Backbase appoints Adrian McPhee as Chief Technology Officer to accelerate AI-powered Banking vision

AMSTERDAM, 13 May – Backbase, the global leader in AI-powered banking technology, announces the appointment of Adrian McPhee as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). McPhee, an accomplished digital, technology, and data leader with a proven track record in scaling global technology organizations, joins Backbase at a pivotal moment as the company accelerates its vision following the launch of the world’s first AI-powered Banking Platform.

Strategic appointment to drive next-gen banking transformation

With over two decades of experience driving technology transformation across fintech, retail, mobility, and digital marketplaces, Adrian McPhee brings a unique blend of entrepreneurial energy and enterprise expertise. McPhee previously served as Global CTO for LeasePlan, one of the world’s leading leasing companies with presence in 28 countries. At LeasePlan, which also has a significant banking division and operated under the regulation of the European Central Bank (ECB), McPhee led a technology organization of over 1,000 and spearheaded the company’s award-winning digital transformation. More specifically, he architected and delivered a next-generation digital architecture and scaled engineering teams from 25 to 500+, establishing leading data, AI and analytics platforms.

McPhee’s leadership was instrumental in advancing technology and business outcomes for LeasePlan, with achievements that grew the business, realised operational efficiencies and earned the 2022 IDC Award for Data Management Excellence.

His overall experience spans building high-performing engineering cultures, modernizing legacy systems, data & AI, and launching new digital propositions at scale.

Powering Backbase’s AI-first strategy

McPhee’s appointment reinforces Backbase’s commitment to attracting world-class talent to support its mission of putting banks in growth mode  in the era of AI. Following the recent launch of its next-generation AI-powered Banking Platform, Backbase is delivering on its promise to put banks at the forefront of the AI revolution, driving sustainable, profitable growth for its clients.

Adrian’s track record in scaling technology organizations and delivering transformative digital platforms makes him the ideal CTO for Backbase as we lead the industry into the AI-powered future of banking. His leadership will be instrumental as we continue to innovate and help banks unlock growth.

_{Jouk Pleiter
CEO & Founder of Backbase}

Driving industry innovation and customer impact

As CTO, McPhee will oversee Backbase’s global technology and data strategy, product engineering, and innovation agenda, ensuring the company remains at the forefront of the industry. His mandate includes advancing Backbase’s Intelligence Fabric, expanding the capabilities of Agentic AI, and supporting the rapid adoption of the AI-powered Banking Platform across global markets.

Joining Backbase at such a transformative time for the banking industry is a challenge I’m looking forward to taking on. Looking at Backbase’s technology, combined with its industry-wide adoption, we’re uniquely positioned to lead the next wave of AI-driven transformation for financial institutions. I look forward to working with the leadership team and exceptional Backbase talent around the world to deliver breakthrough value for our customers and help banks realize the full potential of AI.

_{Adrian McPhee
CTO of Backbase}