Payments Executive | Finance/CFO | Business Development | Loyalty & Rewards | FinTech Advisor (xDisney, xStarbucks, xExpedia)

Maria Smith

“Building financial growth through partnership, solid infrastructures and flawless execution”. 

A global enterprise payment, rewards and stored value executive with 25+ years of Fortune 100 experience.  Areas of expertise include: consumer financial products (e.g., co-branded cards, gift cards, debit), payments networks, mobile payments, emerging payment types (e.g., digital assets/crypto, buy-now-pay-later) and technology (e.g., blockchain, real-time-payments), and merchant acquiring.  Key skills include: finance, accounting, decision support, business development and deal negotiations. Emerging-tech entrepreneur advisor in general business practices, building teams, and specialty areas of payment and rewards/loyalty.

We believe in the power of joining together to advance Latinx representation to senior levels of Corporate America.

Advisor to the Board

Lead strategy and execution across functional areas to deliver a single strategic roadmap for all financial services such as, digital wallet, load/reload account, gift card, ATM and money remittances.  Oversight includes interchange cost management, new payment product development and new partnerships such as myWalgreens Credit Card and Scarlet Bank Account and Mastercard debit card.

Leading transformational work related to convergence of payments for retail, pharmacy and healthcare at Walgreens.

VP, Payments & Financial Services

Strategic Advisor

Eddy is personal and social gift giving app focusing on small businesses.

Advisor

Lead strategic work-streams, provide thought-leadership and share subject-matter expertise both direct to client and as sub-contractor to large and niche management consultancies. Focus on payment strategy, strategy-to-execution planning, financial products (e.g., co-branded cards, gift cards/stored value, debit), and partnerships with major brands.  Experience developing product and business capabilities for payment solutions with Fintechs and emerging companies.

Payments Executive | Strategy | Partnerships | Emerging Tech Start-Up Advisor

Lead partnership strategy, internal consultant, and business development in financial services.  Specialist in issuer relationship strategy, comprehensive loyalty and points currency commercialization, small dollar lending (buy-now, pay-later) cobranded credit/debit cards, stored value/gift cards and virtual card for supplier pay-outs.

Strategic Payment Partnerships

Openbucks is a Fintech company headquartered in San Jose, California with offices in Singapore. It has developed a prepaid digital distribution platform and payment network that allows online merchants to monetize consumers through prepaid, especially targeting the billions worldwide, who don't have credit cards or prefer not to use them.

Global Strategy organization with general management responsibility for Product Categories: Starbucks Card and cobranded financial products with Chase;  Global payments strategy and anti-fraud (operational excellence group); Partnerships : business development and management of Partnerships/strategic alliance across North America Retail and with US Licensees thru Licensee Store Category Marketing team.  Special projects in digital/cryto currency and blockchain.

vp, Partnerships and Payment Strategy

Corporate with global responsibility (14+ yrs): VP, Treasury (current role); VP, Finance, Business Development and Rewards Operations; Director of Finance; Sr. Mgr. of Finance/Operations

Oversee consumer payments acceptance relationships globally (e.g., processors, facilitators and acquirers).  Interpret business needs to identify and source servicers/suppliers; due diligence to vet new providers and monitor existing servicers; led business term negotiations and successful migration to largest domestic acquirer, resulting in significant cost savings to the enterprise.  Evaluate new payment methods and recommended approach based on specific parameters. 

Led creation of Disney Gift Card program and consulted on development of other proprietary consumer payment methods (e.g., rewards cards, merchandise credits, vacation savings account, MagicBand), included product design, pro forma development, branding, customer experience and servicing, accounting, and compliance.  

Oversaw all business planning, finance, accounting, management reporting and compliance/control functions for Disney Visa Card program (co-branded credit/debit cards), one of the largest co-branded payment programs in the USA. Oversaw administration of proprietary Rewards Program associated with co-branded cards. 

Global Consumer Financial Products Business Development - Led market assessment of potential for co-branded payment cards in eight markets.  Researched each market to understand consumer needs, product features, competitive landscape and regulatory environment.  Developed pro formas to evaluate financial potential in each market. Strategy development based on market assessment work, recommended entry strategies for new consumer payment products, including which products and partnership to pursue by market and best timing for market entry. Co-led renewal negotiations for US co-branded card business that included material improvement across several deal terms.

VP of Finance, Bus Dev & Rewards Operations | Payment Strategies, Co-Branded Cards

Sr. Mgr. Accounting Operations & Efficiency 1999 – 2000; Inventory Accounting Manager 1997 – 1999; Retail Sales Audit Manager 1996 – 1997; Senior Financial Analyst 1994 – 1996

Managed P&L development and reporting for 14 Canadian stores. Managed teams responsible for sales & use tax filing/audit, merchant fee negotiations and management, real estate accounting and rental payments, accounts payable, inventory shrink management, and theme park ticket sales of $22M annually. Successfully lead discovery, pro forma build and organizational approval to execute two key financial initiatives, theme park ticket sales automation and gift card implementation

Sr. Manager Accounting Operations | P&L Management, Inventory Control, Retail Sales Audits

300+ store chain of women’s specialty clothing with locations in top US malls, purchased by Wet Seal in 1995.
•	Hired by VP of Distribution, Store Supplies and Construction to lead planning and budget/forecast development process for his direct reports.  Gradually given increasing responsibilities with on-the-job training.
•	Highlighted responsibilities include: Developed store construction pro formas and managed budget against actual spending.  Successfully prepared analysis to justify a cost effective method to begin a second shift in the apparel distribution center.  Negotiated shipping contracts; managed vendors, and delivery schedules for the outbound delivery of merchandise malls nationwide; annual budget of $10mil.  Supported the development of operational expense pro forma for a new chain, opened in 1992 Pastille (subsequently closed).

Manager of Accounting | Fin Reporting, Financial Planning & Analysis, Store Construction Budget

Worked with local small businesses to evaluate business financials, consult on lending requirements and prepare documents to underwriters of small business loans.  Prepared and submitted personal loan applications for small business principles.