Caroline Thomas

Caroline Thomas is an internationally recognized innovation expert and speaker specializing in the governance, adoption, and societal impact of emerging technologies. Her work focuses on translating complex technologies into scalable, responsible market opportunities across financial services, business and government ecosystems.

She advises multinational corporations and NGOs on innovation strategy, technology governance and market adoption. She previously held senior leadership roles including Global Director of Innovation at Barclays and Digital Transformation Lead at American Express, where she led large-scale transformation initiatives in highly regulated environments.

Caroline plays a leading role in developing international technology standards. She serves as an ISO Convenor and Strategic Leadership roles across fintech, supply chain and sustainability, contributing to frameworks that shape interoperability, trust and accountability in emerging and converging technologies. Her publications include ISO/TC 307 DLT/blockchain use cases and the EUOS Report, Digital Trust in Artificial Intelligence. She continues to influence standards at the intersection of finance, digital infrastructure, and societal outcomes.

Her career spans deep engagement with global innovation ecosystems, connecting governments, financial institutions, NGOs, entrepreneurs, and accelerators to enable responsible innovation and cross-sector collaboration. As an international speaker, she provides expert insight into technology trends, regulatory considerations and risk, supporting innovation that is resilient, inclusive and capable of global scale.

Caroline’s work is grounded in her commitment to social justice and sustainability. She is a former Board Member of major global charity, and her ongoing charitable advisory work informs her approach to technology as a lever for equitable economic participation and long-term societal benefit.