Our International Advisory Board includes highly-experienced financial services executives from across the globe.
With a diverse representation from five different countries, the board currently has eleven members who provide strategic guidance and perspectives across SRM’s operating model and areas of service. Members also assist us in fostering strategic global partnerships and alliances. We are proud to collaborate with such a prestigious group of professionals who are committed to our goals of achieving excellence on a global scale.
Stan Viner (Chair) | Birmingham, AL
- President, SJViner and Associates
- Past Chair, Ole Miss School of Business Banking and Finance Advisory Board
- Strategist and Board Advisor for the William Mills Agency (Specializing in FinTech PR)
- Former General Manager/National Sales of Banking at Jack Henry & Associates
- Former Instructor at the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado
- Past Member of Board of Directors for InBank
- BBA, Ole Miss and Managerial Leadership Certificate, University of Texas/McCombs School of Business
David Bailey | Reading, UK
- Strategic Advisor to leaders of Professional Services and IT Services firms, focusing on growth strategies, turnarounds, operational effectiveness, and mergers and acquisitions
- Chair of global SAP consultancy and implementation partner invenioLSI
- 22-year management consultant operating in organizations such as Lloyds TSB, Glaxo, Aviva, Volkswagen, Barclays, and Littlewoods Shop Direct
- Former Managing VP at Hitachi Consulting and member of Hitachi’s Global Consulting Committee and European Strategy Board
- Co-founder of Impact Plus (sold to Hitachi in 2007)
- Previous President of the Management Consultancies Association, and prior judge at annual MCA Awards
James Cecil | London, England
- Nexus was founded by James Cecil in 2017, after a career spanning military service, politics, and business.
- James is a graduate of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, and he served as an infantry officer in the U.K. Armed Forces for six years before leaving with the rank of Captain.
- He has worked in a range of capacities for the Conservative Party and was elected to London borough government in 2006. He maintains strong links with the Party, both through historical family ties and ongoing personal connections.
- James has a proven track record working both in the U.K. and internationally on government and commercial projects across a variety of sectors and industries.
Teresa Y. Freeborn | Rancho Mirage, CA
- CU leader, advocate for women’s advancement into leadership, author, speaker, and fashion brand/clothing company executive
- Former President of Kinecta Federal Credit Union (Manhattan Beach CA), CEO of XCEED Credit union (El Segundo CA), and SVP of Central One Credit Union (Canada)
- Authored best-selling book – Suits and Skirts: Game On! The Battle for Corporate Power
- Chair and Co-founder of Smash + Tess, (co-owned with daughter, Ashley Freeborn)
- Served on Credit Union industry boards and committees, including CUES, CA CU League, CUNA, and World Council of Credit Unions
- Active participant in Children’s Miracle Network – Chair of annual auction committee
- Member of the Board of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation of Southern California
Rodney E. Hood | Durham, NC
- Former Acting Comptroller of the Currency
- FDIC Board Member
- Eleventh NCUA Chairman (the first black American to lead a federal banking agency) and Former Board Member (term ended in 2024)
- Established the NCUA’s first Office of Financial Technology and Access to help pave the way for credit union innovation and sustainability
- Advocate for financial inclusion and affordable housing, having led the congressionally chartered nonprofit NeighborWorks America
- Prior to NCUA tenure, led corporate responsibility partnerships at JPMorgan Chase, the nation’s largest bank by asset size and branch footprint
- Keynote speaker and contributor featured to The Wall Street Journal, American Banker, Credit Union Journal, and more
Doug Leighton | San Mateo, CA
- Founding Partner, Tahoma Advisors – advisor to fintech companies, credit unions, and community banks
- 23-year career with Visa
- Board Member, Chartway Ventures (Credit Union Service Organization)
- Retained Executive, Flow Networks – strategy and execution
- Advisory Board Member for both inbanx and Larky
- Board Member, Black Parents Association of the San Mateo HS School District
Lee Manfred | Vienna, VA
- Partner/Managing Director, First Annapolis Consulting, now part of Accenture
- Founder and CEO, Julep Financial Wellness, Inc.
- Advisor to FIs, payment networks, and financial processors on payment strategy and M&A
- Advisory Board, WEVO Conversion
- Performing Arts Advisory Council, University of Notre Dame
Mary McDuffie | Bethesda, MD
- Former President/CEO, Navy Federal Credit Union. Prior Navy Federal roles included COO, EVP roles in Digital, Marketing, Contact Center, Lending and Collections
- Past Board Member, Richmond Federal Reserve
- Past Member, Visa Senior Executive Council
- Prior experience: Star Systems, J. Walter Thompson, Washington, DC and Jakarta, Indonesia (managing director), Porter/Novelli, International Projects
Robert Messer | Terrell, TX
- Principal of R. Messer & Associates, a strategic advisory firm serving financial institutions and nonprofit organizations.
- Brings more than 43 years of banking and executive leadership experience from American National Bank of Texas where he held multiple C-suite roles, including Senior Lending Officer, Chief Credit Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Risk Officer, and Chief Strategy Officer. He helped guide the bank’s growth from a single $100 million community bank to a $5.5 billion financial institution with 30 locations across the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex
- Holds a Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University and an MBA from East Texas A&M University
- Licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Texas
- Serves on banking program advisory boards at Texas A&M University, Sam Houston State University, and Prairie View A&M University
- Member of the Private Company Council, the advisory body to the Financial Accounting Standards Board
- Serves as Treasurer of the Northeast Texas Regional Mobility Authority and Executive Advisor to the Terrell Economic Development Corporation
- Partner in BR Messer PLLC, a family-owned CPA firm
Ian Povey | United Kingdom
- Former CIO Payments Technology, NatWest Banking Group
- Former CIO Payments Technology at Commonwealth Bank of Australia with accountability including the build and launch in 2018 of the Instant Payments Scheme (NPP)
- Multiple Board & Committee experiences including: Swift SC (Chair of the Technology & Production Committee), Swift UK, Co-Chair the CIO Forum at Pay.UK, Chair of Standards Strategy Group for UK Finance, NPPA (Instant Payments scheme for Australia), Charities Trust (UK) and Archa Limited (Australia)
- Extensive global experience across all industry sectors – public and private across the world. Including Malaysian National ID, global first chip based rewards & credit card, SVP Product Development at MBNA and Senior director tokenization at PayPal
Manolo Sánchez | Houston, TX
- Former CEO and Chairman of BBVA Compass Bank
- Member of Board of Director for both Fannie Mae and Stewart Information Systems
- Adjunct Professor, Rice University Jones Graduate School of Business, teaching disruption in financial services with a focus on crypto currencies and blockchain
- Advisor to several FinTech and blockchain start-ups, including Spring Labs, Securitize, and Topl
- Previous director of American Bankers Association, Institute of International Bankers, Greater Houston Partnership, Financial Services Roundtable, and BITS (technology policy division, FSR)
Eva Trouin | Stockholm, Sweden
- Former CEO of Moank Fintech Group, driving digitalization and growth in European finance markets
- Former Head of Customer Experience and Head of Private Market Sweden at Swedbank
- Led pan-Nordic digital bank, Nordnet Bank AB, as Country Manager Sweden, overseeing operations, revenue, and strategic initiatives
- Board member at Feminvest, Sweden’s largest network for female entrepreneurs and investors
- Board member at Pinpoint Estimates
