Simmons Bank has announced that veteran financial services technology executive Ann Madea will be joining the bank, transitioning into the role of executive vice president and chief information officer (CIO), where she will be responsible for the bank’s overall information technology strategy and operations.

Madea has more than 25 years of technology experience, including the last 17 years at HSBC, one of the largest banking and financial services organizations in the world with operations in 64 countries and territories.

“We’re very excited to welcome a well-respected industry veteran like Ann to the Simmons Bank team,” said George A. Makris Jr., chairman and CEO of Simmons. “The knowledge and expertise that Ann brings to the table will be a tremendous asset in helping us implement industry best practices and stay ahead of the curve. With her leadership, we will continue to drive our technology platform forward, which is a critical component of delivering an exceptional customer experience.”

Madea is passionate about women and girls in technology, and was recently the Executive Sponsor for the Summer Immersion Program for Girls Who Code, a nonprofit organization which aims to increase the number of women in computer science.

Over the next several months, Madea will work closely with current executive vice president and CIO Paul Kanneman in transitioning into her new role. Following the transition, Kanneman will continue with the bank utilizing his technology and business strategy expertise in a role focused on strategic research associated with the identification, review and assessment of emerging technologies, while also lending his experience on future M&A activities.

Simmons Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of Simmons First National Corporation (NASDAQ: SFNC), a Mid-South based financial holding company with approximately $23.4 billion in assets as of June 30, 2021. Simmons Bank operates 198 branches, including 68 in Arkansas, 48 in Missouri, 33 in Tennessee, 23 in Texas, 20 in Oklahoma and 6 in Kansas.