Who Is Matt Swann?
Matt Swann is a Strategic Advisor and CTO with over 28 years of experience in the technology industry, specializing in cloud computing, fintech, and digital transformation. As a former leader at Amazon, Booking.com, and NuBank, Matt has a track record in product development and implementing innovative solutions that drive growth and improve customer experiences. Currently, he serves as a Board Member at Payfare Inc., where he supports digital innovation and transformation strategies, as well as sitting as a Non-Executive Director at Thredd payments.
Matt’s expertise in e-commerce, product management, AI, and data analytics equips him to guide C-level Executives and Senior Leaders through modernization and tackling industry challenges. Passionate about empowering the next generation of digital economy leaders, Matt is committed to showing what good looks like< in technology and leadership and guiding you there.
E-Commerce and Product Management
Matt’s e-commerce and product management expertise was built on a foundation of over a decade of leadership experience at Amazon, where he was a key player in expanding its global payments division. Under Matt’s influence, Amazon not only transformed its payments business into one of the world’s largest credit card programs but also launched products like Amazon Payments and Shopper Points. Collectively, they generated billions in revenue. His strategic vision helped transform Amazon’s architecture from monolithic systems to microservices and guided teams towards agile, cross-functional methodologies.
Matt then took the insights he gained at Amazon to Booking.com, where he was charged with spearheading modernization, product integration, and helping the company grow into a global brand in the online travel industry. Matt’s key achievements included: adopting platform architecture to unlock supply integration with other companies; aligning the business and engineering teams to drive better outcomes; and improving cost transparency and accountability in cloud computing. Under his tech stewardship, Booking.com navigated the disruptions of the pandemic, was recognized by AWS as having the best cost efficiency ratio in the sector, and aligned operations across 200+ countries to become an e-commerce powerhouse.
To the business leader getting caught in the hype, I say slow down. Go back to your playbook and first principles as you incorporate AI into your culture and business model.
A FinTech Expert
Matt again led optimization of the cloud to increase profit after taking on the role of CTO at Nubank, one of the world’s largest digital banks. Matt was a major player behind the company’s exponential growth — aligning tech and finance to drive operational efficiency; and orchestrating key initiatives in cloud computing, data analytics, and digital transformation. His strategic efforts in agile development practices and digital banking positioned him as a sought-after advisor for C-level executives looking to modernize operations and tackle the industry’s evolving challenges.
With a career spanning major institutions like Citi and innovators like CloudZero, Matt’s high-level insights cover a broad spectrum of financial services domains, including infrastructure, data, security, and payments. He bridges the gap between complex technical concepts and business strategy, providing actionable insights that drive efficiency, reduce costs, and promote a holistic approach to digital growth. In short: His strategies equip senior leaders to lead their organizations through the digital transformation journey.
Consistently Meeting Growth Goals
One of Matt’s first moves at Nubank was to create a dedicated FinOps team to instill financial and operational rigor without sacrificing speed. It was all part of his determination to ingrain efficiency and productivity as part of the company’s DNA from day one. He used data to pinpoint waste and give developers granular visibility into their costs. As a result, Nubank shaved over 30% off its AWS bill while simultaneously tripling transaction volume. By the end of Matt’s tenure, Nubank had become one of the most valuable digital banks in the world, and he had cemented a culture focused on efficiency at scale to set it up for the future.
Beyond technical acumen, Matt is a proponent of personal branding and strategic partnerships, balancing visibility and authenticity to build credibility and influence among peers and stakeholders. His targeted strategies in marketing and analytics, along with alignment of individual goals with broader company objectives, have consistently fostered environments where both innovation and operational goals thrive. As an advisor in sales and product development, Matt enables long-term growth and market expansion through well-crafted marketing campaigns and partnerships, establishing him as a pivotal influencer in the tech industry.
