Ian Watson

Ian Watson has a diverse and extensive work experience in the financial industry. Starting in 1998 at AT Kearney, they worked as a Manager in the Financial Institutions Group until 1999. Following that, they joined Mainspring Consulting as a Manager in the Financial Institutions Group, where they provided consulting services and advised investment banks on e-business initiatives.

In 2001, Ian began working at IBM as a Researcher at the IBM Institute of Business Value, managing studies in the Financial Sector and authoring numerous publications. Ian then held various roles at IBM, such as Head of Strategy for Northern Europe Consulting, Director of Microfinance, Director of Marketing for Northern Europe Consulting, and Director of Strategy, North America Sales & Distribution.

Ian's tenure at IBM also included executive positions, such as Vice President of Strategy, Global Business Services, VP of Market Development, IBM Industry Platforms, and most recently, Vice President of Strategy & Transformation, IBM Global Markets. In these roles, they spearheaded transformative projects, led strategy development, and focused on client value propositions and offerings in areas like hybrid cloud, AI, and blockchain.

Ian currently works as a Research Director at Celent, where they lead a team analyzing the impact of technology on risk operations for financial institutions. Ian brings a wide range of experience from outside financial services to help improve risk management and regulatory responses, with a particular emphasis on technology and organization.

Ian Watson has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree with a focus on Organizational Change from Columbia Business School. Ian also holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Philosophy from Columbia College, Columbia University.