Key Executives is pleased to announce The Top 25 Executives of New York for 2024. With the third largest economy in the nation, New York hosts a diverse array of industries, spanning finance, technology, healthcare, hospitality and many others. Home to over 50 Fortune 500 companies, the state offers executives unparalleled opportunities for success, including access to global markets, a highly skilled workforce, industry luminaries, and a thriving economic ecosystem. These executives reinforce New York’s position as the premier destination for leadership development, contributing to the state’s reputation for where the best corporations should be headquartered or have a significant presence.
Among this year’s awardees we have Christine Catarino, Vice President of Commercial Operations at Veritone. With nearly two decades of experience, she plays an instrumental role in driving customer retention and product adoption, contributing to Veritone's success in data analytics. Kimberly Greene, VP of Strategic Business Development at Mevion Medical Systems, is recognized for her exceptional leadership in expanding access to proton therapy systems for cancer patients, making it more accessible and cost-effective to improve health outcomes. Lastly we have Michael Wesner, Chief Commercial Officer of Mews, who brings over two decades of experience to his role in streamlining operations, enhancing guest experiences, and driving revenue growth through software solutions for hospitality businesses across the globe.
Awardees were selected through a methodical nomination process and thorough consideration of each candidate’s career track record and industry contributions. Please join us in celebrating the achievements of The Top 25 Executives of New York for 2024.
1. Guy Chiarello
Chief Operating Officer, Fiserv
Guy Chiarello is the Chief Operating Officer at Fiserv, Inc., overseeing the company’s technology and operations. In this role Chiarello partners closely with the company’s business leaders in the development and commercialization of Fiserv solutions. The company provides financial services to its clients including account processing and digital banking solutions, card issuer processing and network services, payments, e-commerce, merchant acquiring and processing, and the Clover cloud-based point-of-sale and business management platform.
Chiarello has more than 30 years of experience in banking and technology. He has led product development and technology for three Fortune 500 companies and is recognized as a leader in the technology industry. Prior to the combination of Fiserv and First Data Corporation, Chiarello was the President of First Data Corporation, a commerce-enabling technology company. Previously, he was the Chief Information Officer at JPMorgan Chase and Co., where he led global technology across all lines of business in more than 60 countries. He has also served as the CIO of Morgan Stanley, where he began his career in financial services. Chiarello graduated from The College of New Jersey with an undergraduate degree in business.
2. Joe Calabrese
Chief Operating Officer, KeyBank
Joe Calabrese is the Chief Operating Officer at Key Wealth Management of KeyBank. He is responsible for overseeing the development, integrated delivery, and strategic development of a full range of financial planning, investment, fiduciary and banking capabilities for its clients. Key Private Bank is a provider of wealth management solutions and advice for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, including wealth advisory, investment management, trust administration, customized credit, family office and private banking services. Calabrese has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry.
Before joining Key in 2016, Calabrese held a wide range of executive roles including President and CEO of Geller Family Office Services, a New York based RIA and multi-family office and President of Harris myCFO, which focused on serving clients with a net worth in excess of $100 million. Calabrese graduated from McGill University with a joint honors degree in economics and finance and holds a Chartered Accountant designation.
3. Michael Wesner
Chief Commercial Officer, Mews
Michael Wesner is the Chief Commercial Officer of Mews. Mews is a hospitality technology company that provides property management software solutions designed for hotels, hostels, and other accommodation providers. The company was founded by hoteliers in 2012 and now serves over 5,000 customers across more than 85 countries. The platform aims to streamline operations, improve guest experiences, and drive revenue growth for hospitality businesses.
Wesner brings 21 years of experience to his current role. Before joining Mews, Wesner was a Regional Vice President of Sales at Partnerize and before that a GM of Services at KeyMe. Earlier in his career he worked with Ask Jeeves Inc. as a Senior Account Executive. Wesner graduated from Fordham University with an undergraduate degree in communications and media studies.
4. Karna Chokshi
Chief Operating Officer and Head of Product, apna
Karna Chokshi is the Chief Operating Officer and Head of Product of apna. apna is an Indian startup founded in 2019 specializing in providing a professional networking and job search platform for blue-collar workers and gig economy participants. The platform connects job seekers with employers across various industries like retail, delivery, hospitality, and logistics and offers resources for skill development, including training modules and certification programs to enhance employability. apna allows users to connect with others in their field, participate in community groups, and access job application assistance.
Chokshi first got his start in 2010 as a Technical Project Manager of Automation at ITC Limited. From there, he went on to ZypCall, before eventually rising to Merchant Engagement and Growth Lead of Uber Eats in US and Canada at Uber, his most recent position prior to joining apna. Chokshi graduated from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business with an MBA and from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi with an undergraduate degree in electrical and electronics engineering.
5. Rachel Lojko
Chief Commercial Officer, Fitch Solutions
Rachel Lojko is the Chief Commercial Officer for Fitch Solutions and has 20 years of commercial experience in financial information services. Fitch Solutions is a provider of insights, data and analytics. The company informs investment strategies, strengthens risk management capabilities and helps identify strategic opportunities for its clients. Its analysts, lawyers, journalists and economists offer in-depth views on credit markets and risk as well as individual credits, ESG, developed and emerging markets, and industry sectors. Fitch Solutions is part of Fitch Group, a global provider of financial information services with operations in more than 30 countries. Fitch Group is owned by Hearst.
Lojko joined Fitch from the London Stock Exchange Group where she was Regional Head of Sales, Americas. Prior to that, she led the LSEG Market Development Team, overseeing the design and delivery of the go-to-market strategy for commercial functions. She has extensive knowledge of a variety of customer segments and has worked with the buy-side, sell-side, corporate, academic and government. Lojko earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and management from the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University and a master's degree in global affairs from the NYU Center for Global Affairs.
6. Asaf Frige
Chief Operating Officer, Yotpo
Asaf Frige is the Chief Operating Officer of Yotpo, an e-commerce retention marketing platform. The platform works with thousands of brands including Steve Madden, Princess Polly, Brooklinen, and Morrocanoil to accelerate growth by utilizing customer content and data. Founded in 2011, Yotpo connects data-driven solutions for reviews, visual UGC, loyalty, referrals, SMS marketing, email, and subscriptions.
An experienced GTM operator, Frige worked as the VP of Revenue Operations and Delivery at Signals Analytics prior to joining Yotpo. Frige holds an MBA and bachelor’s degree in accounting and economics from Bar-Ilan University.
7. Kathleen Ziegler
Senior Vice President of Operations, CopperPoint Insurance Companies
Kathleen Ziegler is the Senior Vice President of Operations of CopperPoint Insurance Companies. Founded in 1925, CopperPoint is a western-based super regional commercial insurance company and provider of workers’ compensation and commercial insurance solutions. CopperPoint has expanded its operations and now serves businesses in multiple states, offering insurance solutions tailored to the needs of small and mid-sized businesses.
Most recently, Ziegler served as the Head of Distribution at Blackboard, an AIG-owned technology-focused subsidiary where she was responsible for developing and managing broker relationships and contributing to the overall build of the middle-market commercial insurance start-up. She began her career at Accenture and progressed to roles of increasing responsibility at Zurich, Marsh and AIG. She served as Head of Operations and Technology for the US at Marsh and Northeast Regional Vice President of Zurich’s commercial market business. Ziegler received a bachelor’s degree in English and French from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree in linguistics from the University of Kansas.
8. Carlos Arredondo
Chief Operating Officer, Konfío
Carlos Arredondo is the Chief Operating Officer of Konfío, an online lending platform for small and medium businesses in Mexico. Konfío helps companies to achieve economic growth through the access of credit solutions with a proprietary algorithm that combines data and technology to measure creditworthiness. The company offers unsecured business loans, business credit cards, and digital financial management tools, using advanced data analytics to provide fast and reliable services. Additionally, Konfío provides payment processing solutions to help businesses streamline transactions and improve cash flow.
Arredondo brings 25 years of experience to his current role. Before joining Konfío, Arredondo was an Executive Director at UBS Investment Bank and before that a Director at Deutsche Bank. Earlier in his career he worked with Bank of America as an AVP in premier banking. Arredondo graduated from Florida International University with an undergraduate degree in finance.
9. Liad Eshkar
Chief Business Development Officer, Kaltura
Liad Eshkar is the Chief Business Development Officer of Kaltura. Kaltura provides a range of video solutions designed to support diverse organizational needs. Its video experience cloud encompasses live and real-time video products tailored for enterprises across industries. The company also offers specialized solutions for educational institutions and media and telecom companies. Eshkar leads Kaltura’s global business development team and oversees its strategic partnerships. Eshkar joined Kaltura in 2013 and took on various management roles across strategy, sales, account management, and professional services in the NY office.
Before Kaltura, Eshkar led a business operations group at ed-tech startup TimeToKnow and played a part in its global expansion to the US and APAC. Prior to that, he served as a Management Consultant at Hoshen and advised leading financial institutions and banks in Israel. Eshkar holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Tel Aviv University, an honors master’s degree in business law from Bar Ilan University, and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
10. Vikas Dua
Chief Operating Officer, Ocrolus
As Chief Operating Officer of Ocrolus, Vik Dua leads an international team of operations specialists, responsible for ensuring speed, accuracy, and efficiency of analysis from hundreds of data verifiers handling millions of transactions daily. Ocrolus operates as a document AI platform focused on facilitating faster and more precise financial decision-making processes. The company analyzes documents with an accuracy rate over 99% and supports hundreds of document types including bank statements, pay stubs, and tax forms. Ocrolus provides solutions to detect fraud, analyze cash flows and income, and streamline decisions for more than 400 clients.
Before working at Ocrolus, Vik was Director of Special Operations at Handy HQ. He spent five years in private equity consultancy at AEG and McKinsey and Company, working with dozens of different companies in operational, strategic, and financial capacities to solve business problems. Vik has a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
11. Nilanjan Das
Executive VP Business Development, Decimal Point Analytics
Nilanjan Das is the Executive Vice President of Business Development at Decimal Point Analytics based in the NY metro area. He is responsible for driving the growth and expansion of the company's offerings in structured and unstructured data analytics, financial research, portfolio analytics and reporting, and ESG data analytics. He has a strong background in investment banking, capital markets, equities, and derivatives trading, as well as leading sales and engagement with clients in the US and India.
Das has over 25 years of experience in the financial industry and 15 years of entrepreneurial and management experience in building up and leading offshored client business and analytics teams in global banks and in a US fin-tech start-up. In these firms, he has overseen concept-to-execution processes, implementing strategic shifts and managing governance, quality, performance measures, and stakeholder management. Das is a CFA charterholder and an FRM certified professional. He holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management at Bangalore and a bachelor of technology in electronics from IIT Kharagpur.
12. Kimberly Greene
Vice President, Strategic Business Development, Mevion Medical Systems
Kimberly Greene is the Vice President of Strategic Business Development at Mevion Medical Systems, a provider of proton therapy systems for use in radiation treatment for cancer patients. With a focus on compact design and efficiency, the company aims to make proton therapy more accessible and cost-effective for cancer patients worldwide, providing technology that offers improved outcomes and quality of life for patients undergoing radiation therapy. Mevion is privately held and based in Littleton, Massachusetts, with international offices in the United Kingdom and Japan and a joint venture in China.
Greene has 22 years of experience and first got her start in 2002 as a President and CEO at Greene Fish Productions. From there, she went on to GE Healthcare, before eventually rising to VP of Strategic Partnerships at Aspira Women's Health, her most recent position prior to joining Mevion Medical Systems. Greene graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering.
13. Chance Johnson
Chief Commercial Officer, Nexxen
Chance Johnson is the Chief Commercial Officer of Nexxen. Nexxen provides advertising technology solutions, offering a range of services to advertisers, publishers, and agencies worldwide. The company is headquartered in Israel and maintains offices throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Johnson is a commercial leader with over a decade of experience managing commercial teams and scaling revenue globally. He specializes in bringing strategy, direction, and focus for advertising technology companies.
Johnson was most recently Chief Revenue Officer at Integral Ad Science where he led the global Sales and Customer organization. Prior to that, Johnson served as Senior Vice President of Sales at Amobee and Global Vice President of Rubicon Project based in London. Johnson graduated from the University of Rhode Island College of Business with an undergraduate degree in marketing.
14. Willem Bosma
Executive Vice President of Sales, kipi.bi
Willem Bosma is the Executive Vice President of Sales of kipi.bi. kipi.bi was founded with the aim of helping businesses address data gaps and providing scalable insights. The company leverages Snowflake as a foundational technology to allow innovation without constraints, aiming to simplify complex data solutions and transition users to the modern era of cloud elasticity.
Bosma brings 16 years of experience to his current role. Before joining kipi.bi, he was a Director of Global GTM partnerships at Moveworks and before that a Strategic Account Executive at MuleSoft. Earlier in his career he worked with Digital Grapes as an Account Executive. Bosma graduated from Ursinus College with an undergraduate degree in business and economics.
15. Darcy Rittinger
Chief Risk Officer, Cover Genius
In her role, Darcy Rittinger is responsible for developing, implementing and overseeing risk, legal and compliance strategies across the organization. Rittinger has more than 15 years of experience in commercial and general insurance. Before Cover Genius, she was Product Director at The Hartford, where she managed Cyber, Tech, Media and Miscellaneous Professional Liability products, as well as developed The Hartford’s first admitted Cyber policy. In addition, she has held key roles at AIG and Liberty Mutual, including claims counsel and litigation management.
Rittinger has an honors degree in English and Computer Applications from the University of Notre Dame, and a law degree from Fordham University School of Law. Based in New York, Rittinger is also a strong supporter of local charities, like City Harvest and FACES, that help individuals improve their day-to-day lives.
16. Christine Catarino
Vice President of Commercial Operations, Veritone
Christine Catarino is the Vice President of Commercial Operations at Veritone, a provider of AI-powered solutions. Serving customers in the talent acquisition, media, entertainment and public sector industries, Veritone's software and services help organizations process, analyze, and optimize their data. Catarino is an experienced senior manager with nearly two decades of experience in account and project management. She has a history of driving customer retention and product adoption.
Catarino brings 17 years of experience to her current role. Before joining Veritone, Catarino was an Associate Director of Marketing at Macmillan and before that a Marketing Associate at The Walt Disney Company. Earlier in her career she worked with Dan Klores Communications as a Publicity and Marketing Assistant. Catarino graduated from Marist College with an undergraduate degree in communications concentrating in journalism.
17. Ross Shanken
Vice President of Sales, Multiplier
Ross Shanken is a seasoned enterprise software sales leader and previous Founder with over 12 years experience scaling venture backed startups from seed through growth stage. Now, he serves as the Vice President of Sales at Multiplier, a leading global employment platform that manages employment, payroll and compliance for international teams on their rapid path to more than $100 million ARR.
Shanken is passionate about building inclusive, energetic cultures where people can do their best work and attract top talent. He currently advises early-stage founders on go-to-market strategy, operating Hydeout Vans, a campervan conversion and rental company. He holds an MBA from the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business.
18. Allison Capone
Vice President, Head of Commercial Strategy and Operations, Madrigal Pharmaceuticals
Allison Capone is the Vice President and Head of Commercial Strategy and Operations of Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pursuing novel therapeutics for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, a liver disease with high unmet medical need. Madrigal’s lead candidate, Resmetirom, is a once daily, oral, thyroid hormone receptor selective agonist that is designed to target key underlying causes of NASH in the liver.
Capone brings 15 years of experience to her current role. Before joining Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, Capone was a Director and Chief of Staff for US commercial and strategic marketing at Intercept Pharmaceuticals. Earlier in her career she worked with Simon-Kucher and Partners as a Senior Consultant and Project Manager. Capone graduated from Harvard Business School with an MBA and from the University of Pennsylvania with an undergraduate degree in bioengineering.
19. Nicole Halm
Chief Sales Officer, Quanam
Nicole Halm is the Chief Sales Officer of Quanam. Quanam is a federation of firms specializing in consulting and management professional services. It employs more than 500 specialists, including engineers, analysts, economists, managers, accountants, statisticians and professionals in communication and change management.
Halm brings 12 years of experience to her current role. Before joining Quanam, Halm was an Architect at Bodega and Piedrafita Architects and before that an Associate Instructor in bioclimatic design at ORT University Uruguay. Earlier in her career she worked with Halm and Klotnicki Architects as a co-Founder. Halm graduated from the Universidad ORT Uruguay with an MBA and undergraduate degree in architecture and from ZIGURAT Institute of Technology with a master's degree in BIM management.
20. Michael D’Angelo
Executive Vice President of Sales, Everstream Solutions
Michael D’Angelo is the Executive Vice President of Sales of Everstream Solutions. He is responsible for expanding and leading Everstream’s enterprise, wholesale and carrier and wireless sales efforts across all markets along with handling contract negotiations and day-to-day management. The company focuses on business connectivity, delivering a business-only fiber network.
With more than 25 years of experience, D’Angelo has experience in sales, marketing and leadership within the telecom industry. His background lies in strategic account management, sales implementation and behavioral management. Prior to joining Everstream, D’Angelo served as Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Customer Service with GoNetspeed, where he was responsible for leading residential and enterprise sales, product development, marketing and customer satisfaction. He also has held senior leadership roles with CenturyLink, Zayo Networks, and Windstream. D’Angelo graduated from the State University of New York College at Oneonta.
21. Shawn Willson
Senior Vice President of Sales, Crossfuze
Shawn Willson is the Senior Vice President of Sales at Crossfuze, a global ServiceNow Elite Partner. As a workflow company with four Certified Master Architects on staff, it provides advisory, implementation and support services and expertise to its customers to help them bring new value to their businesses through digital transformation.
Willson has 22 years of experience and first got his start in 2002 as an Advertising Sales Representative at Idearc Media, before eventually rising to VP of sales at NeXt IT, his most recent position prior to joining Crossfuze. Willson graduated from SUNY Brockport.
22. Jessica Esposito
Senior Vice President of Sales, Bright Power
Jessica Esposito is the Senior Vice President of Sales of Bright Power. Bright Power is a provider of energy efficiency, renewable energy and energy management solutions for the real estate industry. Esposito helps real estate owners, developers, and managers across the country understand their energy use and create strategies to decrease their carbon emissions. Before becoming Vice President of Business Development for the National Business Unit, Esposito was the Manager of Affordable Housing Services where she worked with affordable housing owners and developers to electrify their properties, build to passive house standards and reduce their energy consumption.
Prior to joining Bright Power, Esposito worked for Healthy Planet Partners where she financed and managed the deployment of renewable energy technologies for commercial buildings and sports facilities. Previously, she worked at NRDC helping coordinate sustainability initiatives with professional sports leagues, teams and facilities, and entertainment events including the Grammys and the Academy Awards. Esposito graduated from Columbia University with a master’s degree in sustainability management and from Wheaton College Massachusetts with an undergraduate degree in English and music.
23. Cathrin Bowtell
Chief Commercial Officer, Seed Health
Cathrin Bowtell is the Chief Commercial Officer of Seed Health, a microbial sciences company focusing on applications of microbes for human and planetary health. In collaboration with academic researchers, the company advances discoveries in microbial sciences through novel therapeutics, consumer health innovations and environmental solutions. Bowtell is an executive with experience delivering revenue and EBITDA growth.
Bowtell has 20 years of experience and first got her start in 2004 as a Marketing Manager in Garnier Fructis at L'Oreal S.A. From there, she went on to The Boston Consulting Group, before eventually rising to President at Candid, her most recent position prior to joining Seed Health. Bowtell graduated from Columbia Business School with an MBA in management and from the University of Michigan in Stephen M. Ross School of Business with an undergraduate degree in strategy and marketing.
24. Brian Koh
Chief Commercial Officer, Continent 8
Brian Koh is the Chief Commercial Officer of Continent 8. Continent 8 Technologies is an iGaming data center and global network solutions provider. The company provides high availability network solutions, managed services and co-location for online business-critical service platforms. With a focus on compliance and security, the company offers solutions to meet the needs of each industry, including network management, security monitoring, and disaster recovery services.
Koh has held several senior positions at global technology firms over his more than 20 year career. He joined Continent 8 from Syntax, where he was Executive Vice President, and has also worked for the likes of IT Convergence and Core Services. Koh has been involved in both executive roles and several corporate and non-profit boards across the US, Asia and Latin America. He has helped build several large multinational companies to successful exits. Koh graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
25. David Wyler
Chief Commercial Officer, Bilt
David Wyler is the Chief Commercial Officer at Bilt Rewards, a major loyalty program that allows renters to earn points on rent to work towards homeownership. The loyalty program was created in partnership with multifamily owners and operators, representing 3.5 million units across the US. Bilt has also partnered with Mastercard and Wells Fargo to issue the Bilt Mastercard, a credit card that can be used to pay rent at any apartment with no fees.
Before joining Bilt, Wyler was an Executive at Tinder, serving as Senior Vice President of Business Development and Partnerships. He was responsible for the company’s global product, brand, and entertainment partnerships. He also led growth, distribution and strategic initiatives. Prior to Tinder, Wyler co-founded Humin, a technology company that was acquired by Tinder in 2016. He was also the co-Founder and Vice Chairman of the Kairos Society, a global organization of young entrepreneurs. Wyler graduated from the University of Amsterdam with an undergraduate degree in European studies and economics.