CFIT appoints Anna Wallace as new CEO

The Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology (CFIT) has named Anna Wallace as its new CEO, effective 1 September 2025.

Wallace joins from the Gates Foundation, where she focused on financial inclusion and regulatory technology. She previously led innovation at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and has invested in fintech scale-ups tackling fraud, complaints, and regulatory reporting.

At CFIT, Wallace will lead the organisation’s next phase, including the launch of new industry Coalitions focused on Smart Data, Digital ID, AI, and Digital Assets.

Madush Gupta, Acting Chair of CFIT, said: “CFIT exists to improve the lives of consumers and corporates by driving innovation between the public and private sector.

“Anna’s impressive background, spanning financial inclusion, innovation and regulation, uniquely positions her to help CFIT deliver on this critical role in the UK’s fintech ecosystem. We believe she is the ideal candidate to lead CFIT through its next chapter with its newly adopted hybrid model, simultaneously running publicly and privately funded Coalitions.”

CFIT’s incoming CEO, Anna Wallace, said: “What CFIT has accomplished in the two-and-a-half years since its inception is remarkable.

“From a standing start, the organisation has coordinated multiple industry-wide Coalitions on some of the biggest themes and emerging technologies in fintech, such as Smart Data and Digital ID, as well as taking the crucial first steps to unblock the seemingly intractable barriers to innovation.

“I’m excited to drive this work forward by delivering prototype solutions, roadmaps and policy proposals that build on our existing accomplishments, as well as through new Coalitions and expanding into solving other fintech challenges including AI, tokenisation and digital assets. CFIT’s success has relied on strong partnerships with government and industry, and I look forward to continuing that very successful collaboration.”

Wallace succeeds Ezechi Britton MBE, CFIT’s first CEO.