The Founder
Cecilia is a Swiss-American global finance executive who advises boards and executive management at key decision points, during growth phases and in complex situations amidst industry, regulatory, and technology shifts. Cecilia has applied artificial intelligence, data governance and high-performance computing experience and has proven experience with driving sustainable growth and operational excellence during turnarounds through credit and business cycles. She can bridge traditional FI governance with innovation-driven business models, positioning organizations for sustainable growth across both mature and emerging markets. She has been invited to serve as a technical expert on the Council of Europe’s AI Committee Huderia Platform.
She mentored cross-functional teams at a digital bank, that reached unicorn status that benefited tens of millions of unbanked advancing five UN SDG goals.
She is currently supervisory Board Secretary of an AI start-up, Besso, that seeks to unlock savings in supply chains.
Accomplishments
Cecilia has worked at a global investment bank, a global wealth management bank and stock exchanges and built a listed cross-border corporate bank from the ground up. As a FINMA-approved Chief Compliance Officer (banking & securities dealing license) she was Chief AML Officer, Chief Data Privacy Officer & CISO. She was supervisory company secretary of a fintech bank and Audit Committee Member of PMI Switzerland Board of Directors.
She is a co-founder and former Chair of the 100 Women in Finance Zurich Education Committee and is currently a member of the Global Fintech Committee. She recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of 100 Women in Finance at the London Stock Exchange.
Awards & Learning for Life
She received a cross-divisional, team leadership award in risk at UBS and a commendation letter from the United Nations for leading in a movement in over 130 countries. Cecilia holds an E-MBA from the University of St. Gallen, an MBA from the University of Toronto, and dual degrees from the University of California, Berkeley. She holds certifications in IAPP Artificial Intelligence Governance, Software Engineering, and Advanced Compliance Management from the University of St. Gallen.