Discussion will focus on Atlanta’s position as national leader in global FinTech, opportunities for economic growth and innovation in Georgia
ATLANTA — August 27, 2018 — Venture Atlanta announced today that two of the city’s most esteemed business leaders, Frank Bisignano, CEO of First Data, and Hala Moddelmog, president and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, will speak during this year’s Venture Atlanta conference to be held October 16-17 in downtown Atlanta. Bisignano and Moddelmog will share the stage during a much-anticipated fireside chat to discuss economic growth and innovation opportunities related to Atlanta’s thriving FinTech industry.
According to the Technology Association of Georgia’s 2018 FinTech Report, the FinTech community is a key driver of the state’s economy with the top 20 Georgia-based FinTechs generating an estimated $72 billion in annual revenue. To this end, over 57.7 billion U.S. purchase transactions, roughly two-thirds of the nation’s total volume, are processed by Georgia-based acquirers. Recognized nationally as a leading entrepreneurial and technology conference, Venture Atlanta has served as a launch pad for numerous Georgia-based FinTech startups and continues to support the surge in FinTech as more entrepreneurs look to leverage innovative technologies amid the sector’s growth.
“With Georgia-based FinTech solutions continuing to power the global economy, we’re thrilled to bring these two amazing leaders together on the Venture Atlanta stage,” said David Hartnett, chief economic development officer for the Metro Atlanta Chamber and one of the founding partners of Venture Atlanta. “Frank and Hala will take part in an engaging discussion on how Atlanta has become the sector’s cornerstone as well as what it will take to cement its status as the global capital of FinTech.”
About Frank Bisignano
Frank Bisignano joined First Data as CEO in 2013 and became chairman of its board in 2014. Under Bisignano, First Data enables commerce through technology and solutions for merchants and financial institutions around the world including more than 6 million merchant locations, over 4,000 card issuers and millions of consumers. Bisignano is credited with transforming the 46-year-old company into a 21st Century technology innovator, industry collaborator and commerce enabler. In June 2014, First Data announced a historic $3.5 billion private placement of equity which was followed in 2015 by the largest U.S. initial public offering (IPO) of that year at $2.6 billion.
Prior to First Data, Bisignano was the co-chief operating officer for J.P. Morgan Chase as well as CEO of its mortgage banking unit. His career also includes roles at Citigroup and First Fidelity Bank. Bisignano is a member of the board of directors of Humana, Inc. He serves on the boards of the Partnership for New York City, the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, The Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center, the Mount Sinai Health System, the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF), the Metro Atlanta Chamber and The Commerce Club of Atlanta.
About Hala Moddelmog
A business and civic leader with more than 20 years in executive leadership roles, Hala Moddelmog is the first female president and CEO of the nearly 160-year-old Metro Atlanta Chamber where she works on behalf of Fortune 500 companies and small and medium-sized enterprises in the country’s ninth largest metro region. She also serves as a board member of several blue-chip nonprofit organizations and as a corporate director for two NYSE companies, FLEETCOR Technologies and Lamb Weston. Among her achievements prior to joining the Metro Atlanta Chamber, Moddelmog was president of Arby’s Restaurant Group, president and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and the first woman to lead an international restaurant company as president of Church’s Chicken.
Moddelmog serves on nonprofit boards for Georgia Public Broadcasting, the Woodruff Arts Center and Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business. She is also a co-chair for 2017-2019 for the Alliance Theatre.
Bisignano and Moddelmog’s fireside chat will close the first day of the Venture Atlanta 2018 conference on Tuesday, October 16.
Venture Atlanta showcases the most promising technology companies located in Georgia and its expanded footprint of Texas to Washington, D.C., that are at both early and later stages and seeking to raise capital in the next 12 to 18 months. For more information or to register, visit https://www.ventureatlanta.org.
About Venture Atlanta
Venture Atlanta, the Southeast’s premier venture conference and technology innovation event, is where the region’s most promising tech companies connect with the country's top-tier investors, partners and customers. Recognized as the region's largest investor showcase with over 900 attendees and now in its 11th year, Venture Atlanta delivers an opportunity for the best and brightest entrepreneurs to get their businesses and products in front of leading local, regional and national venture capitalists, bankers, angel investors and others who can help them raise the capital and make the connections they need to grow their businesses. In operation for over a decade, the annual nonprofit event is a collaboration of three leading Georgia business organizations: Atlanta CEO Council, Metro Atlanta Chamber and the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG). For more information, visit www.ventureatlanta.org.
