Wise has named Scott Hill as an independent non-executive director, bringing aboard a veteran of global exchange and technology finance as the London-based payments company looks to grow its footprint in U.S. capital markets.
Hill is best known for his 14-year run as chief financial officer at Intercontinental Exchange, the Atlanta-based group that owns the New York Stock Exchange. He held that role from 2007 to 2021, a period during which ICE grew from a niche energy trading venue into one of the most influential exchange operators in the world.
He currently sits on the boards of legal technology company CS Disco, where he also briefly served as CEO between September 2023 and May 2024, and of Cardlytics, where he chairs the audit committee.
A $43 Trillion Market in the Crosshairs
Wise CEO and co-founder Kristo Käärmann made no secret of the commercial rationale behind the hire. The company is chasing what it describes as a $43 trillion annual opportunity in cross-border payments , and Hill's deep ties to U.S. public markets and institutional finance could prove useful as the company works to raise its profile among American investors.
"Scott brings significant public company, finance and U.S. markets expertise as we are making money work without borders for millions more people and businesses globally," Käärmann said.
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"I've been impressed with what Scott has helped build in his time at Intercontinental Exchange. His addition strengthens our Board as we push to capture a greater share of the $43 trillion annual market opportunity for cross-border payments."
The appointment comes at a moment of notable momentum for Wise. The company moved £47.4 billion in cross-border transactions during its third fiscal quarter ended December 2025, a 26% year-on-year increase, while active customers reached 10.9 million. Client balances climbed 34% to £27.5 billion over the same period.
Board Looks to Leverage Exchange Experience
Hill's arrival follows a broader pattern of fintechs recruiting executives with traditional finance and exchange credentials to add credibility with institutional investors and regulators. His tenure at ICE, a firm that has itself been testing the boundaries between traditional finance and emerging data markets, including a recent collaboration with prediction market Polymarket - gives him a perspective that few candidates could offer.
Board Chair David Wells described the fit as deliberate. "Scott's decades of experience as an operator and as a board member and board chair at some of the world's leading tech companies make him well qualified to join Wise in our next phase of growth," Wells said.
"This deep experience, combined with his tenure as CFO of a global exchange, makes him the perfect candidate to join the Board as we continue to pursue our vision of building money without borders and progress towards moving trillions."
Senior Hires Reshape Fintech Boards
The move is part of a broader wave of executive reshuffling across the fintech and trading sectors. NinjaTrader recently appointed ex-IG and tastytrade executive Christopher Tripp as its international general manager, while prediction market platform Kalshi brought in derivatives veteran Andy Ross from Standard Chartered and LSEG as it pushes further into institutional finance.
Before his ICE role, Hill spent over 16 years at IBM in international finance positions across the United States, France, and Japan. Wise, listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker WISE, has been expanding its geographic reach beyond its European and North American base. Last year, it received a conditional license to offer transfers in South Africa, marking its entry into the African market.
