The Financial Technology Association (FTA) today announced Tom Manatos, Head of Federal Affairs at Block, as Chair of FTA’s Board of Directors.
Manatos’s election as Board Chair comes as the FTA marked a year of positive momentum for the fintech industry, with the U.S. moving towards an open banking system, the Biden Administration expanding small business lending licensing for fintech companies, and the rollout of real-time payments system FedNow. As Board Chair, Manatos will guide FTA’s continued growth and advise on policies shaping the industry's future.
“Fintech is the tool of choice for millions of American consumers and small businesses looking to spend, manage, and invest their money with confidence,” said Tom Manatos, incoming Board Chair of the Financial Technology Association. “As Board Chair, I look forward to helping FTA tell the fintech impact story in Washington and advocate for policies that expand access to financial services and spur innovation and choice in the economy.”
“Tom will be a terrific and impactful leader of FTA’s Board, helping us navigate a critical upcoming year for the fintech industry,” said Penny Lee, President and CEO of the Financial Technology Association. “We look forward to working with him in this new role and benefiting from his expertise, insights, and leadership as Board Chair.”
Tom brings over a decade of experience in government affairs and trade associations to his role as Board Chair, including previous positions as Vice President of Government Relations at Spotify and Vice President of Federal Government Affairs at the Internet Association. At Block, Tom works to advance the company’s vision of economic empowerment and access to financial systems through tools like Afterpay, Cash App, Square, TBD, and Tidal.
Before joining the private sector, Manatos served in Congressional Leadership for 10 years as a Senior Advisor to the Speaker of the House and DNC Chair, as a liaison to Members of Congress, Senators, local elected officials, and outside stakeholders. He is the founder of TomManatosJobs.com, the top jobs and internship list in Washington, D.C., and the political and policy world.
FTA also announced the election of other new members of its 2024 board, including:
• Teddy Flo, Chief Legal Officer, Zest AI, as Vice Chair
• Meredith Fuchs, General Counsel, Plaid, as Treasurer
• Brian Peters, Director of Public Policy, Stripe, as Secretary