advisory Committee of the Office of Financial Research, US Treasury. She has a 30-year track record of implementing innovative solutions and managing organizations in risk, data, and analytics.

Prior to her current position at FRG, Dessa was Managing Director at JPMorgan Chase, responsible for the firm’s Capital Stress Testing Analytics team and, as its first Chief Data Officer, built the Chief Data Office for Asset and Wealth Management. Ms. Glasser served as Deputy Director of the Office of Financial Research, supporting the Financial Stability Oversight Council, where she implemented a range of data and risk solutions, including assisting with the launch of the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI). Dessa established the Chief Risk Office for Bunge, as its first Chief Risk Officer. She held senior positions at Credit Suisse, Merrill Lynch, IBM, and KPMG. She began her career teaching Finance at Rutgers University.

Ms. Glasser has a B.S. from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics from Fordham University, where she sits on the Advisory Board for the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. She is a recipient of the US Treasury Exceptional Service Award, was listed as a ‘Director to Watch’ in the Directors and Boards Annual Report (2019), and was the A-team Industry Professional of the Year (2023). She Co-leads the global Women Data Professionals Forum of the EDM Council.

Ms Artz is the CEO of the FTSE Women Leaders Review, the UK’s business-led voluntary framework, supported by Government to improve the representation of women on the Boards and Leadership teams of the FTSE 350 and 50 of the UK’s largest private companies.

Vivienne is also a NED and holds a number of expert advisory roles supporting businesses in their data, privacy and digital strategies, with a focus on AI and new technologies, anti-financial crime and equality & diversity. Vivienne has over twenty five years experience in global financial and professional services sectors, including at the London Stock Exchange Group, Refinitiv, Thomson Reuters and Citibank. Vivienne is the AI and Data Lead at the International Business & Diplomatic Exchange, Data Strategy and Privacy Policy Advisor to the Centre for Information Policy Leadership, Founder of the PICCASO Awards, Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime Advisory Board member, was chapter co-lead of the City of London “Vision for Economic Growth” report, and has advised UK government on international data transfer strategies.

Vivienne is an exceptional advocate for gender balance in business, is a Patron of Women in Finance Rwanda, and is the former CEO of Women in Banking and Finance. She was awarded an OBE for services to Financial Services and Gender Diversity in 2021.

Amy Kabia was appointed to the GLEIF Board of Directors in June 2020. She’s a global operations executive with over 26 years of experience in financial services. She is a former Managing Director at JPMorgan Chase (JPMC) where she held roles in Data Management, Operations, Transformation, and Regulatory Capital. Prior to JPMC, Ms. Kabia spent six years at Washington Mutual and six years at GE Capital.

Recognizing the data quality challenges experienced by financial institutions, Ms. Kabia created a methodology for producing data with sustainable quality. Design for Data Quality (DfDQ) applies the principles used in manufacturing durable goods to the process of manufacturing data. DfDQ ensures a controlled data production process, operational accountability, and a feedback loop with data consumers.

Ms. Kabia obtained a Bachelor of Science from the University of Colorado and is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt.

Dr. Folarin Alayande is an international development economist, technology investor, and financial services executive. He has a track record of over two decades in corporate transformation advising and working with significant global and emerging market corporations at the intersection of digital technologies and finance.

He has held leadership roles at Accenture and as Chief Strategy Officer of FBN Holdings Plc as well as served in The Presidency of Nigeria as a Senior Special Assistant to the President on Economic Recovery/ Co-ordinator of the Economic Plan Implementation Unit from 2017-2019. He is also Co-Founder of the African Network of ‘Presidential and Prime-Ministers’ Delivery Units under the auspices of the African Development Bank.

Educated at The London School of Economics in finance and accounting, he worked with Citibank in treasury operations and risk management where he won the CEO Quality Awards for 3 consecutive years, before joining global technology firm Accenture. At Accenture he led projects globally, including as Faculty Lead for the Global Core Analyst School in Illinois, USA. From 2011-2014, he held the role of pioneer Director and Operating Group Lead of the Health and Public Services Group in Nigeria leading multi-year transformation programs and economic planning projects.

Dr. Alayande’s other recent roles include Lead Consultant and expert advisor on investments, infrastructure and risk financing to multilateral organisations, including the African Development Bank and UNDP. He has also been Research Fellow at the Covenant University Centre for Economic Policy and Development Research (CEPDeR) ; as well as Vice-President at Mastercard leading the Public Sector technology business in Sub-Saharan Africa. A Distinguished Recipient of the Certificate of Excellence on the Bicentennial of the American Constitution from former United States Chief Justice Warren Burger, his Ph.D. thesis focuses on international trade and industrial incentives. He is author of several academic and professional publications including a leading reference book on financial sector reforms. Dual-qualified as a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute of the UK and Ireland, he has led Board Governance Audits and facilitated Board sessions for corporations in multiple countries across 5 continents, and is a regular contributor to expert panels on navigating growth.

Mr. Demaël is currently a Senior Advisor to the largest strategic consulting firm dedicated to TMT, Altman Solon and works with several start-ups in tech space including cleantech, travel tech, food tech. He brings over 30 years of diversified, global work experience to the GLEIF Board of Directors, having twice managed P&Ls spanning more than 200 countries and territories. Jacques has also driven global technology innovation and service rollouts while overseeing operational management in highly regulated environments. Mr. Demaël led several transformation and governance functions in complex technology environments, including acting as an Executive Advisor in Corporate Finance at Bryan, Garnier & Co.

Since 2020, Jacques has also served as a Board Member at Wingly, where he supports its senior management in establishing the firm as an industry leading digital marketplace for private aviation services.

Mr. Demaël is an alumnus of the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, where he graduated with a Masters in Electrical Engineering, Technology and Policy Program.

Anna M. Ewing is an experienced board director and former technology executive with over 30 years of leadership in the global financial services sector. She has been instrumental in driving innovation, building global technology platforms, and providing strategic and fiduciary oversight on technology, product innovation, governance, risk management, growth strategies, and M&A integration.

Ms. Ewing currently serves on the boards of Financeware LLC, a fintech and data solutions provider for the U.S. wealth management industry, and RIMES Technologies, a global leader in financial data services. She previously served as a non-executive director at NEX Group plc and on the board of Orchid Insurance. In her executive career, she built and led industry-leading business units at Nasdaq, CIBC, and Merrill Lynch, including transforming Nasdaq’s technology infrastructure and business model as Chief Information Officer.

She holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University, where she sits on the Dean’s Global Advisory Council and received the 2024 Alumni Recognition Award for Public Good. Ms. Ewing has also earned several industry honors, including Dell’s Transformational CIO Award, Trader’s Magazine Women on Wall Street Excellence in Leadership Award, and Institutional Investor’s ranking of Top Global FinTech Executives.

Jens Hachmeister joined the GLEIF Board of Directors in July 2025. He is Managing Director at Deutsche Börse Group, with over 25 years of experience in Capital Markets and Financial Services. Currently, he serves as Head of Issuer Services and New Digital Markets, sits on the Clearstream Management Board, and chairs LuxCSD. He also holds board roles in various FinTechs and is part of the German Central Bank’s Digital Council. Previously, he advised the German Ministry of Finance as part of the FinTech Advisory Committee.

In 2018, Jens launched Deutsche Börse’s New Digital Markets Area to lead its DLT and blockchain strategy, adding Issuer Services to his remit in 2020. His past roles include Chief HR Officer, Head of Strategic Execution, and Chief of Staff to the CEO, overseeing major infrastructure projects and operations. Earlier in his career, he worked at KPMG as a management consultant.

Jens holds a degree in economics and business administration from the University of Bielefeld, completed a banking apprenticeship, and an executive program at London Business School.

Omar M. Hashem is an accomplished executive with over 30 years of experience in banking, fintech, payments, and digital transformation. He has served as a trusted board member and advisor across the MENA region, specializing in governance, regulatory engagement, and digital strategy.

Omar played a pivotal role in the digital transformation of Saudi Arabia’s National Commercial Bank, leading innovations that positioned it as a digital banking leader. He has also driven M&A initiatives and led growth at firms including Tamra Capital, Neoleap, and SANID.

A strong advocate for financial inclusion and emerging technologies, Omar contributes to key regulatory initiatives, including Saudi Arabia’s National Payments Strategy. He serves on the boards of GLEIF, Dar Alaila, and Watania Insurance, offering expertise in governance and risk management.

Michinobu Kishi has over 30 years of experience in central banking, public policy and commercial banking. He is the General Manager of the Transaction Business Planning Department at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) and has served as the Swift National Member Group Chairperson Japan since 2022. His responsibilities include the bank’s ISO 20022 migration, responding to G20/FSB cross border payments roadmaps, and conducting R&D on transaction banking.

Prior to joining SMBC, Mr. Kishi spent 31 years at the Bank of Japan building extensive experience with various parts of the central bank including the Operations, Information System Services, and Personnel Departments; the Chief Representative Office in the Americas; and the General Manager of the Maebashi Branch. As Deputy Director-General of the Financial Stability and Bank Examination Department (2020–2022), he was a member of the G7 Cyber Expert Group and organized the Supervisory College and Crisis Management Group for large Japanese banks. While at the Payments and Settlement Systems Department, Mr. Kishi headed the BoJ team for joint DLT study with the ECB (Project Stella), contributed to publications on central bank digital currencies and wholesale digital tokens, and managed the bank’s business continuity planning. He was seconded to Deposit Insurance Corporation of Japan as a Senior Executive Director, where he implemented a new resolution regime applicable to Global Systemically Important Financial Institutions (G-SIFIs). He holds Master of the Science of Law degree from Stanford Law School, and a Bachelor of Laws degree from University of Tokyo.

Pamela Mar is the Managing Director of the Digital Standards Initiative (DSI) of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), based in Singapore.

The DSI is a public private-partnership backed by the ICC, the Singapore government, the Asian Development Bank, the World Trade Organization, and the World Customs Organization, aiming to digitalize global trade by harmonizing and digitazing supply chain standards and building digital readiness across the global trade ecosystem.

She was previously the Executive Vice President of Knowledge and Applications at the Fung Group, a Hong Kong-based multinational supply chain manager. She brings over 20 years of experience working across global supply chains and industry on sustainability, technology, and global policy issues — having held roles based in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Geneva.

Ms. Mar was named to the Eco-Business Sustainability A-List in 2019 and has published and spoken widely on corporate sustainability and supply chain issues.

Pamela holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and an M.Sc from the London School of Economics.

Kaoru Mochizuki is a finance expert based in Tokyo with over 30 years of experience in various finance domains such as securitization, trade finance, supply chain finance, transaction banking, and business promotion across multiple countries in Asia Oceania region. He spent over three decades with the Mizuho Financial Group, where he held various management positions. Starting as a Manager in the Structured Finance Department, he progressed to become the Head of Asia Oceania Office of Global Transaction Banking Department and then General Manager in charge of planning for settlement infrastructure for Transaction Banking Coordination Department. He has extensive experience in strategy formulation, business planning and execution, managing multicultural teams, and risk management in trade finance. He is a Certified Member Analyst of the Securities Analysts Association in Japan (CMA).

In addition to his professional expertise, Mr. Mochizuki has also served as a member of the Working Committee on Security Settlements and Transaction Banking at the Japanese Bankers Association, as well as the Chairperson for the Japanese National User Group at SWIFT between October 2020 and November 2022. Mr. Mochizuki holds an MBA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Tokyo.

Luis Felipe Monteiro, a Senior Executive with over 24 years of experience in technology, finance, and government digital transformation, acts as an Independent Consultant and Advisor, Mr. Monteiro showcases visionary leadership and expertise in driving innovation within the industry.

Mr. Monteiro was the CEO of Cateno, a leading payments company based in Brazil. Before his role at Cateno, Luis held prominent positions as Brazil's Digital Government Secretary and OECD representative. He successfully led the digital transformation of two hundred public sector bodies, aligning the objectives of senior government executives, parliament, policymakers, and a team of over seven thousand public servants. Under his guidance, two thousand digital services were transformed, leading to the growth of gov.br as one of the world's top five government platforms, serving over 140 million users. The World Bank recognized Brazil as the second most mature country in digital government, a testament to Mr. Monteiro's achievements.

Luis Monteiro has played a significant role in streamlining business registration processes in Brazil by collaborating closely with federal and state agencies to reduce bureaucracy. Through his efforts, the average time for business registration decreased from 5.5 days to less than 23 hours, significantly boosting the country's business ecosystem. His extensive background includes serving as the Chairman of the Board of Serpro, South America's largest IT public company, and holding positions on various other boards of directors. With a strong computer science foundation and advanced information technology degrees, Mr. Monteiro continues to drive innovation and shape the digital landscape.

Nick Pachnev was appointed to the GLEIF Board of Directors in July 2024. With over two decades of experience in the financial, retail, and insurance technology sectors, Nick has a background in founding, developing, and scaling transformative software applications and ecosystems for multinationals, SMEs, and global financial institutions.

In his various executive roles, including CTO and CEO of GlobalTrade Corporation, Nick worked with Global 500 clients in agrifood, oil and gas, construction, automotive, aerospace, marine, industrial machinery, and mining. He also co-founded and served as editor-in-chief of a journal featuring insights from over 40 legal and financial experts on international trade.

Nick was a member of the founding team and a chairman of the board of Digital Vault Services GmbH, the first cross-industry utility for issuing and safekeeping domestic and international bank guarantees and sureties. His expertise includes corporate treasury, trade and supply chain finance, SWIFT, big data, machine learning, generative AI, distributed ledger technology, cloud computing, and information security.

Nick provides market, product, operational and governance advice to startups and established technology companies. He is also a Convenor of the ISO 20022 Trade Finance Standards Evaluation Group, overseeing the development of new messages for digitizing supply chain finance and traditional trade processes. Nick holds a degree in Business Administration from York University.

Mrs. Samuel-Ogbu has over 30 years of banking experience in senior leadership roles at Citibank covering over 50 countries in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region, including leading institutional Payments and Receivables.

As the former Managing Director and CEO of Citibank Nigeria and Ghana, she led Citi’s institutional businesses, navigating macroeconomic and regulatory challenges to strengthen the franchise.

She has extensive boardroom experience, including roles as Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Risk Committee at Citibank Nigeria, as well as board positions at CHAPS Clearing UK, the high-value payment system now operated by the Bank of England and Opportunity International. She was appointed Chair , Board of Directors Africa Finance Corporation in March 2025.

Ireti has received awards such as Innovate Finance’s Women in FinTech Power List 2017 and Black British Business Awards Financial Services Leader of the Year 2019.

She holds an MBA from the University of Bradford, UK, and a BA (Hons) in Accounting & Finance from Middlesex University, London, UK.

During decades as a bank employee, Mr Javier Santamaría accumulated a broad and balanced expertise in the intertwined dimensions of payments – business-related, operational, technical – across different client segments and product lines, in the legacy and the innovative spheres. He has been immersed in both cooperative and competitive environments. Besides payments, Javier is interested in other banking fields and continues to be actively engaged in academic matters. Former Head of Operations and Business Services, he was Senior Vice President at Banco Santander until December 2016. Mr Santamaría was a member of the Board of the Euro Banking Association and a Director of the SWIFT Board until the end of 2016.

Javier Santamaría brings a solid experience to the boards of directors and a proven ability to build consensus and balance in complex or uncertain situations. He draws on a long professional career in finance and payments and has a continued dedication to teaching and life-long learning. He aspires to get the best out of creativity and innovation and cherishes a collegial working environment driven by irreproachable ethical conduct, open-mindedness and independence of criteria.

Javier Santamaría is Chair of the European Payments Council (EPC, Brussels), the association in Brussels that manages the SEPA payment schemes, Chair of Iberpay (Madrid), the company in Madrid that manages the Spanish automated clearing house, and Member of the Supervisory Board of Western Union International Bank (WUIB, Vienna).

Mr. Schneider is a long-time consultant to the financial services industry, primarily working with major institutions on their growth and transformation efforts. He combines a detailed understanding of financial services with the value of information technology, the requirements of regulatory bodies, and the practical realities of executing change at scale. His services include strategic support, technology and operational improvement, helping firms succeed with regulatory mandates and creating long-term, sustainable businesses.

Mr. Schneider is currently CEO of Galileo Advisory, a boutique consultancy. Previously, he was a Partner at Oliver Wyman, serving large financial institutions. Before that, he spent 30 years at Deloitte Consulting, where he led client service and held various market and business roles. He has also worked directly in the industry, having held a COO role at Chancellor Capital (now Invesco) and as a Program Manager at Goldman Sachs.

In addition, Mr. Schneider has worked extensively to help support the financial services industry, including joining the Federal Reserve's Alternative Reference Rates Committee and then Chairing their Operations & Infrastructure Working Group by supporting Bretton Woods on the transition to digital assets by joining the advisory board for the Global - Digital Currency Association; and as a Member of the Canadian Alternate Reference Rates (CARR) working group, and other earlier roles.

Mr. Schneider is a board member of two FinTech firms and serves as a board advisor to select other firms.

Dr. Pramod Varma is a pioneering architect of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, including Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, and ONDC, systems that serve over a billion people. He is the Co-Founder and Chief Architect of Networks for Humanity, where he leads efforts like the Finternet and Beckn Protocol to build open, decentralized infrastructure for the global digital economy.

He advises governments and organizations worldwide on population-scale digital transformation and serves on multiple advisory boards. With a Ph.D. in Computer Science and a strong foundation in applied mathematics, he is deeply committed to using technology for inclusive and scalable innovation.

Ms. Weiss is a global digital leader, strategic visionary and an established expert on digital transformation, new technologies and market development. Her roles include Non-Executive and Executive positions in Information Technologies, distribution, e-commerce, and telecommunication companies, as well as strategic partnerships with global big tech companies. Her competencies in strategies for technologies, data governance, executing visionary focus and spearheading ethical operations cultivating trust and authenticity have been recognized in the market.

With over 30 years of professional experience and a successful track record as CEO, COO, CFO, Chair, Board Director and Non-Executive Director, she possesses proven expertise in governance and steering complex organizations. Her expertise in new technologies, global distribution channels, supply chain, and digital platforms, as well as financial markets and regulatory environment, enable her to add real strategic value to the future of companies and organizations.

In previous years, Ms. Weiss was Group CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board of ABC Data, one of the biggest IT distribution companies in Europe, representing leading technology companies. Ms. Weiss was also Vice-Chairman of the Executive Board and Group CFO of Sygnity, and Finance Director of Sage Poland, and she held various managerial positions in the telecommunication industry.

Ms. Weiss is a Professional Certified Accountant, and gained ACCA and FCCA certifications in the UK. She graduated with an MSc in Financial Management from the Faculty of Economic Sciences and Management at Nicolaus Copernicus University and completed several executive certificates in strategy and new technologies at Harvard University and MIT.

Ms. Nicola Dearden was appointed by the GLEIF Board as Corporate Secretary in June 2023.

Nicola is a governance professional with experience in multi-jurisdictional corporate governance across several industries.

Nicola is an Associate of the Corporate Governance Institute UK and Ireland, and holds a LLB in Law from the University of Kent, Canterbury and LPC from the College of Law, London.