25 Women to Watch in Banking and Finance
by Sima Matthes (New York City)
We love it when companies on the Fortune 1000 are recognized for having women at the top! The October issue of U.S. Banker, profiles the 25 Women to Watch, a ranking that honors women whose leadership continues to shape the financial services industry.
Three of this year’s top five women to watch work with companies on the Fortune 1000: Avid Modjtabai, EVP and CIO works with Wells Fargo (Fortune #41). Elyse Weiner, managing director, global head of Liquidity and Investments, GTS and Maura Markus, EVP and head of International Consumer Banking, both of #8 ranked Citigroup.
Ms. Modjtabai is the Director of the Technology Information Group at Wells Fargo. She previously served as the director of Wells Fargo’s HR department, preceded by a stint as the EVP and head of the company’s Internet Services Group. During that time, Wells Fargo was ranked as the best consumer internet bank in the industry by Global Finance. She has a BS in industrial engineering from Stanford University, and an MBA from Columbia University.
Ms. Weiner heads Citigroup’s Global Transaction Services, which offers integrated treasury and trade solutions and securities and fund services to multinational corporations, financial institutions and the public sector around the world. She has worked throughout the banking industry, including stints at JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank, New York. She has over 20 years of experience in financial services, holds MS and MBA degrees, is a Certified Treasury Professional and a registered securities principal with Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.
Ms. Markus is responsible for product and distribution expansion across Citi’s retail banking operations in 40 countries. She has more than twenty years of experience in financial services, was on the 2003 list of women to watch in U.S. Banker, and made the Women to Watch list in 2004 as well. Ms. Markus graduated summa cum laude from Boston College and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.
The other two women—the top two of U.S. Banker’s 25 Women to Watch—are TD Bank Financial Group‘s Colleen Johnston, group head of Finance and CFO; Cascade Financial‘s Carol Nelson, president and CEO.
Ms. Johnston joined TD Bank Financial Group four years ago, following a 15-year stint at Scotiabank. She began her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in 1982. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from York University and earned her chartered accountant designation in 1984.
Ms. Nelson came to Cascade Financial in 2001 with more than two decades in banking. She had previously been with Seafirst Bank and then Bank of America. A magna cum laude graduate of Seattle University, Ms. Nelson was named to U.S. Banker Magazine’s list of “25 Women to Watch” in 2003, its first annual ranking of the 25 most powerful women in banking.
Citigroup was also honored as one of the top three banking teams, along with US Bancorp (Forbes 1000 rank #122) and Zions National Bank (#589).
With all the shakeups in the banking industry, we’re very glad to have something—and some people—to celebrate.
