Stephanie Ferris Takes Over as FIS CEO; Leadership Transition Marks Strategic Continuity for Fintech Giant

Leadership Shake-up at FIS: The financial technology powerhouse has officially promoted Stephanie Ferris to the helm, with the veteran executive stepping into the FIS CEO role starting January 1, 2023. Her predecessor, Gary Norcross, transitions to Executive Chairman as the company navigates its next growth phase.

Who’s Taking the Wheel? Ferris isn’t exactly a newcomer—she’s logged nearly three decades in the fintech sector and has been steering FIS’s President operations, managing everything from global business strategy to M&A activity. Her track record includes orchestrating the integration of Worldpay into FIS, a move that exceeded both revenue and cost synergy targets. Under her watch, the company now serves over 14,000 clients across 100+ countries, cementing FIS’s position as a heavyweight in financial technology.

The Passing of the Baton Norcross, who held the FIS CEO title for eight years and served as Chairman since 2018, isn’t stepping back entirely. His new role as Executive Chairman keeps him embedded in the company’s strategic direction. During his tenure, FIS morphed from a $6 billion operation into a $14 billion global enterprise. The company pioneered cloud-scale deployments across the fintech industry, rolled out modernization initiatives grounded in API architecture, and secured the top spot in IDC Financial Insights FinTech Rankings nine times in the past dozen years—quite the resume boost.

What This Means for FIS The board is clearly confident in the transition. Jeff Goldstein, FIS’s Lead Independent Director, notes that this succession plan represents years of deliberate planning and strategic thinking. The board views Ferris’s appointment as positioning FIS to continue leading fintech innovation without missing a beat. With Norcross remaining as Executive Chairman and Ferris driving the FIS CEO agenda, the company aims to maintain its trajectory while Ferris charts the company’s strategic course.

Recognition and Market Position FIS has consistently ranked among the industry elite—Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies, Fast Company’s 100 Best Companies for Innovators, and persistent leadership in fintech provider rankings. This leadership change happens against a backdrop of strong market positioning and industry recognition.

Earnings Outlook Looking ahead to Q3, management expects revenues and adjusted earnings per share to hover within guidance ranges, with revenue landing near the midpoint and earnings on the lower end. More detailed forward guidance and strategic insights will surface during the company’s upcoming Q3 earnings call.