32 Bankers to Know in Silicon Valley and San Francisco

Bankers contribute to the Bay Area's business community by hosting founder dinners, supporting CFO forums and helping organise M&A conferences. Those gatherings give executives and investors time to build relationships, compare experiences and discuss their businesses.

This list includes event hosts, leaders of professional associations and specialists in technology banking, private equity and M&A. We begin with Open Future Forum sponsor Ellie Yashiro and bankers who have worked with us on events.

How this list was made

Every entry is drawn from a public source, which is linked in the entry: a firm biography, an event listing, an association leadership page or a published interview. Where a colleague or client has thanked someone publicly for hosting, that comment is quoted with its source.

One disclosure. Ellie Yashiro is a current Open Future Forum sponsor and sits on our CFO Executive Forum committee, and Gregg Hipwell, Armine Abramyan and Scott Camp have co-hosted gatherings with us. They are listed first and identified as such rather than mixed anonymously into the list. Nobody paid for inclusion.

Groupings are approximate. Several of the people here work across more than one of them.

Bankers who work with Open Future Forum

1. Ellie Yashiro, Silicon Valley Bank

Ellie Yashiro at Silicon Valley Bank is a current Open Future Forum sponsor and a member of our CFO Executive Forum committee. We appreciate her support for bringing senior finance leaders together and building an ongoing community where CFOs can meet peers and discuss the decisions facing their businesses. CFO Executive Forum

2. Gregg Hipwell, Citizens Private Bank

Gregg has worked with us to bring the venture community together. He co-hosted the Citizens Private Bank VC Christmas Dinner in Palo Alto with me and Ash Tutika of Insight Partners, welcoming investors for an evening of conversation and introductions. Citizens Private Bank VC Christmas Dinner

3. Armine Abramyan, BMO

Armine has supported private CEO gatherings with us, including a dinner for leaders of growing businesses alongside her BMO colleague Scott Camp. These dinners bring business owners together to discuss growth, financing and operating challenges with peers and banking partners. CEO dinner recap

4. Scott Camp, BMO

Scott is a regional manager at BMO and serves on the Silicon Valley advisory board of the CFO Leadership Council. Alongside his involvement in private CEO dinners with us, he supports a finance community with a continuing calendar of events on economic conditions, technology and CFO leadership. CFO Leadership Council, Silicon Valley

Hosting the founder and investor community

5. Marisa Phan, Silicon Valley Bank

Marisa is a managing director at SVB. Her gatherings include a mother-daughter event at a Sabrina Carpenter concert, co-hosted with Jennifer Friel Goldstein and Renuka Kumar for clients and friends.

Debjani Deb commented: "Marisa Phan thanks for inviting us to an amazing event!" Marisa's event post and comments

6. Tina Tran, Silicon Valley Bank

Tina works with early-stage technology companies and has helped host SVB's Game Night & Happy Hour in San Francisco. She has also brought female founders and technology partners together for a candle-making event. SVB Game Night

After the latter gathering, Victoria Slivkoff wrote: "Thanks for the invitation - it was great fun!" Tina's post and participant comments

7. Armello Rodriguez, Wells Fargo

Armello works in Wells Fargo's Technology Banking Group and participates in the Silicon Valley finance community through Financial Executives International. He also co-hosted a venture financing panel with Pillsbury's Stan Lewandowski, receiving a public thank-you from lawyer Lindsey Mignano for organising the discussion. FEI Silicon Valley profile, Lindsey's acknowledgement

8. Rob Helm, Silicon Valley Bank

Rob was a named host of SVB's 2025 Day on the Bay during Fleet Week, alongside Ronnie Harris II and Robert Parker. The gathering brought venture capital leaders, founders and partners together on San Francisco Bay. SVB Day on the Bay

9. George Pai, Silicon Valley Bank

George's hosting record includes dinners bringing startup founders and venture investors together. In one recap, Micaela James named George and James Abishek Wilson as fellow hosts of an SVB founder dinner. Founder dinner recap

Investment banking, M&A and technology coverage

10. Shawn Flynn, SVH Capital

Shawn combines investment banking with an ongoing role in the local business community. He serves as sponsorship chair of ACG Silicon Valley and hosts The Silicon Valley Podcast, interviewing founders, investors and business leaders about building and financing companies. ACG Silicon Valley leadership, The Silicon Valley Podcast

11. Nirvikar Jain, BayTech Capital Partners

Nirvikar leads BayTech Capital Partners, a Silicon Valley advisory firm focused on technology and fintech M&A, capital raising and strategic finance. His background includes senior banking positions, founder and finance executive roles, startup mentoring, and public discussions about valuation and exit readiness. BayTech leadership and background

12. Kevin McClelland, Citizens

Kevin leads technology investment banking at Citizens, overseeing a practice serving technology companies and investors on M&A and capital raising. The team includes dedicated cybersecurity and infrastructure software coverage. Citizens technology banking team

13. Salil Kapoor, Citizens

Salil is a vice president on Citizens' cybersecurity and infrastructure software investment banking team. His work focuses on the transaction side of those markets, connecting this list with the bankers advising technology businesses and their investors. Citizens cybersecurity and infrastructure software team

14. Rob Bartlett, Jefferies

Rob is a technology investment banker with a background in cybersecurity. Reuters reported his recruitment from Guggenheim to Jefferies in 2025 as part of an expansion of the firm's Bay Area technology investment banking team. Reuters on the Jefferies appointments

15. Ansie Ting, J.P. Morgan

Ansie participates in ACG San Francisco's leadership and serves on the M&A West planning committee. Her involvement includes helping organise a conference connecting private equity investors, business owners, lenders and transaction advisers. ACG San Francisco leadership, M&A West planning committee

16. Gavin Daniels, Intrepid Investment Bankers

Gavin is a managing director at Intrepid and a member of ACG San Francisco's leadership. He also serves on the M&A West planning committee, combining his investment banking work with a direct role in organising regional dealmaking events. ACG San Francisco leadership, M&A West planning committee

17. J. Alfred Ritter, Montgomery Securities

Alfred represents Montgomery Securities on the M&A West planning committee. His public conference recap covered AI, due diligence and private equity, reflecting the transaction issues discussed across the event's panels and meetings. M&A West planning committee, Alfred's conference recap

Private banking, fund banking and regional leadership

18. Leigh Wasson, BNY Wealth

Leigh works with business owners and families on wealth planning, including decisions surrounding a business sale. She also participates in ACG and has moderated a family office discussion at M&A West. ACG speaker profile

Following the panel, Erika Cramer thanked Leigh "for leading this sophisticated discussion." Panel recap and comments

19. Bronwyn Bailey, J.P. Morgan Private Bank

Bronwyn is a managing director in fund banking at J.P. Morgan Private Bank, working in the private equity and venture capital market. She also shares discussions about private markets, including the effects of AI and geopolitics on investment firms. Bronwyn's professional profile, Private markets discussion

20. Mark Lehmann, Citizens

Mark is Citizens' California president and a vice chair of its commercial bank. He speaks publicly about the Bay Area economy, technology and capital markets, including a recent interview covering AI, IPOs and San Francisco's business outlook. Mark's professional profile, San Francisco Business Times interview

21. David Sabow, HSBC Innovation Banking

David has helped build HSBC's innovation banking business. At Berkeley Haas's Dean's Speaker Series, he discussed venture debt, client service and the development of the bank's work with technology and healthcare companies. Berkeley Haas discussion

22. Vida Nazari, Leader Bank

Vida co-hosted VC Village during San Francisco Healthcare Week. The gathering brought together venture capitalists, angel investors, limited partners and family offices meeting in the city during healthcare week. VC Village event

Startup and innovation banking

23. Mayra Ceja, J.P. Morgan

Mayra has helped host Founder Connect dinners and Cafecito gatherings for founders and the J.P. Morgan team. Founder Connect dinner, Cafecito gathering

After a gathering for Y Combinator founders, David J. Phillips wrote: "Such a great event Mayra!" Josh Constine also praised the team: "Thanks for an awesome event! JPM crew is awesome." Event recap and comments

24. Erin Lashbrook, J.P. Morgan

Erin's event work includes Founder Connect and J.P. Morgan's relationship with StartX. Founder Connect dinner

Following an orientation dinner, StartX described Erin and her team as "a trusted resource and direct line of support for our founders." StartX acknowledgement

25. Matthew Paul, J.P. Morgan

Matthew's event activity includes Founder Connect and a San Francisco AI hackathon for finance executives. Finance AI event

After a separate collaboration, Sequence CEO Riya Grover wrote: "It was so great partnering with you Matthew Paul and J.P. Morgan on this event! Many more to follow". Riya's comment

26. Tony Padilla, Western Alliance Bank

Tony works in startup banking in San Francisco. His event activity includes The Founders Lounge and a TechCrunch Disrupt gathering focused on monetisation. Tony's bank profile, The Founders Lounge

In a professional LinkedIn recommendation, Stephen Ost wrote: "Tony is a trustworthy guy who I could always count on to get the job done." Professional recommendation

27. Joanna Zanghi, Silicon Valley Bank

Joanna has helped host SVB's San Francisco Game Night and a coffee omakase gathering for AI founders. SVB Game Night, AI founder gathering

In a Lunar New Year event recap, co-host Chrissie Li said Joanna's "partnership was foundational in bringing the evening to life." Lunar New Year recap

28. Cody Nenadal, Stifel

Cody was a named host of Deep Tech Underground in San Francisco, organised with Alta Advisors and Sequoia during Deep Tech Week. The gathering brought together founders and investors working in robotics, autonomy, space and energy. Deep Tech Underground

29. Austin Badger, HSBC Innovation Banking

Austin's event activity includes Wrenches & Rockets with HSBC, Lux Capital and Cantos, plus a venture debt and treasury webinar with Dynamo Energy Hub. Wrenches & Rockets, Venture debt and treasury webinar

Responding to his appointment to an interim global climate technology role, Natalie Blyth wrote: "your experience will be hugely valuable for our climate tech clients globally." Natalie's comment

30. Anisha Sunkerneni, J.P. Morgan

Anisha has co-hosted Cafecito gatherings and a San Francisco founder lunch focused on go-to-market questions. Cafecito gathering

In his lunch recap, Aquibur Rahman wrote: "Thanks to Mayra Ceja and Anisha Sunkerneni for cohosting." Founder lunch recap

31. James Abishek Wilson, J.P. Morgan

James's event activity includes Cafecito and a Restaurant Synergy Summit connecting restaurant operators with technology businesses. Restaurant Synergy Summit recap

His hosting record extends to his earlier work at SVB. After a 2022 founder dinner, Jamie Snedden wrote: "Thanks for hosting Micaela & James!" Founder dinner and comment

32. JP Giannini, Silicon Valley Bank

JP co-hosted a Pachamama Ventures founders and investors gathering in San Francisco, joining Karen Sheffield for opening remarks at the climate technology event. Pachamama Ventures gathering

In a professional LinkedIn recommendation, Karl H. described JP as "always responsive, helpful" and wrote: "He gets startups & founder challenges." Professional recommendation

A Southern California connection

Jalal Taby, Fifth Third Bank

Jalal serves on the M&A West planning committee and participates in the broader ACG community. Based in Southern California, he provides another connection for readers whose private equity and M&A relationships extend across the state. M&A West planning committee

Connect with Open Future Forum

Our CFO Executive Forum brings senior finance leaders together to discuss business decisions and learn from one another's experience. Explore the forum and our executive research for upcoming opportunities to participate and insights from the community.

Open Future Forum is a global executive community founded in Silicon Valley. Its network reaches tens of thousands of executives and investors worldwide. It runs a year-round calendar of events for senior executives and investors, including CEOs, CFOs, CMOs, CISOs, private equity leaders, founders and AI leaders, through Forum Select, a series of invitation-only private gatherings, and Forum Events, its open panels and conferences. Open Future Forum also convenes peer groups and executive boards, and publishes original research based on first-party survey and qualitative data from its executive network.

Last updated: September 13, 2026