The American Fintech Council (AFC), an industry association representing fintech companies and banks, this week named Ian P. Moloney as their new senior vice president and head of federal and state policy. Moloney brings more than a decade of fintech and research experience from the private and public sectors, including nearly six years in financial markets and community investment at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and most recently as head of policy and regulatory affairs at a fintech bank.
“Ian is a fintech policy expert with a deep background in research and data analytics and will be a tremendous asset to our fast-growing membership,” said Phil Goldfeder, CEO of the AFC. “As our new head of federal and state policy, Ian will determine clear policy priorities, focus our advocacy, collect and analyze important data and serve as an industry leader balancing innovation in financial services with appropriate policy, regulation and consumer access. I have worked alongside Ian in multiple roles and have absolute confidence that he will serve AFC and our membership well and play an important role in shaping the future of finance.”
“I am excited to be joining AFC as the head of federal and state policy,” Moloney said. “Now, more than ever, it is crucial that policymakers and regulators pragmatically devise evidence-based policies and guidance that is appropriate for the modern financial services industry and adequately conveys supervisory expectations.
“I look forward to working on behalf of the innovative banks and fintech companies that make up AFC’s membership to ensure that federal and state policymaking encourages responsible innovation, provides clear guardrails, and helps to improve access to financial services.”
Most recently, Moloney served as the head of policy and regulatory affairs at Cross River and was responsible for leading the bank’s regulatory strategy, focusing on fintech and cryptocurrency regulations. The AFC said he is an industry-recognized fintech expert and has published multiple reports on fintech topics, both domestically and internationally. Moloney has also worked with the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, served as a member of the AFC Community Advisory Board, consulted on three regional reports on fintech regulation and assisted the United Nations on a blockchain feasibility whitepaper.
AFC also announced that Maeve Holland has recently joined as a senior advisor for strategic partnerships and will be responsible for growing the state organization membership group. Holland works in management and technology consulting, where she has specialized in public sector projects. She has acted as project manager, L&D lead, and change management owner for a variety of public and NGO client partners. Prior to her management consulting role, Holland began her career in federal litigation consulting.
“I am grateful and excited for the opportunity to work with AFC and grow this ecosystem of members committed to responsible fintech policy,” said Holland. “The state member initiative is an inclusive way to engage change-makers on the local level, and it is a privilege to be part of building this community. I look forward to our work ahead.”