MPC Interviews Dr. Gail Burgos of Paytech Women
Please tell us about yourself, your background in the payments industry and the work that you do at PayTech Women.
I’m Dr. Gail Burgos, and I currently serve as the CEO of PayTech Women. I bring over 25 years of experience in the banking industry, with a background rooted in conversions, IT, HR and leadership. Throughout my career, I’ve remained focused on product development and, most importantly, people. I’ve always had a passion for building strong teams and harnessing the unique talents each individual brings to the table—leading to successful outcomes and the achievement of ambitious goals.
At PayTech Women, an industry non-profit celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year, I lead a dynamic team dedicated to advancing women in the payments industry. We offer a thriving community, meaningful education, and essential resources that empower women at every stage of their careers. By collaborating with industry partners, we’re working to drive systemic change. My focus is on not only cultivating the next generation of leaders but also shaping a payments ecosystem that is more inclusive, innovative, and equitable.
In your opinion, what is the most notable trend in the payments industry today?
One of the most notable trends is the acceleration of embedded finance and real-time payments. The ability to integrate seamless, secure payment capabilities into everyday platforms—whether it’s ridesharing, e-commerce, or social media—has completely redefined customer expectations. This isn’t just a technological shift; it’s changing the very nature of how we interact with money. It’s also creating space for new players, new partnerships, and new approaches to compliance, security, and user experience.
In your opinion, what is the largest opportunity for organizations that process payments today?
The biggest opportunity is inclusive innovation. Organizations that prioritize unique perspectives in their design and decision-making processes will be better positioned to create products that serve broader markets. There’s a tremendous opportunity to tap into broad populations—globally and domestically—by leveraging technology in more accessible, human-centered ways. Payments is no longer just about processing transactions; it’s about enabling participation in the global economy.
In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge for organizations that process payments today?
The most pressing challenge is keeping pace with the regulatory and cybersecurity demands of a rapidly evolving ecosystem. As innovation speeds up, so do the risks—particularly around data privacy, fraud prevention and compliance. At the same time, talent shortages in these key areas create pressure for organizations to do more with less. The need to balance speed, scale, and security is a constant challenge—and it requires both robust infrastructure and resilient, forward-thinking leadership.
What “silver bullet” piece of advice do you have for organizations that process payments?
My silver bullet: Invest in people as much as you invest in technology. The payments industry is driven by innovation, and innovation is driven by people. If you want to stay competitive, prioritize building teams where unique ideas are welcomed and empowered. The ROI on unique perspectives is real—having different views on teams has been proven to outperform, especially when solving complex problems. The more perspectives you bring to the table, the better positioned you’ll be to anticipate market needs and exceed customer expectations.
How can our audience connect with you or learn more about PayTech Women?
I’d love to connect! You can learn more about PayTech Women at www.paytechwomen.org, where you’ll find information about our programs, events, and how to get involved—whether you’re an individual looking to grow your career or a company committed to advancing equity in the industry. You can also follow us on LinkedIn, where we share insights, member stories and upcoming opportunities to connect and grow, like our premier fall conference, the Leadership Summit, sponsored by FIS. And of course, feel free to connect with me directly on LinkedIn—I always welcome conversations that move our industry forward.
