Equifax names WEX executive Melissa Smith to Board of Directors

By Pavithra R

Equifax, an American multinational consumer credit reporting agency, has announced the appointment of Melissa D. Smith, chair, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and president of WEX to its Board of Directors (BODs). She was also appointed to the board’s Governance Committee. Equifax BODs has also announced the retirement of Elane B. Stock, who recently assumed the role of CEO at ServiceMaster Brands.

Smith joined WEX, a global payment processing and information services provider in 1997 and held several senior leadership positions across diverse aspects of the business. Since 2014, She served as president and CEO and from 2019 as the WEX board chair. Ms Smith, under her leadership as CEO in WEX, has doubled its revenues. She has been instrumental in the company’s strategic growth, overseeing major acquisitions, international expansion, and technology investments . Among other roles, she served as CFO for 10 years during which time she spearheaded the company’s initial public offering (IPO) in 2005. Smith began her career as an auditor at Ernst & Young.

“We are thrilled to welcome Melissa as a new independent director on our board. Her strategic vision and broad-based executive leadership experience in the financial technology solutions industry will benefit Equifax as we continue investing in our cloud technology transformation to drive new product innovation and growth,” said Mark W. Begor, CEO of Equifax.

Ms Smith also brings a history of involvement in extensive non-profit work, including serving as a trustee of Maine Health and as a former board member for the Center for Grieving Children. In 2010, she co-founded sheJAMS, an all female training club that allows women to train together in a non competitive spirit. Smith holds a bachelor’s of science from the University of Maine, where she studied business administration and accounting.

“Melissa is a strong business leader who brings both operational and financial expertise, gained over two decades of experience in a business driven by data and analytics. Her background and skill set will be invaluable to the Equifax board of directors in its oversight of the company’s continued strategic growth,” said Mark L. Feidler, non-executive chairman of Equifax.

Established since 1899, Equifax is a global data, analytics, and technology company. It operates or has investments in 25 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region.