Agentic AI – The Autonomous Edge
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In this episode of The Citi Institute podcast, host Alex Miller is joined by Greg Ulrich, Chief AI and Data Officer, Mastercard and Sophia Bantanidis, Analyst, Future of Finance, Citi Global Insights to discuss the possibilities and challenges that come with creating AI systems, and to share their insights on Agentic AI technologies and innovations and what it might mean for industries, creativity, and society as a whole.
Greg Ulrich, Chief AI and Data Officer, Mastercard provides an optimistic outlook on the sustainable and transformative impact of AI on commerce and society at large, the key drivers of growth, and the role of emerging technologies.
Sophia Bantanidis highlights the different types of Artificial Intelligence, the need for investment in cyber technology, and how banks are responding to Agentic AI.
Our guests reflect on the cost profile, the opportunities for commerce, and the need for ethical and responsible AI development.
Citigroup (“Citi”), and Mastercard are not affiliated and are independent from each other. The speakers’ views are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Citi or any of its affiliates. All opinions are subject to change without notice. Neither the information provided, nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. The expressions of opinion are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results.
Greg Ulrich, Chief AI and Data Officer, Mastercar
Greg Ulrich is the chief AI and data officer at Mastercard and a member of the company’s Management Committee. He leads Mastercard’s approach for leveraging and integrating AI and data across the business, commercializing both internal and external applications and overseeing enterprise-wide governance of these functions.
Greg has been a key advisor to Mastercard’s executive team, helping shape the future trajectory of the company. Prior to assuming his new role in 2024, Greg served as an executive vice president of Corporate Strategy and M&A, in which he led a global team tasked with developing the company's strategy, driving key growth initiatives, and executing on inorganic investments and acquisitions. In previous roles, Greg has been responsible for guiding Mastercard's Data & Services strategy and innovation team, and he also served as the Data & Services lead in North America.
Greg has more than 25 years of experience helping organizations use data and insights to develop innovative and practical solutions to challenging problems, maximizing shareholder value.
He originally joined Mastercard in 2015 when it acquired Applied Predictive Technologies (APT), a leading cloud-based analytics company. Greg guided the firm's Consumer Packaged Goods and Manufacturing vertical, and also served as the primary lead for its work in San Francisco, Australia and New Zealand.
Prior to joining APT, Greg was a management consultant, initially with Marakon Associates before working with myriad organizations in the social and nonprofit sector.
He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Duke University.
Sophia Bantanidis, Analyst, Future of Finance, Citi Institute
Sophia Bantanidis is an Analyst in the Future of Finance team within Citi Global Insights. She joined Citi’s Transaction Banking Business (TTS) as the EMEA Head of Regulatory and Market Strategy from Northern Trust where she managed a team as the EMEA Head of Regulatory Developments enabling the bank to commercialise regulatory change for clients as well as to comply with rules and regulations.
She is on the Innovate Finance Women in FinTech Powerlist for 5 consecutive years 2021-2017, she is the Greek International Woman of the Year for Finance (awarded 2021) and was shortlisted as a finalist for the Women in Finance FinTech Champion of the Year (2018 and 2019) and Disruptor of the Year (2019) categories.
Since joining Citi Sophia has been actively involved in the broader global FinTech ecosystem, influencing regulators as they formalise their innovation policy programmes, has been mentoring FinTech and RegTech firms, actively represents Citi externally at key conferences / industry events and regularly briefs clients on the intersection of innovation, regulation and technology.
Sophia speaks 5 languages; she has worked at two financial services regulators (in France and in the UK), banks and asset managers in various business areas including derivative products strategic communications and risk. She has made a huge impact to financial services regulation and wrote the world’s first binding rules on bankers pay and bonuses which were issued by the UK Financial Services Authority- since renamed to Financial Conduct Authority (FSA Consultation Paper 09/10 and Policy Statement with final rules 09/15 http://187.191.71.192/expediente/8227/mir/19677/anexo/677525 - see page 4) which paved the way for rules at the EU level under the Capital Requirements Directive and standards at the Financial Stability Board (i.e. global level).
In her early career she interned with Dow Chemical and Freshfields Bruckhaus Derringer in Germany. Sophia completed her European Baccalaureate in Karlsruhe (Germany) She holds an LLB in UK Law and German Law from University College London and from the University of Cologne as well as a Master’s Degree in European Business from ESCP Europe in Oxford and Paris.
In her spare time and in addition to her role at Citi Sophia sits on the Advisory Board of a female-led fashion technology business P.S. Online Styling.
