Product & innovation strategy
Define product vision, prioritize market opportunities and connect customer needs with business and technology requirements.
FinTech · Product Strategy · Data Analytics
Eric Andrew Smith
I translate complex financial-services, technology and market intelligence into practical product strategies, clearer decisions and high-impact execution.
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Open to strategic leadership opportunities
Experience includes
BNY MELLONPwCFinMKTUBPCOLUMBIA
20+Years across finance, technology, research and operations
$70MRaised across two private-equity funds in their first year
4Major financial-services and FinTech organizations
GlobalExperience spanning New York, London and international markets
Executive profile
Strategy grounded in evidence—and built for execution.
I am a FinTech and financial-services leader with experience across product strategy, data analytics, capital markets, wealth management, private equity, operating leadership and thought leadership.
My career has combined large, complex institutions with entrepreneurial environments. I have built analytics capabilities from the ground up, led research on financial innovation, managed investment and client relationships, directed cross-functional projects and supervised high-performing operations teams.
I am especially effective where the problem is ambiguous, the information is complex and the organization needs a clear path from insight to action.
Core expertise
What I bring to an organization
A rare combination of financial-domain depth, product thinking, analytical rigor, clear communication and operating leadership.
Data analytics & insight
Build systems, processes and narratives that convert complex data into decisions, products and competitive intelligence.
Financial-services transformation
Evaluate disruption across banking, wealth management, capital markets and alternative finance to guide strategic action.
Research & thought leadership
Produce executive-ready reports, market analysis, white papers and content that clarify emerging trends and build authority.
Investment analysis
Assess industries, managers, funds and market dynamics through rigorous qualitative and quantitative diligence.
Cross-functional leadership
Bring stakeholders together across business, product, design, engineering, research, operations and client teams.
UX & customer experience
Translate audience needs into intuitive journeys, practical wireframes and digital experiences designed for adoption.
Operational management
Lead teams, workflows, service quality, issue resolution and performance development in demanding institutional settings.
Selected experience
Leadership across institutions and innovators
2021–2022
Senior Vice President, General Manager
BNY Mellon
- Led day-to-day operations for a large client-processing support team, aligning resources to meet workflow, quality and service standards.
- Directed, coached and developed staff while managing assignment, review, issue resolution and performance feedback.
2017–Present
Independent Project Consultant & Content Creator
Financial-services and technology clients
- Advise startups and financial-services organizations on strategy, technology, product concepts and audience-specific solutions.
- Developed a financial-literacy platform for Millennials and Generation Z using content, tools and FinTech solutions.
2016–2017
Capital Markets & Wealth Management Lead, DeNovo
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
- Led sector intelligence for PwC’s FinTech strategy platform, analyzing disruption and strategic implications for financial institutions.
- Authored forward-looking research, advised incumbents, identified relevant startups and presented the platform’s value to executives and prospective clients.
2011–2016
Director of Data Analytics
Crowdnetic Corporation / FinMKT
- Built the company’s analytics capability from the ground up and created systems that delivered insight across the organization.
- Managed data products, directed client technology projects, developed digital experience concepts and authored industry reports on securities-based crowdfunding.
2004–2011
Investment Manager, Analyst & Institutional Relationship Manager
Union Bancaire Privée Asset Management (UBP)
- Co-founded the New York private-equity fund-of-funds group, raising $70 million across two funds in the first year.
- Managed investment diligence, client and GP relationships, operations and fund responsibilities across New York and London.
- Previously supported institutional hedge-fund marketing, relationships, strategic content and requests for proposals.
Research & writing
Making complex markets understandable
Selected topics spanning financial innovation, wealth management, crowdfunding, private equity and changing business models.
PwC / DeNovo
À la carte banking: FinTech’s threat to bank profits
Research examining the unbundling of traditional financial-services economics and the strategic response required from incumbent institutions.
Request writing sample →World Bank project
Crowdfunding’s potential for the developing world
Contribution exploring how alternative-finance models can expand access to capital and support economic participation.
Request writing sample →Industry reporting
FinTech, crowdfunding and private-equity trend reports
Data-led reports and investor communications covering market structure, funding, innovation, portfolio performance and emerging opportunities.
Discuss research needs →Recommendations
Trusted for insight, rigor and follow-through
“Eric is exceptionally intelligent, articulate and insightful, with broad knowledge across finance, financial technology, capital markets, economics, entrepreneurship and trend analysis.”
“Eric is a sharp and thorough investment professional. His attention to detail ensured our team received in-depth research and commentary on private-equity investments.”
“Eric has demonstrated a strong understanding of financial services and consistently goes above and beyond to help teams complete time-sensitive work.”
Education
Academic foundation
Columbia University, Columbia College
Bachelor of Arts, with Distinction · New York, New York
Freie Universität Berlin
Berlin Consortium for German Studies · Intensive German language certification
Contact
Let’s discuss the problem you need to solve.
For leadership opportunities, consulting engagements, research assignments, speaking or collaboration, contact me directly.
linkedin.com/in/ericsmith917
New York, NY · Available globally