MAIA Change Makers 2025
Money needs to change.
It has become more powerful in everyday life, yet more confusing, more complex, and easier to misuse.
Financial systems now reach almost everyone, but too often they reach people without explanation, protection, or real choice.
The consequences are everywhere: poor decisions, unnecessary debt, widening inequality, and a sharp rise in scams that exploit trust and uncertainty.
Money doesn’t change on its own.
It changes because people change it.
At the Money Awareness and Inclusion Awards (MAIAs), we spend the year tracking where that change is actually happening, in schools and communities, in research and regulation, in media, technology, campaigning, and consumer protection. We look for people who are improving how money works, how it is explained, and how it is experienced.
Each year, before entries open for the MAIAs, we publish a list of people we believe have made an exceptional contribution to this work.
For 2025, we are proud to introduce the MAIA Change Makers.
This year’s list reflects the moment we are in. There is a stronger focus on scam prevention, digital risk, and consumer protection, alongside long-standing efforts in financial education, inclusion, and transparency. Some of the people on the list are well known. Others work quietly, locally, or behind the scenes. Some are past MAIA winners. Others may never have heard of the MAIAs at all. We hope they know about us know.
What unites them is impact.
These are the people making money clearer, fairer, safer, and more humane, and in doing so, helping others make better decisions about their lives.
This is not a ranking. It is a recognition. An acknowledgment.
We publish the MAIA Change Makers list to say thank you, to make this work more visible, and to encourage more of it. Because if money needs to change, then the people making that change matter.
These are the MAIA Change Makers 2025.
Abigail Foster
Leading Financial Influencer and Author, United Kingdom
Abigail Foster, ACA is an ACA-qualified finance professional and the author of The Money Manual, known for making personal finance clear, practical, and accessible. She bridges the gap between popular money influencers and qualified finance professionals, bringing technical expertise into the spaces where most people actually learn about money.
Foster has interviewed senior political figures including Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer after the UK Budget, contributing to wider national conversations on financial understanding and policy.
Adele Atkinson
Professor of Practice in Financial Literacy and Wellbeing University of Birmingham
Professor Adele Atkinson teaches at CHASM – Centre on Household Assets and Savings Management at the University of Birmingham, and is one of the global field’s most influential practitioners. During her long tenure at the OECD – OCDE’s International Network on Financial Education (INFE), she led the development of internationally comparable measures of financial literacy and capability, including the OECD/INFE Surveys that now benchmark financial skills across dozens of countries.
She has supported national strategies in countries such as Indonesia and South Africa, with a strong emphasis on improving outcomes for women, young people, and underserved communities. Her current work continues to bridge research, policy, and implementation, shaping how governments and organisations design effective financial education and wellbeing interventions worldwide.
Professor Annamaria Lusardi
Academic and Founder of GFLEC, Italy / United States
Professor Annamaria Lusardi, Founder and Academic Director of the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center (GFLEC) and Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR), is a global authority on financial literacy and inclusion. Her groundbreaking research, including the widely recognized “Big Three” financial literacy questions, has shaped policy and education initiatives worldwide. She has advised governments, international organizations, and financial institutions, and also serves on the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Financial Education, promoting effective strategies to enhance financial capability.
Through her roles at GFLEC and SIEPR, she continues to pioneer innovative solutions, empowering individuals across generations and geographies to achieve financial resilience and informed economic decision-making. Bravissima!
Anu Raijas
Financial Literacy Adviser, Bank of Finland, Finland
Anu Raijas is a Financial Literacy Adviser at the Bank of Finland (Suomen Pankki – Finlands Bank), where she works on promoting financial literacy and supports the country’s national financial literacy strategy. She has led work related to Finland’s first national strategy to promote financial literacy and contributes to research and publications on household financial decision-making, consumption, and economic wellbeing. Raijas also writes and speaks publicly on financial capability topics and engages with international networks on improving financial skills and education.
Arese Ugwu
Author, Financial Educator and Producer, Nigeria
Arese Ugwu is the author of the bestselling books The Smart Money Woman and The Smart Money Tribe, and the executive producer of the hit Netflix series based on her work. Through her platform, Smart Money Africa, she has revolutionized financial literacy for African millennials, particularly women. Ugwu utilizes a compelling, narrative-driven approach across books, television, and digital media to break down complex financial concepts into relatable and actionable advice, empowering a generation to take control of their financial futures.
Becky Francis CBE
CEO, Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), United Kingdom
Professor Becky Francis CBE CBE is the Chief Executive of the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), where she leads the UK’s largest organisation dedicated to improving educational outcomes through high-quality evidence. She has held senior academic and policy roles across the sector and was appointed by the UK Government to chair the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review in 2024. That review recommended strengthening life-skills education in schools, including improved provision for financial literacy as part of the national curriculum. Under her leadership, the EEF continues to influence national policy and classroom practice, supporting teachers and schools to adopt research-informed approaches that help all children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to thrive.
Becky Holmes
Author and Scam Fighter, United Kingdom
Becky Holmes is a UK author, speaker, and fraud awareness expert best known for her book ‘Keanu Reeves Is Not In Love With You: The Murky World of Online Romance Fraud’. She is the creator of the popular Twitter/X account @deathtospinach, where she humorously exposes online romance scammers and highlights the emotional and financial harms they cause. Holmes uses her platform and public talks to raise awareness of online scams, combining wit with insight to help people recognise and avoid manipulative fraud tactics. We think Keanu would be in love with her, given half a chance.
Dr Brad Klontz
Professor of Financial Psychology, Heider College of Business, United States
Dr. Brad Klontz is a financial psychologist, CFP®, and national bestselling author whose work explores how trauma, emotions, and learned money scripts shape financial behaviour. He is a Professor of Financial Psychology and Behavioral Finance at Creighton University Heider College of Business, co-founder of the Financial Psychology Institute™, and author of Start Thinking Rich, alongside several other widely used books on money and mental health. Klontz’s teaching and media presence, including more than 150 million video views, have helped bring clinical insights about money, stress, and inherited financial beliefs into mainstream personal finance conversations, making him one of the most influential voices on the emotional drivers behind financial decision-making.
Dr Carly Sawatzki
Teacher Educator and Educational Researcher, Australia
Dr Carly Sawatzki works with preservice and practising teachers on curriculum, pedagogy, and real-world learning contexts at Deakin University’s School of Education in Australia. Her research focuses on how young people develop financial capability alongside numeracy and mathematics, and she has contributed to projects such as the Economics + Maths = Financial Capability research report that explores financial education in schools. Sawatzki’s work is recognised for supporting teachers to connect classroom learning with real-world financial contexts and for informing conversations about financial literacy teaching and learning in Australian education.
Dr Carly Urban
Professor of Economics, Montana State University, United States
Carly Urban is a leading researcher on how public policy shapes financial behaviour and wellbeing. Her work examines the real-world effects of financial education mandates, credit access, and the ways young people navigate financial transitions into adulthood. She is co-author of the major study The Devil is in the Details: State-mandated Personal Finance Education and Financial Well-being, which provides rare causal evidence that requiring a full-semester standalone personal finance course significantly improves young adults’ credit scores and both subjective and objective financial wellbeing, while flexible or embedded models do not.
Cecilie Fjellhøy
International Keynote Speaker on Fraud, Norway
Cecilie Fjellhøy is a Norwegian fraud-awareness advocate, author, and speaker whose lived experience of romance fraud has shaped global conversations about trust, resilience, and online safety. She first came to international attention through Netflix’s documentary The Tinder Swindler and now hosts Love Con Revenge, a documentary series that also airs on Netflix and follows her work with private investigator Brianne Joseph to expose romance scammers and support victims.
Fjellhøy is co-founder of LoveSaid and holds an MA in Digital Experience Design, using her professional training and personal story to push for systemic change and to help individuals better understand, recognise, and recover from manipulative online fraud.
Danny de Hek
Investigative Journalist, New Zealand
Danny de Hek is a New Zealand-based investigative journalist and OSINT researcher best known for exposing frauds, Ponzi schemes, and high-risk online investment scams through his YouTube channel and podcast. His work has been featured by The New York Times, Bloomberg, The Guardian Australia, ABC News Australia, and Radio New Zealand, and he uses open-source intelligence to name and document deceptive actors and questionable financial schemes.
De Hek’s investigations into crypto-related Ponzi schemes, alleged pyramid frauds, and other organised scams aim to protect the public and raise awareness of financial risk, making him a prominent voice in global anti-scam reporting.
David Whitelaw
Vice President, Strategy & Programs, Social Impact & Sustainability at Visa, United States
David Whitelaw drives Visa’s global efforts to expand financial inclusion, digital equity, and community impact. He plays a key role in shaping Visa’s social impact agenda, including contributing to the Visa Foundation’s inaugural Impact Report, which highlights the Foundation’s global grant-making and investment in small and micro-business resilience.
Whitelaw also serves as a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council, representing Visa in international discussions on financial education, inclusion, and sustainability, and he regularly works with partners to design and scale programmes that support underserved communities.
Emmanuel Asuquo
Financial Adviser and Advocate, United Kingdom
Emmanuel Asuquo is a UK-based financial adviser, TV personality, public speaker, and author known for making personal finance accessible and engaging across media platforms. He provides clear, practical guidance through his financial literacy coaching and events, and is increasingly featured as an expert across major UK broadcasters, offering commentary and advice on everyday money issues.
Asuquo also hosts workshops, live events, and online content that help people build confidence in their financial decisions, using his media presence and approachable style to support more inclusive and empowering conversations about personal finance.
Fatoumata Ba
Investor and Entrepreneur, Senegal
Fatoumata Ba is a Senegalese entrepreneur, investor, and board chair recognised for her leadership in digital innovation and women-centred economic empowerment across Africa. She is the founder and executive chair of Janngo Capital, which builds and invests in technology platforms that create opportunities for women and underserved communities, and she has been named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, a Choiseul 100 Africa laureate, and a Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 honouree.
Ba’s work focuses on scaling women-led digital finance and inclusive tech solutions, and she continues to shape policy and investment conversations on how technology can accelerate development and financial access across the continent.
Flore-Ann Messy
Head of the Financial Affairs Division, OECD, France
Flore-Ann Messy leads the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) work on financial education and consumer protection, managing the OECD International Network on Financial Education (INFE), which includes over 120 countries. She is a central figure in shaping global financial literacy standards and policies, overseeing the development of influential tools such as the G20/OECD High-Level Principles on Financial Consumer Protection and the PISA financial literacy assessments.
Her work directly influences how governments worldwide approach and implement financial education for their citizens.
Frances Yong
Anti-Scam Campaigner, Singapore
Frances Yong is the founder of WhiteByte.org and an award-winning anti-scam advocate whose work focuses on public education, cyber integrity, and protecting communities from fast-evolving digital threats. She leads national-scale public scam-awareness campaigns that combine behavioural insight, public engagement, and clear communication to help people recognise and avoid online fraud, and in 2025 she was recognised as an Anti-Scam MAIA winner for her contribution to public safety.
Yong’s work bridges technology, human behaviour, and digital inclusion, and her growing interest in cyber psychology informs the programmes and resources she creates to support safer online habits across diverse communities.
Giovanna Paladino
Curator of the Museo del Risparmio, Italy
Giovanna Paladino is an Italian economist who serves as Group Executive Director and Head of the Technical Secretariat of the Presidency at Intesa Sanpaolo, as well as Director and Curator of the Museo del Risparmio in Turin and Senior Director of the Fondo Beneficenza Office at Intesa Sanpaolo. Under her leadership, the Museo del Risparmio — Italy’s first financial-education museum, which uses interactive exhibits and edutainment to teach people about saving, budgeting, and financial decision-making — was highlighted by the Financial Times in 2025 as a model for engaging children and adults in learning about money amid broader concerns about financial literacy in Europe.
Her contributions connect policy, education, and community engagement in ways that address cultural and structural barriers to financial understanding and support long-term efforts to improve financial capability across generations.
Goh Pei Ming
Minister of State for Home Affairs and Social and Family Development, Singapore
Goh Pei Ming is a Singaporean Member of Parliament and Minister of State for Home Affairs and for Social and Family Development, where he plays a central role in Singapore’s national anti-scam strategy. He oversees public-education and “edutainment” initiatives that help Singaporeans recognise and avoid scams.
In a landmark move, he announced Singapore’s first enforcement action under the Online Criminal Harms Act, requiring major social-media platforms to introduce anti-scam safeguards or face financial penalties. This step is significant for global scam prevention, as it establishes a new standard for holding platforms accountable and strengthens frontline efforts to stop scams at their source.
Hieu Minh Ngo
Cyber Threat Investigator, Vietnam
Hieu Minh Ngo, widely known as Hiếu PC, is a Vietnamese cybersecurity specialist and Cyber Threat Investigator at TRM Labs, and one of the founders of ChongLuaDao, a nonprofit initiative created to help people verify websites and avoid online scams. After returning to Vietnam in 2020 following his conviction and imprisonment in the United States for identity-related cybercrime, he joined the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) as a technical expert, focusing on combating fraud and strengthening public cyber awareness.
ChongLuaDao, launched at the end of 2020, has grown into one of Vietnam’s most active community-driven anti-scam platforms, helping millions of users identify and block dangerous sites. His trajectory — from offender to one of Vietnam’s most prominent anti-scam advocates — continues to shape national and regional efforts to protect users from fast-evolving digital threats.
Hilda Moraa
Founder and CEO, Pezesha, Kenya
Hilda Moraa is the founder and CEO of Pezesha, a pan-African fintech platform that provides blended digital financing and financial education to small and micro-enterprises across Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, and Nigeria. Under her leadership Pezesha has built one of Africa’s most trusted credit-scoring and financing infrastructures for underserved businesses, and in 2025 the company expanded its regional footprint through new partnerships with banks and digital platforms aimed at increasing access to affordable working capital for women- and youth-led SMEs.
Moraa, a former winner of the Cartier Women’s Initiative Award and a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, continues to champion responsible digital lending, data-driven financial inclusion, and sustainable SME growth across Africa’s emerging markets.
Imade Bibowei-Osuobeni
Public Policy and Digital Economy Adviser, Nigeria
Imade Bibowei-Osuobeni, Executive Director of Tech Herfrica, is a leading advocate for financial literacy, inclusion, and digital empowerment in Nigeria. At Tech Herfrica, she champions initiatives that bridge the gender gap in technology and finance, including the recently launched RuralMarket Fund, a non-interest scheme supporting rural women entrepreneurs with access to capital and digital tools.
She also contributes to The New Institute’s research on shared entrepreneurship and digital support within the OKOBI framework, focusing on how inclusive models can strengthen business sustainability and community prosperity. Her work advances digital literacy, access to financial services, and economic resilience for underserved communities across Nigeria.
Jocel De Guzman
Co-founder of Scam Watch Pilipinas, Philippines
Jocel De Guzman is a Philippine communications strategist and co-founder of Scam Watch Pilipinas, where he co-leads nationwide grassroots campaigns to raise public awareness about digital fraud. He works with government agencies, schools, and community groups to deliver large-scale education initiatives, and recently helped launch a national anti-scam campaign ahead of the Christmas rush, warning the public about the “Top 12 Scams of Christmas”.
De Guzman is also a frequent media resource on consumer protection and digital safety, using clear communication and community outreach to strengthen the country’s frontline defences against fast-evolving online threats.
John Hope Bryant
Founder and CEO of Operation HOPE, United States
John Hope Bryant is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE, a US nonprofit dedicated to financial literacy, economic empowerment, and inclusive opportunity. In 2025 Bryant was recognised as one of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Leaders in Business, and he also announced targeted scholarships of up to $1.25 million to support Black entrepreneurs in Los Angeles through the 1MBB programme, underscoring his ongoing efforts to widen economic participation and generational wealth building.
Under his leadership, the organisation’s flagship One Million Black Businesses initiative continues to support tens of thousands of Black-owned enterprises and has expanded through partnerships with SCORE and other national networks to bring mentorship, training, and capital access to entrepreneurs across the United States. Through initiatives like HOPE Inside and HOPE AI, a new national strategy for inclusive financial and AI literacy, Bryant continues to bridge financial education, technology, and community impact to foster equitable economic resilience and empowerment.
John Pelletier
Director of the Center for Financial Literacy, United States
John Pelletier is the Director of the Center for Financial Literacy at Champlain College, where he leads national research and educator support to improve financial education in U.S. schools. He oversees the Center’s influential “National Report Card on State Efforts to Improve Financial Literacy in High Schools™”, which grades every state on whether it requires standalone personal finance instruction—a benchmark widely used by policymakers and advocates to track reform.
In 2025 he expanded the Center’s work by launching a free nationwide professional-development programme to help teachers adopt high-quality financial literacy curricula, strengthening the pipeline of trained educators and accelerating state-level progress toward universal personal finance education.
Jorij Abraham
Managing Director, Global Anti-Scam Alliance, Netherlands
Jorij Abraham is Managing Director of the Global Anti Scam Alliance (GASA), an international nonprofit dedicated to preventing consumers worldwide from falling victim to scams and online fraud. He coordinates cross-border collaboration among governments, platforms, and law-enforcement agencies, and in 2025 helped expand GASA’s Global Anti-Scam Intelligence Sharing Network, strengthening real-time data exchange and joint responses to transnational scam operations.
Abraham also oversees the growth of ScamAdviser.com and GASA’s global research, using data-driven insights and multi-stakeholder partnerships to support smarter regulation, better public awareness, and more effective protection for consumers across jurisdictions.
Karthik Rangappa
Chief of Education at Zerodha, India
Karthik Rangappa is the Chief of Education – Education Services at Zerodha and the creator of Varsity, India’s most widely used free platform for learning personal finance and investing. Through Varsity’s structured, jargon-free modules and practical market explainers, he has helped millions of retail investors build confidence in understanding equities, risk, derivatives, and long-term portfolio behaviour.
Rangappa continues to expand Zerodha’s education ecosystem with new content and tools designed to simplify complex financial concepts, supporting India’s fast-growing community of first-time and retail investors in making informed, responsible investment decisions.
Kitboga
Creator and Host of The Kitboga Show, Global
Kitboga is the creator and host of The Kitboga Show, a live online programme that uses humour, improvised characters, and real-time interactions to expose scammers and teach the public how modern fraud schemes operate. Streaming on Twitch and YouTube, he walks viewers through the tactics used in tech-support scams, refund scams, impersonation fraud, and digital cons, demystifying their methods while reducing shame for victims.
In 2025 his show continued to grow as a leading public-awareness platform, helping millions understand how scams unfold and empowering audiences to recognise and avoid them through clear explanation, entertainment, and sustained public education.
Koshiek Karan
Author, Entrepreneur and Media Commentator, South Africa
Koshiek Karan is a dynamic voice in modern finance, known for his ability to make complex financial topics accessible and engaging for millennials and Gen Z. He is an award-winning TV show host and the founder of BankerX, a media and technology company focused on financial education.
As a prominent media commentator and social media influencer, Karan demystifies financial jargon and provides timely, practical insights that empower young people to navigate the economy and build wealth with confidence.
Leon Ward
Chief Executive Officer of Money Ready, United Kingdom
Leon Ward, Chief Executive Officer of Money Ready, has been instrumental in delivering impactful financial education programmes to young people, particularly those in vulnerable circumstances. Money Ready is the new name for MyBnk, and in 2025 it also merged with RedSTART Educate, bringing together two of the UK’s leading financial education charities to expand reach and impact nationwide.
MyBnk’s groundbreaking project, The Money House, which prepares young people transitioning from care or social housing for independent living, was recognised by the MAIAs in 2024 for its innovative and transformative approach to financial education. Leon also presented to the UK Government, advocating for the integration of financial education into primary schools. His efforts continue to drive meaningful change, equipping young people with the skills needed for long-term financial resilience and success.
Leora Klapper
Lead Economist, World Bank, United States
Leora Klapper is Lead Economist in the Finance and Private Sector Research Team of the Development Research Group at the World Bank and one of the world’s foremost experts on financial inclusion and household finance. She founded the Global Findex Database — the authoritative global measure of how adults save, borrow, make payments, and manage financial risk — and in 2025 the World Bank released the Global Findex Database 2025, introducing new insights on financial account ownership, digital connectivity, and transactions across 141 economies, with expanded analysis on mobile phone and internet access as drivers of inclusion.
Klapper’s research spans fintech, digital financial services, gender gaps, and the real-world impacts of inclusion policies, influencing governments, international organisations, and development practitioners seeking to expand access to formal financial tools and support resilient livelihoods worldwide.
Mayada El-Zoghbi
Managing Director, Center for Financial Inclusion, United States
Mayada El-Zoghbi is a world-renowned expert in financial inclusion, serving as the Managing Director of the Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI). With decades of experience, including a long tenure at the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), she has been at the forefront of building inclusive financial systems that serve the world’s most vulnerable populations.
El-Zoghbi leads critical research and advocacy on topics like data risks, consumer protection, and the impact of fintech, guiding financial service providers and policymakers to create a more equitable and responsible financial ecosystem.
Nandini Sukumar
Chief Executive Officer, World Federation of Exchanges, United Kingdom
Nandini Sukumar is the Chief Executive Officer of the World Federation of Exchanges, the global trade association of regulated exchanges and central counterparties representing more than 250 market infrastructure organisations worldwide. In her role she guides the federation’s work to educate stakeholders on the importance of market infrastructures in the economy, promote coordination among exchange operators, and support dialogue on developments shaping global markets.
Under her leadership the federation drives global investor-education initiatives, including World Investor Week and the Ring the Bell for Financial Literacy campaign. In 2025, fifty seven exchanges around the world took part in Ring the Bell, holding bell ringing ceremonies that underline the importance of financial literacy, investor protection and awareness of digital finance risks.
Nicolas Boucher
Trainer and Influencer, Germany
Nicolas Boucher is the founder of the CFO Excellence Program and 365 Financially, where he focuses on bringing clear and practical finance education to a global audience. He creates content followed by more than 1 million people on LinkedIn and has built one of the world’s largest online communities dedicated to strengthening financial understanding and capability among professionals.
His work centres on making finance accessible, actionable and directly useful for people who want to build confidence in financial decision making. Through his programmes and daily educational content he helps professionals improve their financial skills and deepen their impact inside organisations. His commitment to practical learning and open access to financial knowledge continues to support thousands of individuals as they develop their capabilities and navigate increasingly complex financial environments.
Opunimi Akinkugbe
Financial Educator, Entrepreneur and Diplomat, Nigeria
Opunimi Akinkugbe is a veteran financial educator and the founder of MoneyMatters with Nimi, a leading personal finance platform. She innovatively promotes financial literacy as the CEO of Bestman Games, the African distributor of Hasbro’s Monopoly, creating localized editions like the City of Lagos version to teach financial principles.
A former banking executive and Nigeria’s recent Ambassador to Greece, Akinkugbe leverages her deep expertise across finance, entrepreneurship, and public service to champion financial wellness and wealth creation.
Patrick Graboviy
High School Senior, North Oldham High School, Kentucky, United States
Patrick Graboviy is a youth advocate for stronger personal finance education. In 2025 he advocated for and championed House Bill 342, legislation requiring all public school students in Kentucky to complete a personal finance course before graduating. He supported the bill through testimony and direct engagement with lawmakers, and his efforts helped move financial literacy to the forefront of education policy in the state.
His work began through involvement with the Kentucky Financial Empowerment Commission, where he saw the need for practical financial education for young people. His advocacy contributed to Kentucky adopting a more comprehensive approach to financial literacy for future graduates, and he remains active in efforts to ensure students gain the skills they need to navigate financial decisions in their daily lives.
Patricia Suárez Ramírez
Founder, President and CEO of ASUFIN, Spain
Patricia Suárez Ramírezis the Founder, President and CEO of ASUFIN, a Spanish association dedicated to consumer protection, financial education and sustainable finance. She leads initiatives that improve transparency in financial products and support fair treatment for financial users, while promoting practical financial and digital education across Spain.
Through ASUFIN she works to strengthen consumer rights and provide individuals with tools to make informed financial decisions. She represents consumers in the Banking Stakeholder Group of the European Banking Authority and serves as Vice-President of the Financial Services User Group at the European Commission, where she contributes to policy discussions that shape the financial environment for users across Europe. Her work continues to advance financial education, protection and inclusion, supporting individuals as they navigate increasingly complex financial systems.
Peter Asare Nyarko
Executive Director, Centre for Financial Literacy Education Africa (CFLE Africa), Ghana Peter Asare Nyarko is Executive Director of the Centre for Financial Literacy Education Africa (CFLE Africa), where he leads efforts to develop and promote financial literacy skills across the continent. Through CFLE Africa’s programmes and advocacy, he supports initiatives that help individuals, especially young people and women, gain practical financial knowledge and make informed financial decisions. His work encompasses public speaking, educational content and community engagement designed to expand financial awareness and inclusion in African communities. In 2025 he was honoured with the Social Entrepreneur Award at the 6th Mentorship & Volunteerism Excellence Awards in acknowledgement of his leadership in driving financial empowerment and social development.
Pierogi
Scammer Payback, United States
Scammer Payback, known publicly as Pierogi, is a cybersecurity specialist and scam-baiter who exposes online fraud and educates the public through his widely followed YouTube channel. His work focuses on revealing how refund scams, tech-support scams and impersonation frauds operate, using technical methods to interrupt scam activity and demonstrate the tactics scammers use to exploit victims.
Through detailed walkthroughs and real-time interactions with scammers, he helps viewers understand the warning signs of online fraud and how to protect themselves. He has built a global audience of millions by combining technical skill with a clear educational mission, often sharing insights with law-enforcement when appropriate and advocating for stronger public awareness around digital safety. His videos highlight real vulnerabilities exploited by scammers and provide practical guidance for individuals, especially older and more vulnerable users, to navigate online environments more safely.
Dr. Pushpa Wood
Director of the Westpac Massey Fin-Ed Centre, New Zealand
Dr. Pushpa Wood ONZM is the Director of the NZ Fin-Centre at Massey University, where she leads work to strengthen financial capability and develop evidence-based financial education resources. Her research and advocacy focus on improving financial skills and behaviour among diverse groups, including migrants, women and young people, and she has contributed to national conversations on financial literacy and capability through her previous role at the Commission for Financial Literacy and Retirement Income.
She works closely with policymakers, educators and community organisations to embed financial literacy into public programmes and educational settings.
Quentin Nason
Founder, City Pay It Forward, United States and United Kingdom
Quentin Nason is a financial education advocate and founder of City Pay It Forward, a charity delivering practical financial literacy programmes to young people in the United Kingdom and the United States. He works to help education leaders, industry experts and volunteers bring financial capability lessons into classrooms, reaching thousands of students with programmes that simplify core money skills and build confidence for young learners.
In 2025 he was appointed Vice Chair of The London Foundation for Banking & Finance, where he contributes to efforts to expand financial literacy nationwide, including supporting the integration of financial education into the national curriculum. His recent initiatives include the Year Six Dividend, a partnership with City A.M. that introduces children to saving, investing and long-term financial thinking through a simple learning model designed to support every Year 6 class in the country.
Roeland Monasch
Chief Executive Officer of Aflatoun International, Netherlands Roeland Monasch celebrated his 10th year as Chief Executive Officer of Aflatoun International, a global organisation dedicated to providing social and financial education to children and young people. Under his leadership Aflatoun works with partners in more than 100 countries to deliver programmes that teach essential skills such as saving, budgeting, entrepreneurship and social responsibility. These programmes help young people build the financial understanding and confidence needed to make informed choices and participate fully in their communities. Aflatoun collaborates with ministries of education, non-governmental organisations and international bodies to embed social and financial education into learning systems, reaching millions of children each year. The impact of this work is also reflected in the number of Aflatoun partners who appear among winners of category awards at the MAIAs.
Shelley Doorey-Williams
Chief Executive Officer, The London Foundation for Banking and Finance, United Kingdom Shelley Doorey-Williams is Chief Executive Officer of The London Foundation for Banking & Finance, where she leads work to advance financial capability and inclusion across the United Kingdom. Since taking up the role in 2024 she has guided the foundation’s research and educational programmes, with a strong emphasis on evidence-driven approaches to improving financial understanding among young people and adults. In 2025 she oversaw the publication of a landmark national study on financial capability and the release of findings from the Young Persons’ Money Index, highlighting financial confidence and learning needs among UK teenagers. She also led the foundation in hosting the UK’s first Gala Awards for Financial Capability in June 2025, recognising organisations that are improving financial education nationwide.
Surya Banda
Vice President, Creador Foundation, India
Surya Banda is Vice President of the Creador Foundation, where he works on the development and delivery of Multiply, a digital financial education platform created to improve financial awareness for low- and lower-middle-income households. His work focuses on using technology and accessible content to strengthen financial capability, with a particular emphasis on reaching women and supporting first-time learners.
Multiply provides free guidance on personal and business finance, budgeting and financial decision-making, helping individuals build practical knowledge and greater financial confidence. Multiply by Creador Foundation was recognised at the Money Awareness and Inclusion Awards in 2025 for its impact on gender inclusion and for its work in developing economies. The Creador Foundation, established by Brahmal Vasudevan, continues to invest in education and financial capability programmes across the region.
Tony Thurmond
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, United States
Tony Thurmond is the California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, where he has been a steadfast advocate for integrating personal finance education into the state’s public school system. Under his leadership the California Department of Education supported the passage of Assembly Bill 2927 in June 2024, adding a stand-alone personal finance course to the high school graduation requirements beginning with the class of 2030–31.
In 2025 work toward implementing this requirement continued with the development of the Personal Finance Curriculum Guide. The California State Board of Education and the Instructional Quality Commission approved timeline milestones and opened a public comment period on the draft guide to shape the detailed curriculum that will support districts in offering the course.
Veronica Frisancho Robles
Chief Economist at CAF – Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina
Veronica Frisancho Robles is Chief Economist at CAF – Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina, where she leads economic analysis and research to support sustainable development and financial inclusion across Latin America and the Caribbean. Through her role she contributes to CAF’s strategic research agenda on economic growth, social development and financial capability, producing evidence that informs policy dialogue and institutional decision-making.
In 2025 she co-authored CAF research on the long-term impacts of school-based financial education and related working papers, advancing understanding of how financial education affects economic behaviour over time. She also participates in global initiatives such as the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Financial Education. Her academic work continues to inform policy development that promotes financial literacy, economic empowerment and inclusive growth throughout the region.
Vicky Reynal
Author and Financial Psychotherapist, United Kingdom
Vicky Reynal is a leading voice in financial therapy and financial wellbeing, recognised for her work in helping individuals understand the emotional and behavioural dimensions of money. She received a MAIA Award in 2024 for her contribution to improving public understanding of financial wellbeing and for bringing therapeutic perspectives into mainstream financial conversations.
In 2025 she became a columnist for The Times, where she writes about the psychological side of money and the practical challenges people face in managing their financial lives. Through her clinical work and writing she continues to broaden awareness of the emotional drivers behind financial decisions, offering insights that help people build healthier relationships with money.
Wadzanai (Wadzi) Nenzou
Scam Stories Curator at Our Scam Stories, Australia
Wadzanai (Wadzi) Nenzou is a financial educator and advocate based in Australia who focuses on empowering individuals, particularly women, to build financial confidence and capability through education and storytelling. She is the founder of Herconomics, a mission-driven initiative that supports women in developing personal wealth skills and shares diverse money stories to normalise conversations about finance.
Her work encompasses creating educational content that demystifies financial topics and encourages practical action toward financial wellbeing. She also engages in public awareness around investment and financial scams as part of her broader financial education efforts, featured in discussions and media about scam recognition and protection.
Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi
Chief Executive Officer, Securities and Commodities Authority, United Arab Emirates
His Excellency Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi is Chief Executive Officer of the Securities and Commodities Authority of the United Arab Emirates, appointed by Federal Decree effective 4 February 2025. In this role he leads the UAE’s primary regulator for securities and commodities markets, where he works to strengthen regulatory standards, market integrity and investor protection across the country’s financial ecosystem.
His leadership builds on many years at the Dubai Financial Services Authority, where he served as Chief Operating Officer and contributed to regulatory excellence and operational innovation.
In 2025 Al Awadhi expanded his influence on regional financial regulation by being elected Chair of the Africa and Middle East Regional Committee of the International Organization of Securities Commissions, enhancing cooperation among regional regulators. Under his direction the SCA introduced a licensing framework for financial influencers, aimed at improving transparency and safeguarding retail investors in the digital financial advice space.
Dr Ylva Baeckström
Senior Lecturer in Finance, King’s Business School, Sweden
Dr Ylva Baeckström is a Senior Lecturer in Finance at King’s Business School, King’s College London, and a researcher focused on behavioural finance and gender inequality in financial services. Her academic work examines how gender influences financial advice, investor behaviour and participation in financial markets, and she has contributed to research demonstrating the persistence of gender bias in finance. She has also delivered public talks and written on how systemic inequalities affect women as investors and professionals in the finance industry.
Her research has been featured in media and academic forums and includes analysis of why women invest less than men and how financial services structures contribute to unequal outcomes. She is author of Gender and Finance: Addressing Inequality in the Financial Services Industry and continues to publish and speak on strategies to reduce bias and promote greater inclusion and equity in the financial sector.
The MAIA Money Changers list celebrates individuals and organizations who have made significant strides in reshaping the landscape of financial literacy and inclusion. The list is compiled with the goal of recognizing those who are not only challenging conventional views on money and finance but also creating tangible change that empowers individuals and communities worldwide.
By highlighting these changemakers, we aim to inspire further innovation, collaboration, and growth within the field, fostering a future where financial knowledge is accessible to all. The Money Changers are selected by the MAIAs team based on their leadership, impact, and dedication to improving financial education, transforming attitudes, and dismantling barriers to financial empowerment.
The MAIA Money Changers does not replace the Money Awareness and Inclusion Awards, which are submissions-based and judged by an esteemed external panel. Submissions will open on enter.maiawards.org on January 1.