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Wells Fargo’s Kerri Grosslight is EVP of risk management
“I like problem-solving,” she says, and her role of risk management and compliance in technology and operations “focuses on identifying and solving problems”
 Risk management has been defined as the identification, assessment and prioritization of risks, followed by the application of resources to mitigate them. In some cases you might call it the art of solving problems to be sure your customers receive the best value and service. Either way, it’s an exciting challenge for Kerri Grosslight, executive VP of risk management and compliance for the technology, operations and corporate staff groups of Wells Fargo (San Francisco, CA).
Risk management is an important part of the IT process. But risk management goes beyond IT, and so Grosslight’s team examines a range of issues across the Wells Fargo groups she’s responsible for.
Leadership focused on managing
“I’m in a leadership role focused on partnering and managerial responsibilities,” she explains. “But in former jobs I was leading very technical teams, and that hands-on knowledge has been an asset in my risk management role. I partner with technology leaders and understand the work they do.
“In fact, my IT background helps me understand the common proprietary software tools we use to monitor and record risks.”
Grosslight’s team of 200-plus directly supports more than 30,000 people throughout Wells Fargo, but their work has an impact across the entire enterprise. Compared with technology groups she’s managed in the past her current team is smaller, but her sphere of influence is much broader. Partnership is critical, Grosslight says, because “Basically the key role for our organization is to understand how to interpret corporate policy and help people adhere to it.”
Her days are filled with key decisions that drive a “culture of accountability” across Wells Fargo’s workforce. Her management style is “very hands-on,” she says. “Every opportunity to work with people is also an opportunity to mentor them.
“I believe in developing people’s strengths. It’s core to who I am as well as to Wells Fargo and our vision and values. I love building highly performing teams and that’s a matter of putting the right leaders together, understanding strengths and complementing one another.”
Enjoying the change
Grosslight finds the changing landscape of risk management very enjoyable. She thrives on the pace and adrenaline rush of finding creative ways to solve problems.
“When you look at the bigger picture, there’s so much happening with legal and regulatory change and the economy and all the other pressures. It’s an exciting time! I like problem solving and the role of risk management is focused on identifying and helping to solve problems.”
Starting out
Grosslight didn’t start in technology. She graduated from the University of California-Los Angeles in 1981 with a BA in English lit. But during school she did an internship with a startup technology company. Her English major’s job of putting together a newsletter evolved into developing training materials for the new company’s IT organization, then running the training classes, and that led to program management.
“A hardcore sciences background wasn’t really essential for me,” she says. “It’s really more about critical thinking, and that applies to whatever you’re specializing in.”
Into finance
In 1984 she moved into financial services, working for First Interstate Bancorp (San Francisco, CA), which has since merged with Wells Fargo. As a program manager in the electronic banking division she implemented a number of large-scale telecom projects. Voicemail and fiber optics were new, and, working with a matrixed team, she led the core program to install the technologies.
In 1996 Grosslight took a break from financial services, working in consulting, first for a utility company and then as a strategic account exec with Wells Fargo as her client. In 2002 she took her technology and operations expertise back to Wells Fargo.
“It felt like coming home, because many of the people I had worked with previously were now in leadership roles. I had a really interesting job: putting together a shared-services organization for technology and operations.”
Network and participate
Grosslight is pleased that Wells Fargo encourages work/life balance for its employees. Technology and operations group team members are spread across the country. Working virtually is a way of life and telecommuting is supported in many cases, she adds.
Her best advice to other technical pros is to network and take part in mentoring relationships. “Both having a mentor and being one is invaluable,” Grosslight says.
“A couple of other things are key. Don’t pass up the opportunity to move just because it’s lateral rather than vertical. If you move laterally, your new skills can help broaden your experience and prepare you for a bigger role in the future.
“And don’t pass up the opportunity to manage a smaller organization. You never know when your sphere of influence will broaden.”
D/C
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