BetaKit is excited to welcome Hanna Zaidi, VP of payments strategy and chief compliance officer at Wealthsimple, to its board of directors.
Hanna brings over a decade of leadership at the forefront of Canadian FinTech, payments infrastructure, and regulatory innovation. At Wealthsimple, she has played a key role in major initiatives, launching Wealthsimple Cash and Crypto, and securing direct settlement accounts with the Bank of Canada. Under her guidance, Wealthsimple became the first non-bank entity with direct access to Canada’s core payment rails. She has also been a leading advocate for open banking and building a globally competitive financial services market in Canada.
“Hanna’s leadership inside one of Canada’s most prominent FinTech leaders, combined with governance experience at Payments Canada and Visa Canada, is exactly what BetaKit needs to support its continued evolution,” said Satish Kanwar, chair of BetaKit’s board of directors. “We’re thrilled to have her on board as we deepen our impact across Canadian tech.”
Zaidi joins the board alongside Kanwar and BetaKit editor-in-chief Douglas Soltys. Her appointment comes as the award-winning publication of record for Canadian tech, under the leadership of CEO Siri Agrell, continues to expand its national footprint, investing in regional journalism, strategic programs, and initiatives that spotlight Canada’s critical innovation economy.
“I’ve been a longtime reader of BetaKit and deeply value its role in connecting Canada’s tech ecosystem,” said Zaidi. “It’s an honour to join the board and help support independent, impactful journalism.”