Cross River Named New President to Scale Banking Tech

The bank appointed a former Lazard executive to lead its global expansion and institutional platform growth.

Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Financial Services

Isometric editorial illustration of abstract rectilinear banking architectural structures in teal and slate blue, representing institutional financial growth. — Cross River Bank has appointed former Lazard executive Evan L. Russo as its new President to oversee international expansion and infrastructure scaling. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Cross River has appointed Evan L. Russo as President, effective October 1, 2026. The move aims to support the bank's international growth and enhance its infrastructure services for over 100 technology partners.

Why it matters

As Cross River scales its banking infrastructure and digital assets business, the appointment targets institutional capabilities and global expansion. The move signals a strategic shift toward bringing in external finance and M&A expertise to support its technology-heavy business model.

Cross River currently provides banking infrastructure for more than 100 technology firms. The bank’s leadership expansion follows the appointment of the new President to its board earlier this year.

The players

Cross River

A U.S.-chartered bank that provides specialized infrastructure for payments, credit, and digital assets to over 100 technology companies.

Evan L. Russo

The President of Cross River who previously served as CEO of Lazard Asset Management and held leadership roles at Goldman Sachs and Barclays Capital.

Gilles Gade

The CEO of Cross River who is responsible for the firm's strategic direction and will work alongside the new President.

The details

Evan L. Russo, the former CEO of Lazard Asset Management, will partner with CEO Gilles Gade to drive growth. His background in M&A and financial restructuring will be applied to scale Cross River's banking platform and institutional capabilities. This strategy involves deeper integration of financial transaction expertise to support the firm's existing credit, payment, and digital asset services.

April 2026: Evan L. Russo joined the Cross River board of directors.
October 1, 2026: Evan L. Russo assumed the role of President.

Market Landscape

This appointment reflects the broader trend of Banking-as-a-Service providers recruiting seasoned institutional finance executives to scale operations. The move aligns Cross River with industry-wide efforts to formalize leadership structures as platforms transition from rapid growth to global scale.

Operators partnering with fintech banks should monitor if this shift toward traditional financial leadership alters the speed or terms of credit and payment infrastructure deployments. Expect a sharpened focus on institutional-grade compliance and global scalability in future contract negotiations.

The takeaway

The appointment signals that Cross River is prioritizing institutional maturity for its next phase of global expansion. Financial leaders should monitor how this expertise in M&A and restructuring influences the company's platform roadmap over the coming quarters.