ELYRIA, OH, March 13, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Mary Ann Francis has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Ms. Francis has established herself as a distinguished leader in banking and financial services, with a career spanning five decades marked by institutional mastery and global strategic influence. Since 2024, she has served as an executive consultant, strategist, and mentor at Global Payments & Strategic Initiatives Advisory, delivering high-level guidance to C-suite executives at financial institutions and corporations worldwide. In this capacity, Ms. Francis leverages her extensive international network to help organizations define the purpose, measurable outcomes and competitive positioning behind major payments and treasury initiatives. Her approach is characterized by a commitment to clarity, ensuring that industry trends such as blockchain, crypto and tokenization are addressed with practical, outcome-driven strategies rather than buzzwords.

Ms. Francis assumed the role of executive consultant, strategist and mentor independently, further expanding her advisory reach. She works directly with executive leaders across diverse industries, including FI's, Fintech's, Health Care systems, and global commercial clients, helping each distinguish between isolated projects and comprehensive enterprise strategies. Her dedication to mentorship is evident in her efforts to guide emerging leaders, particularly women, to overcome barriers and become indispensable contributors in their fields.

From 2020 to 2023, Ms. Francis was an associate partner for IBM Consulting's financial services division. In this role, she led global strategy and product/partner direction for payments and treasury solutions, collaborating with multinational clients to drive innovation and operational excellence. Her tenure at IBM was preceded by her position as Head of Strategy and Product at DXC Technology from 2018 to 2020, where she oversaw the client strategy and development of advanced payment platforms and treasury management systems for a global clientele.

Ms. Francis's leadership journey continued at Wipro from 2010 to 2018, where she served as Executive Advisor and Head of the Global Payments Practice. During her time at all firms, she convened client advisory councils that brought together executives from various sectors to exchange insights and foster innovation through shared experience.

Before her roles in consulting and technology firms, Ms. Francis was Senior Director at Symcor from 2008 to 2010, where she managed large-scale Treasury clients and development during a period of significant industry transformation, following the financial crisis. Her foundational experience was built over more than three decades at National City—now PNC Financial Services Group Inc.—where she began in Retail Banking while completing her Master of Business Administration degree. Rising through the ranks from 1976 to 2007, she ultimately became Senior Vice President and manager, then Global Head of Global Trade and Treasury. In this capacity, Ms. Francis oversaw payments, treasury management, cash management, global trade, supply chain finance, foreign exchange, letters of credit and commercial cards.

Throughout her career, Ms. Francis has been an elected/appointed and awarded leader of several global industry organizations: the Americas, Europe, APAC, and the Middle East. She currently serves as an Ambassador for RiseUp/Amplify/Money2020 and as an Ambassador for The Emerging Payments Association Asia (EPAA). She has been repeatedly awarded and cited for global leadership, innovation, and expertise, and cited as a Top 20 Most Influential Women in Payments by The American Banker in 2023; all while demonstrating her notable commitment and leadership in civic engagements within her local communities/school. These affiliations have enabled her to remain at the forefront of payments innovation while contributing thought leadership and mentorship on a global scale. She shares insights across regions while tailoring solutions to local cultural and regulatory contexts through an extensive professional network.

Ms. Francis's academic achievements have played a pivotal role in shaping her professional trajectory. She earned a Master of Business Administration in finance from Baldwin Wallace University in Berea in 1985 after completing a Bachelor of Arts in business finance at Miami University in Oxford in 1983. Her educational background provided a strong foundation for her expertise in financial operations and strategic leadership. She attributes much of her success to self-reflection, a practice that has guided her through challenges by prompting honest introspection about both mistakes and achievements. Ms. Francis is known for her determination and resilience as a woman who advanced during an era when significant barriers existed for women in financial services. She values expertise as the cornerstone of credibility and strives to leave a legacy defined by meaningful impact.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Ms. Francis is deeply committed to personal health/fitness as a licensed instructor holding twenty-six fitness certifications as well as an experienced personal trainer - dedicated to coaching on both career and personal discipline.
Her philosophy centers on authentic leadership: "A title makes you a manager, but people make you a leader." Ms. Francis continues to inspire others by demonstrating that success is attainable through perseverance, expertise and genuine engagement with colleagues, communities and clients alike.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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