Varo Bank has hired its first chief artificial intelligence and data officer, Asmau Ahmed, to lead “company-wide AI and machine-learning efforts” for the US challenger.
Ahmed joins from Google where, as senior director of product management, she oversaw a number of initiatives focused on AI and machine learning, covering Google Ads, Search, Gemini, Maps, and Commerce.
She notably served as a founding member of research and development company X, first devised by Google in 2010, before later transitioning to parent company Alphabet to focus on so-called “moonshot” projects.
Prior to Google, Ahmed headed technology, portfolio, and customer-facing product teams at Bank of America, while she has also worked at Capital One, Deloitte, and visual search advertising tech company, Plum Perfect.
Her latest appointment comes as Varo continues to apply AI and data science across a number of core functions. Varo Line of Credit, launched in March 2024, leverages “self-learning models to improve its credit-decisioning processes based on proprietary algorithms”, according to the bank, adding that the advancement has “dramatically expanded credit access” for customers.
She will work alongside former Verizon Media exec Rathi Murthy, who was hired as Varo CTO in June, and under Gavin Michael, who succeeded Varo founder Colin Walsh as CEO in April.
Source: https://www.fintechfutures.com/
