Advisory 2026 Board

Ignacio Sarquis is a technology leader recognized for driving large-scale digital transformation in the banking industry. Since March 2021, he has served as Chief Information Officer of Santander Bank, leading the vision and execution of innovation-driven programs that align with Santander’s global strategy and accelerate the Bank’s growth in the U.S.

During his 14+ years at Santander, Ignacio has spearheaded some of the organization’s most ambitious technology initiatives. He oversaw the launch of a next-generation digital platform designed for scale, agility, and rapid innovation, empowering Santander to meet evolving customer needs in a highly competitive market. He also led the successful go-live of Gravity, the Bank’s U.S. core modernization initiative, which migrated its core system to the cloud as part of the multi-year Horizon Program.

These milestone projects have positioned Santander as a technology-forward financial institution and underscore Ignacio’s pivotal role in shaping the future of banking.

Ignacio earned a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires and an MBA from Hult International Business School. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts, and continues to champion innovation, operational excellence, and technology’s role in driving sustainable business growth.

Lizzie leads Product Strategy & Transformation for all Commercial Card products and clients segments, ranging from small business to Fortune 100. She has spent most of her career in strategy, consulting for Fortune 100 clients to venture-backed startups. She has led teams to launch new products, define go-to-market strategies, create operating models, and ideate customer-centric offerings, among other functions. She received her MBA from Chicago Booth, and has been selected as one of 30 women future leaders in payments by Money 20/20 in 2021 and for ETA Transact’s Forty under 40 leaders of the payments industry in 2023.

Mary Joseph is Senior Vice President of Strategic Investments at Citi, where she drives global investments in fintech and B2B SaaS startups for Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS). Previously, Mary honed her expertise in fintech M&A advisory within Citi’s Investment Banking group, and as an investor at GreenHouse Capital, a venture capital firm investing in early-stage fintechs across Africa and the Middle East. Throughout her career spanning diverse roles and geographies, Mary has championed the growth and empowerment of early-stage companies reshaping the global fintech landscape, with a particular emphasis on emerging markets. Mary holds an MBA in Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship & Innovation from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a BA in Sociology and Business Management from Columbia University.

Melisa Albas is a thoughtful leader in data-driven innovation, focused on applying AI and analytics to enable smarter decisions and more meaningful member experiences. At Tru Cooperative Bank, she transforms complex data into practical, human-centered strategies that drive measurable impact. With a background in AI/ML, customer insights, and loyalty ecosystems, Melisa has led award-winning initiatives rooted in real-world problem solving. A former analytics entrepreneur, she brings a collaborative, execution-focused mindset to addressing challenges through the responsible use of data and emerging technologies.