10 heads of AI in banking
Chief AI Officer, Head of AI Research and Head of AI & Automation are among the current titles held by these heads of AI in banking. A reader can learn how heads of AI lead AI and machine learning teams in banking businesses.
Professionals to explore
Ali A.
LinkedInExperience: Chief AI Officer · Metropolitan Commercial Bank
Ali A. has been Chief AI Officer at Metropolitan Commercial Bank since August 2025, based in New York. Ali A. was SVP, Head of Advanced Analytics & AI at TD from 2021 to 2025 and VP, Head of Market Intelligence & Strategy at TD from 2017 to 2021, and describes work in responsible AI in regulated banking.
Chandra Shekhar Mudarapu
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director of AI/ML Engineering · Capital One
Chandra Shekhar Mudarapu has been Senior Director of AI/ML Engineering at Capital One since February 2025, based in Chantilly, Virginia, and lists an AI/ML inference platform and LLM hosting as the focus of the role. Chandra Shekhar Mudarapu was Director of AI/ML Engineering at Capital One from 2022 to 2025 and Senior Lead Engineer, ML Platform there from 2020 to 2022.
Hendrik Orem, PhD
LinkedInExperience: Director and VP, AI and ML for Fraud, Risk, and Compliance · Columbia Bank
Hendrik Orem has been Director and VP, AI and ML for Fraud, Risk, and Compliance at Columbia Bank since July 2026, based in Portland, Oregon. Hendrik Orem was VP, Quantitative Model Development & Fraud Analytics at Columbia Bank from 2019 to 2026 and Quantitative Modeler/Data Scientist at Umpqua Bank in 2019.
Himanshu Baral
LinkedInExperience: Vice President, AI-CoE - Consumer Lending, Community Banking, Business Banking · Wells Fargo
Himanshu Baral has been Vice President, AI-CoE - Consumer Lending, Community Banking, Business Banking at Wells Fargo since June 2022, based in Fremont, California. Himanshu Baral was Head, Enterprise AI, Advanced Analytics Lab Group Chief Analytics Office, Chief Data Office at Wells Fargo from 2016 to 2022 and Senior Director, Data Management, Big Data Management, Enterprise Innovation, Emerging Tech there from 2012 to 2016.
Joan Gelpi
LinkedInExperience: Head of AI & Data, Global Payments & Liquidity and Wholesale Digital · Wells Fargo
Joan Gelpi has been Head of AI & Data, Global Payments & Liquidity and Wholesale Digital at Wells Fargo since April 2026, based in New York. Joan Gelpi was Managing Director, Global Head of Data and AI, Global Transaction Services at Bank of America from 2020 to 2026 and Head of Data Science at AIG from 2015 to 2020.
Kumar Krishnagi
LinkedInExperience: Head of AI/ML & Data | Identity, Cybersecurity, Fraud & Digital Trust Transformation · JPMorganChase
Kumar Krishnagi has been Head of AI/ML & Data | Identity, Cybersecurity, Fraud & Digital Trust Transformation at JPMorganChase since 2020, based in Powell, Ohio. Kumar Krishnagi was Head of Cloud & Application Modernization for Identity & Authentication / Operation Technology at JPMorganChase from 2010 to 2020 and Senior Software Engineer there from 2007 to 2009.
Nickolaus Lachman
LinkedInExperience: SVP, Head of AI & Automation · Valley Bank
Nickolaus Lachman has been SVP, Head of AI & Automation at Valley Bank since February 2026, based in Jersey City, New Jersey, and describes leading AI strategy and execution at Valley Bank. Nickolaus Lachman was SVP, Head of AI & Data Science at Valley Bank from 2024 to 2026 and VP, AI & Data Platform Solutions at BNY Pershing from 2023 to 2024.
Prashant Mehrotra
LinkedInExperience: EVP, Chief AI Officer · U.S. Bank
Prashant Mehrotra has been EVP, Chief AI Officer at U.S. Bank since September 2024, based in Glenview, Illinois. Prashant Mehrotra was Director / Head of Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence at Allstate from 2018 to 2024 and Director of Data Engineering at Capital One from 2015 to 2017.
Soumitri Kolavennu
LinkedInExperience: Head of AI Research, SVP, Enterprise Analytics and AI · U.S. Bank
Soumitri Kolavennu has been Head of AI Research, SVP, Enterprise Analytics and AI at U.S. Bank since March 2021, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and describes establishing the AI research team in Enterprise Analytics and AI from the ground up. Soumitri Kolavennu was Artificial Intelligence Leader at U.S. Bank from 2020 to 2021 and Fellows Leader & Senior Fellow at Honeywell Technologies from 2016 to 2020.
Tracey Beberman
LinkedInExperience: MD, Head of Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence CEO for Business of the Future · JPMorganChase
Tracey Beberman has been MD, Head of Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence CEO for Business of the Future at JPMorganChase since 2019, based in Greater Philadelphia. Tracey Beberman was Managing Director, Product Head Agile Transformation Executive at JPMorganChase from 2018 to 2019 and Managing Director, Head of Card Portfolio Management Judgemental Underwriting Head of Product there from 2013 to 2016.
Choose the right perspective
Pick the person whose own role and scope sit closest to the decision you face. Check the start and end dates of each role to see how recent the experience is.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you focus on first when you took on your current AI leadership role, and what did you learn from it?
- 02How have you decided which AI and machine learning use cases your own team takes on first?
- 03How have you worked with risk, compliance and technology partners to move a model from a pilot into regular use?
Reaching heads of AI in banking
How can I contact one of these heads of AI in banking?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 7 companies, including Metropolitan Commercial Bank, Capital One and Columbia Bank, based on profile data retrieved on October 22, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach heads of AI in banking?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. The offer is what the person receives, and Instant Expert's fee is added on top, so a $100 offer costs you $125. The fee is 20% of what you pay. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
Can an AI agent ask one of these heads of AI in banking a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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