Regions Bank announced its Chief Operations and Technology Officer, Amala Duggirala, has been named to Forbes’ inaugural ‘CIO Next 2021’ list highlighting top technology executives who are redefining the role of a chief information officer as they deliver game-changing innovations for customers.

Specifically, Forbes cited Duggirala and Regions for the bank’s fast response and success in serving communities through the Paycheck Protection Program, a lending program launched by the U.S. Small Business Administration to help entrepreneurs facing unprecedented financial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Regions Bank is both an SBA Preferred Lender and one of America’s most experienced SBA lenders.

“Amala is a visionary leader who is leveraging technology and innovation to benefit our customers and deliver financial solutions that meet their needs,” said John Turner, President and CEO of Regions Financial Corp. “Her commitment to excellence is shared throughout our teams, and it’s creating a more beneficial customer experience as we serve the people and businesses who turn to Regions for essential financial services. Amala and her teams are proving just how crucial forward-thinking leadership is to the future of business and banking. We are proud Forbes recognized Amala’s work and the work of our teams. We believe our customers are recognizing their impact every day as well.”

Duggirala pointed to the shared vision across her teams to leverage their experience in ways that deliver on Regions Bank’s mission to make life better for customers and communities.

“It’s humbling to see this type of recognition,” Duggirala said. “I’m so proud of what our Operations and Technology teams have accomplished, and their efforts – and that of all our associates across the company – have helped ensure that we continue to provide great service to customers across all areas of the bank. This past year, we witnessed just how crucial and timely our investments in data and technology have been. The pandemic didn’t change our company’s focus on relationship banking; it challenged our teams to deliver on that commitment to choice and convenience in new, innovative ways.”

Duggirala is responsible for Regions Enterprise Operations, Information Technology and Data and Analytics. She joined Regions in 2017 and previously was Chief Technology Officer at a large fintech company, where she led the technology team in advancing the automation and scalability of the company’s platform to drive lending for organizations worldwide.

Duggirala holds a Master of Science from Columbia University in New York with a specialization in Business and Digital Transformation, as well as a Master of Business Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and a certification in Advanced Project Management from Stanford University. She earned her degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering from Osmania University in Hyderabad, India.