FinTech Female Fridays: Meet Annie Bawa, Senior Product Manager at Visa

Annie's career began as a Software Engineer with Tata Group in India, where she worked with databases and honed her technical expertise. However, her passion for technology soon led her to discover the world of Business Intelligence (BI). Annie’s natural curiosity and drive for knowledge pushed her to pursue a graduate program in Texas, where she completed her Master’s in Management Information Systems.

During her time in grad school, Annie’s internship at Adobe in San Jose gave her invaluable experience working with one of the top tech companies in the world. It was in Silicon Valley that she realized she had found her professional home. Upon completing her studies, Annie took a job as a Data Analyst with a startup in Mountain View, further immersing herself in the thriving tech ecosystem.

Annie’s interest in fintech had been sparked during her graduate studies, as many of her projects focused on the industry. This passion drove her to take her strategic skills into the fintech space, leading her to join Braintree as an Enterprise Consultant. In this role, she focused on optimizing payment strategies for merchants and businesses. Her work at Braintree, coupled with her deep knowledge of product and data strategy, led to an exciting opportunity at Visa.

At Visa, Annie took on the role of Senior Product Manager, where she launched the innovative Visa Provisioning Intelligence (VPI) — a product that plays a pivotal role in predicting fraud for issuers through secure digital payments. Visa, often known as a credit card company, has roots in revolutionizing how the world conducts transactions, and Annie became an integral part of that mission.

A Leader in Fraud Prevention and AI Innovation

As payment fraud grows increasingly sophisticated, Annie found herself managing product development for Visa's authentication fraud models. These models assess the risk of cardholder legitimacy, leveraging AI to combat fraud in real-time.

Her work in fraud risk management is deeply impactful, as Annie’s team uses machine learning to build fraud detection models that evaluate risks on a scale of 0 to 99 — helping secure the payment ecosystem. Annie is excited about the potential of AI to improve these models, especially as they require regular updates to stay ahead of fraudsters. Through her leadership, she’s playing a direct role in ensuring that payment systems remain safe and secure for both consumers and businesses.

As a product manager, Annie goes beyond the technical and strategic work. She is a mentor, guiding new team members and sharing her expertise to foster growth in others. She is also an advocate for continuous improvement, always on the lookout for ways to innovate and streamline processes within her organization.

Annie’s success isn’t just about technical expertise or strategic vision — it’s about her relentless dedication to being the best in her field. One of her key differentiators is her unyielding commitment to understanding the finer details of every project. She believes that the extra step toward clarity makes all the difference.

“I never hesitate to ask questions, no matter how basic they might seem, because chances are, I’m not the only one who needs clarification".

In addition, Annie is committed to staying up to date with the latest trends in technology, dedicating time every day to reading about advancements in AI and exploring ways to incorporate these innovations into her work. Recently, she attended a webinar on how AI can help write better product requirements, further enhancing her ability to bring cutting-edge solutions to the table.

Overcoming Challenges and Celebrating Achievements

Annie’s career has not been without challenges, but she faces each obstacle with resilience. Her time at Visa, especially leading the development of fraud risk models, has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding phases of her journey. For Annie, this role provided the rare opportunity to guide a product through its entire 0-1 journey, from inception to launch.

Her career highlights not only reflect her professional success but also her ability to balance it with personal milestones. During her time at Visa, Annie welcomed her first child and received incredible support from her company throughout her pregnancy and the early stages of parenthood. She is truly fortunate to work for an organization that prioritizes its employees' well-being, especially women in tech.

Setting the Standard for Women in Fintech

Annie’s journey is a testament to what’s possible when passion, skill, and leadership converge. She sets ambitious career goals, takes on challenging projects, and is constantly learning and growing. She’s an inspiring role model for women in fintech, showing that with determination and the willingness to step out of your comfort zone, anything is possible.

By volunteering for new projects, mentoring others, and pushing the boundaries of innovation, Annie is not only building a successful career but also paving the way for the next generation of women leaders in technology and fintech. Through her dedication to improving security in payments and embracing the power of AI, she is helping to shape the future of financial services.

Annie’s story is one of hard work, passion, and a relentless drive for excellence — a true inspiration for women everywhere who aspire to make a lasting impact in the fintech world.

More on Annie

Where you currently live: I live in Montvale, New Jersey with my husband and a 14-month-old baby boy.

Living arrangement: My husband and I have a packed schedule. We have a nanny who takes care of our baby while we are busy at work. 

Hometown: Ambala Cantt, Haryana, India.

Favorite hobby: I am a foodie and enjoy trying out new recipes. My latest one is the garlic bread with Vegetable minestrone soup. Comes in handy for these cold snowy days.

Favorite show to binge:

I don’t get a lot of time to watch shows anymore since work and personal life keep me busy. But I do enjoy watching an episode from Friends or Gilmore Girls whenever I get a chance.

Favorite fintech media:

During my long commute to work, I listen to podcasts like 'Payments on Fire' by Glenbrook and 'Women in Product.' These podcasts help me think beyond my day-to-day tasks, keep me informed about the latest payment trends, and provide insights on how I can become a better product manager.

Can you tell us about a time someone encouraged you to try a task or take on a project you didn’t think that you would know how to do/or be good at? 

During my internship at Adobe, I was introduced to Tableau, which quickly became an indispensable tool for answering client queries and deriving product insights. After learning to use Tableau, I was able to seamlessly connect multiple data sources and design dashboards.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from a mistake you’ve made in the past?

Never underestimate the power of networking and mentorship. Build a strong support system around you by connecting with peers, mentors, and industry leaders. This network can provide guidance, opportunities, and support throughout your career. Remember, your network is your net worth.

By actively seeking out and cultivating relationships with others in the industry, you can gain insights, share knowledge, and find encouragement, which can be particularly empowering in a rapidly evolving field like FinTech

Do you have any productivity hacks?

My productivity hack is applying the 80-20 rule (Pareto Principle). This principle suggests that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. By focusing on the most critical tasks that yield the highest impact, you can maximize efficiency and achieve better outcomes

Setting boundaries help maintain work life balance. I turn off work notifications during family time 6 PM-9 PM.

Daily Diary 

7 AM - 9:30 AM: Personal Block 

9:30 AM - 11 AM:- Focus time, replying emails, reading, writing requirements or working on a PowerPoint presentation for my upcoming meetings

11 AM - 6 PM: Meetings

6PM - 7PM: I usually spend 45-60 minutes in the evening to organize myself for the next day