Deals & People April 16, 2025

Todd Lacey Joins Financial Finesse As President

He will lead the financial wellness platform’s development amid the growing demand for personalized coaching solutions.

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Todd Lacey

Financial Finesse appointed Todd Lacey as president, slated to play a “critical role” in the financial wellness platform’s expansion and in the company’s plans to meet the growing demand for personalized financial coaching solutions.

Lacey’s appointment is planned to allow CEO Liz Davidson to focus more on the company’s vision and strategic direction, dedicating her time to innovations, partnerships, investments and acquisitions, according to the announcement.

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Lacey previously served as the chief revenue officer at Stadion Money Management; executive vice president of investments and retirement strategy and corporate development for Transamerica; and founder and president of the Klarity Group. He brings expertise in business development, scaling operations and “leading high performing teams.”

“My goal is to help take Financial Finesse to the next level—scaling the business in a way that expands our reach while enhancing the personalized, high-impact coaching we’re known for,” Lacey says.

With nearly three decades of experience in retirement and benefits, Lacey says he will focus on expanding Financial Finesse’s sales and business development efforts and building its infrastructure to meet the growing demand.

“It’s important to me that we grow with intention—making sure our teams stay aligned with our mission to increase our impact in changing users’ financial lives and delivering measurable ROI to our clients and partners,” he says.

Davidson says Lacey’s appointment comes at a “pivotal moment for Financial Finesse.”

“Demand for financial coaching is rising rapidly, and more companies are recognizing its value—not just for employee well-being, but for overall organizational success,” she says. “[Lacey] brings the expertise we need to scale our impact while strengthening the quality of our services.”

Davidson adds that she is excited to “return to her entrepreneurial roots” and continue working on the company’s artificial intelligence-based financial coaching solutions to motivate employees to take action to improve their finances.

Financial Finesse’s AI coach, “Aimee,” is backed by human planners and 25 years of live coaching experience. According to the company, Aimee provides employees with a unique financial wellness score based on data connected to their account, as well as a personalized action plan to help them achieve their financial goals.

Financial Finesse also recently partnered with workplace emergency savings account provider SecureSave to help users more seamlessly sign up for emergency savings accounts and view their savings progress in real time.

Data & Research April 15, 2025

Financial Firm Investment in Gen AI Surges, Cybersecurity Remains Priority

A Broadridge survey found a leap in firms’ investment plans for generative AI technology.

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Financial firms are doubling down on artificial intelligence—generative AI in particular—with significant investments in the technology, while cybersecurity remains their top priority, according to a report from Broadridge Financial Solutions.

AI is now the third-most frequently used technology in financial firms’ operations and processes, according to the report, which was based on a survey of more than 500 technology and operations professionals in wealth management, capital markets, and asset management firms.

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Among the firms polled, 86% responded that they plan to increase their investments in AI over the next two years, while 72% are making “moderate to large investments” in GenAI in 2025, a big jump from last year, when only 40% said the same thing.

According to Broadridge, the main reasons the companies reported planning to implement GenAI tools include reducing costs and improving efficiency, which was cited by 29% of the respondents. Another 28% said it was to improve customer experience, and 19% said it was to improve employee experience.

The survey also found that many of the firms have optimistic outlooks regarding the returns they expect to see from their AI investments. One-third of respondents said they expect to see a return on their GenAI investment within one to two years, while 24% expect payback in three to four years. Another 21% are even more optimistic and believe their GenAI investments will be fruitful within six months, while only 8% said they do not expect returns for at least five years. And 14% say they are already seeing the benefits.

Blockchain is also a main target for financial firms as 71% of respondents said they are making major investments in blockchain and distributed ledger technologies in 2025, up from 59% in 2024, while 64% said they are making large investments in cryptocurrency, compared with 51% last year.

Despite the firms’ enthusiasm about AI, 74% of respondents said they believe GenAI should be more tightly regulated. Additionally, among firms that are hesitant to adopt AI, 57% said they are concerned that the technology is still too immature, and 42% said they lack confidence in what the return on investment will be, with 28% saying they are wary of regulatory constraints and policy restrictions.

Although investment in AI is growing sharply, the survey found that cybersecurity technology is still where financial firms are making their biggest tech investments, which was named by 87% of respondents. This was followed by advanced analytics and data visualization, which was cited by 85% of respondents, with cloud platform close behind at 84%, and AI at 80%.

The report primarily attributed the firms’ continued focus on cybersecurity to increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. The survey found that two-thirds of respondents have cybersecurity technology to safeguard sensitive data and keep up with ongoing regulatory compliance, while 87% said they plan to make moderate to large investments in cybersecurity this year. However, the report also noted that despite these concerns, 34% said they do not have cybersecurity technologies built into their operational infrastructure. 

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