WatersTechnology Innovation Exchange Leadership

The Business Strategy and Leadership spotlight will take place on 21, 22 and 23 September 2021 and will unite over 300 experts, practitioners, and industry mavericks from across the globe to focus on business strategy and leadership across capital markets.

Creating interoperability between new technologies and legacy systems
The capital markets in 2031 – how will technology and data shape the industry?
AI regulations – are we fully aware of AI’s ethical implications?
Privacy and data regulations – everything you need to know
Data – how capital markets firms can derive the most value from their data assets
Digital transformation – how to fund your initiatives?
Operations models – how to support business in the post-Covid era?

Cathy Bessant is chief operations and technology officer at Bank of America, and is a member of the company’s executive management team. Since 2010, Bessant has led Global Technology and Operations, delivering end-to-end technology and operating services across the company through a team of 95,000 people in over 35 countries. She also oversees the company’s business continuity and information security efforts.

Since joining the bank in 1982,Bessant has held a number of senior leadership roles. She was president, Global Corporate Banking; president, Global Product Solutions and Global Treasury Services; chief marketing officer; president, Consumer Real Estate and Community Development Banking; national Small Business Segment executive; and president of the Florida market.

Bessant serves as executive sponsor for the company’s Disability Advisory Council. She was formerly the executive sponsor for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride executive board and led the creation of the LGBT Ally program. She was previously named No. 1 among OUTstanding LGBT+ Ally Executives, presented by the Financial Times.

After ranking No. 1 for three consecutive years, Bessant was inducted into the “25 Most Powerful Women in Banking” Hall of Fame by American Banker in 2020. Bessant was named to Barron’s “100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance” and she received WatersTechnology’s 2019 Women in Technology and Data Trailblazer Award. She has also appeared on Working Mother magazine’s “50 Most Powerful Working Moms” list.

Active in the community and region, Bessant received the Distinguished Service Award from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In addition, she was awarded the North Carolina Order of the Long Leaf Pine, was recognized by the Charlotte Business Journal with the Women in Business Lifetime Achievement Award, and was named to Business NC’s Power 100. She chairs the North Tryon Vision Plan Advisory Committee.

Bessant led the formation of the Council on the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to address ethical and policy issues related to this rapidly evolving technology. In addition, she is a member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).

Bessant serves on the board of directors of Zurich Insurance Group, serves as chair of the USA Field Hockey board of directors, is on the board of trustees for the Urban Institute, and is on the advisory board for the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. As part of a leadership course at Ross, she summited Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest freestanding mountain, in August 2018.

Catherine P. Bessant

Chief Operations and Technology Officer

Bank of America