Wise has
named Scott Hill as an independent non-executive director, bringing aboard a
veteran of global exchange and technology finance as the London-based payments
company looks to grow its footprint in U.S. capital markets.
Hill is
best known for his 14-year run as chief financial officer at Intercontinental
Exchange, the Atlanta-based group that owns the New York Stock Exchange. He
held that role from 2007 to 2021, a period during which ICE grew from a niche
energy trading venue into one of the most influential exchange operators in the
world.
He
currently sits on the boards of legal technology company CS Disco, where he
also briefly served as CEO between September 2023 and May 2024, and of Cardlytics,
where he chairs the audit committee.
A $43 Trillion Market in
the Crosshairs
Wise CEO
and co-founder Kristo Käärmann made no secret of the commercial rationale
behind the hire. The company is chasing what it describes as a $43 trillion
annual opportunity in cross-border payments, and Hill’s deep ties to U.S.
public markets and institutional finance could prove useful as the company
works to raise its profile among American investors.
“Scott
brings significant public company, finance and U.S. markets expertise as we are
making money work without borders for millions more people and businesses
globally,” Käärmann said.
“I’ve
been impressed with what Scott has helped build in his time at Intercontinental
Exchange. His addition strengthens our Board as we push to capture a greater
share of the $43 trillion annual market opportunity for cross-border
payments.”
The
appointment comes at a moment of notable momentum for Wise. The company moved £47.4
billion in cross-border transactions during its third fiscal quarter ended
December 2025, a 26% year-on-year increase, while active customers reached 10.9
million. Client balances climbed 34% to £27.5 billion over the same period.
Board Looks to Leverage
Exchange Experience
Hill’s
arrival follows a broader pattern of fintechs recruiting executives with
traditional finance and exchange credentials to add credibility with
institutional investors and regulators. His tenure at ICE, a firm that has
itself been testing the
boundaries between traditional finance and emerging data markets, including a recent collaboration
with prediction market Polymarket – gives him a perspective that few candidates
could offer.
Board Chair
David Wells described the fit as deliberate. “Scott’s decades of
experience as an operator and as a board member and board chair at some of the
world’s leading tech companies make him well qualified to join Wise in our next
phase of growth,” Wells said.
“This
deep experience, combined with his tenure as CFO of a global exchange, makes
him the perfect candidate to join the Board as we continue to pursue our vision
of building money without borders and progress towards moving trillions.”
Senior Hires Reshape
Fintech Boards
The move is
part of a broader wave of executive reshuffling across the fintech and trading
sectors. NinjaTrader
recently appointed ex-IG
and tastytrade executive Christopher Tripp as its international general
manager, while prediction market platform Kalshi brought
in derivatives veteran Andy Ross from Standard Chartered and LSEG as it pushes further into
institutional finance.
Before his
ICE role, Hill spent over 16 years at IBM in international finance positions
across the United States, France, and Japan. Wise, listed on the London Stock
Exchange under the ticker WISE, has been expanding its geographic reach beyond
its European and North American base. Last year, it received a
conditional license to offer transfers in South Africa, marking its entry into the African
market.
This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.
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