Washington, D.C. – January 20, 2026: The Alliance for Innovative Regulation (AIR) announced the hiring of Nat Weber as Chief Development & Impact Officer for the Americas and the promotion of Shelley Anderson to the role of Chief Development & Impact Officer for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia (EMEAA). Both Nat and Shelley are veteran former regulators from the United States and the United Kingdom, respectively. Their appointments reflect both AIR’s continued global expansion and its growing work helping regulators keep pace with the technology transformation of the financial sector.
Nat Weber joins AIR as Chief Development & Impact Officer for the Americas, bringing deep experience at the intersection of financial innovation, regulation and public-private collaboration. Most recently at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Nat led the agency’s external engagement with innovators, helping catalyze the launch of dozens of financial products through hackathons and accelerator programs while addressing regulatory barriers and market gaps. He also played a central role in modernizing consumer financial policy and strengthened cross-border regulatory coordination through leadership with the Global Financial Innovation Network (GFIN). Nat previously served in the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the White House. At AIR, he will focus on advancing strategic partnerships, strengthening development efforts across the Americas, and supporting responsible innovation that improves financial systems and consumer outcomes.
AIR is also proud to promote Shelley Anderson to the role of Chief Development & Impact Officer for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia (EMEAA). She joined AIR in 2022 as a Program Director after spending 16 years at the U.K.’s Financial Conduct Authority. Shelley has been instrumental in AIR’s growth, particularly in emerging markets, with work spanning digital financial inclusion for women in India, combatting digital payment fraud in West Africa, advancing stablecoin readiness in Africa, and strengthening data in consumer financial markets.
With these appointments, Nat and Shelley will join AIR’s senior leadership team, working alongside CEO & Co-founder Jo Ann Barefoot, Chief Innovation Officer Nick Cook, and Chief Program & Business Officer Kisha Perkins to guide the organization’s strategic growth and global engagement. Together, the expanded leadership team brings complementary expertise across policy, innovation, partnerships, and operations, strengthening AIR’s ability to advance regulatory innovation and deliver impact across regions and markets.
“As AIR continues to grow, we are investing in leadership that reflects both the increasingly global scope of our work and rising demand from regulators for help with their own tech-driven opportunities and challenges,” says Jo Ann Barefoot, CEO and Co-founder of AIR. “Nat and Shelley bring complementary strengths, deep credibility and a shared commitment to responsible innovation. Their leadership will help ensure AIR remains a trusted partner to policymakers, regulators, and innovators working to strengthen financial systems and improve outcomes for people and communities around the world,” she continues.
These leadership appointments follow the retirement of Randy Repka, AIR’s Chief Growth Officer, who has been with the organization since nearly its founding.
AIR is now poised to deepen its work across regions, accelerate new partnerships, and advance upcoming initiatives focused on regulatory innovation, financial health and emerging technologies. We look forward to sharing more in the months ahead as AIR continues to support regulators and innovators navigating complex, rapidly evolving financial systems.
To stay informed about AIR’s work and upcoming initiatives, follow the Alliance for Innovative Regulation on social media and subscribe to AIR’s email newsletter.
The Alliance for Innovative Regulation (AIR) is a nonprofit, non-membership organization working to make the financial system fully inclusive, fair and resilient through responsible use of new technology. By connecting regulation, finance, technology and society, AIR drives global innovation and collaboration to address rapid technology change.
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