Elona Ruka-Wright

Elona heads up Finastra's global risk management and governance practices and is the company's key liaison with regulatory bodies and auditors.  

She is accountable for Finastra's Enterprise Risk Management framework, strategy and governance, as well as regulatory compliance, enterprise policy governance, client and third-party due diligence, business resilience, crisis management and internal audit.

As Finastra’s Chief Risk Officer, Elona has played a pivotal role in safeguarding our employees, clients, and operations, particularly through changes related to COVID-19. She believes that a culture of openness and awareness is the foundation for balanced risk-taking, and strong governance.

Elona is also a keen sponsor for #WomenatFinastra. She was named one of the Top 25 Women Leaders in Financial Technology of Europe for 2021, as well as being included in the – Top 100 Leaders in FinTech list by FinTech Magazine.

Before joining Finastra in March 2018, she spent over 15 years building and transforming risk management, compliance, security and governance programs at Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank and Black Knight.

Her certifications span CISA, CISM, CGEIT, CRISC, CIPM and CDPSE, and she serves on the Advisory Board for NC State’s Poole School of Management ERM Initiative, which provides advice on ERM curriculum, emerging trends, and best practices related to ERM. She also holds a BA in International Relations, Magna Cum Laude, and an MBA in Finance and Strategic Management from University of MN, Carlson School of Management.

Elona is passionate about sustainability initiatives, and in her spare time, she enjoys practicing yoga and refining her cooking skills.

Connect with Elona on LinkedIn.