New York Fed names Per von Zelowitz as director of the New York Innovation Center
NEW YORK, NY (July 1, 2021) — The Federal Reserve Bank of New York today announced that Per von Zelowitz has been named the director of the New York Innovation Center effective July 19, 2021.
The New York Innovation Center is a strategic partnership with the Innovation Hub of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) that will be housed at the New York Fed. The Center will collaborate with colleagues in the Federal Reserve System, the BIS Innovation Hub, and the private and public sectors on innovations that enhance the functioning of the global financial system and the ability of central banks to carry out their missions.
Mr. von Zelowitz will be responsible for designing this effort and executing on various projects to advance BIS Innovation Hub and Federal Reserve priorities, while collaborating both globally and nationally on innovative financial technology with the central banking community in order to improve the functioning and efficiency of the international financial system.
John C. Williams, president and chief executive officer of the New York Fed said, “Selecting Per to lead the New York Innovation Center is the next big milestone for this important and exciting new venture with the BIS Innovation Hub. His extensive background and experience in innovation in financial services, strategic partnerships, and team building will be critical to his role as the Center’s inaugural leader.”
Mr. von Zelowitz has many years of financial technology expertise across a range of industries. Most recently, he was at PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) where he was Financial Services Director of Banking Transformation. He co-led the development and operation of the Banking & Lending Innovation Center, a fintech venture studio committed to generating and commercializing internal and client intellectual property.
Prior to joining PWC, Mr. von Zelowitz was at Citi Ventures, serving as the Senior Entrepreneur in Residence & Founding Member of D10X, Citigroup’s corporate incubator. At Citi, he co-led the design, build and scaling of the unit to 25 employees and over 90 startups.
The BIS Innovation Hub was established by the BIS to identify and develop in-depth insights into critical trends in financial technology, explore the development of tools to enhance the functioning of the global financial system, and serve as a focal point for a network of central bank experts on innovation. The New York Innovation Center was formally established earlier this year.
About Federal Reserve Bank of New York
The Federal Reserve Act of 1913 requires each of the Reserve Banks to operate under the supervision of a board of directors. Each Reserve Bank has nine directors who represent the interests of their Reserve District and whose experience provides the Reserve Banks with a wider range of expertise that helps them fulfill their policy and operational responsibilities. The nine directors of each Reserve Bank are divided evenly by classification: Class A Directors represent the member banks in the District; Class B Directors and Class C Directors represent the interests of the public. The directors of the Reserve Banks act as an important link between the Federal Reserve and the private sector, ensuring that the Fed's decisions on monetary policy are informed by actual economic conditions.
