I’m Dr. Gail Burgos, and I currently serve as the CEO of PayTech Women. I bring over 25 years of experience in the banking industry, with a background rooted in conversions, IT, HR and leadership. Throughout my career, I’ve remained focused on product development and, most importantly, people. I’ve always had a passion for building strong teams and harnessing the unique talents each individual brings to the table—leading to successful outcomes and the achievement of ambitious goals.

 

At PayTech Women, an industry non-profit celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year, I lead a dynamic team dedicated to advancing women in the payments industry. We offer a thriving community, meaningful education, and essential resources that empower women at every stage of their careers. By collaborating with industry partners, we’re working to drive systemic change. My focus is on not only cultivating the next generation of leaders but also shaping a payments ecosystem that is more inclusive, innovative, and equitable.

 

 

One of the most notable trends is the acceleration of embedded finance and real-time payments. The ability to integrate seamless, secure payment capabilities into everyday platforms—whether it’s ridesharing, e-commerce, or social media—has completely redefined customer expectations. This isn’t just a technological shift; it’s changing the very nature of how we interact with money. It’s also creating space for new players, new partnerships, and new approaches to compliance, security, and user experience.

 

 

The biggest opportunity is inclusive innovation. Organizations that prioritize unique perspectives in their design and decision-making processes will be better positioned to create products that serve broader markets. There’s a tremendous opportunity to tap into broad populations...