After a decade leading NiCE’s development as a global enterprise software business, Barak Eilam is taking on a new role in financial technology. Wise has appointed him as a non-executive director and chair designate, beginning a planned transition in its board leadership.
Eilam will succeed David Wells, who joined Wise’s board in 2019 and has served as chair since 2021. Wells is scheduled to leave the board in April 2027, with the two working alongside each other during the handover.
The appointment brings experience in scaling multinational technology businesses to Wise as it continues serving a growing mix of consumers, businesses, and financial institutions.
Bringing Enterprise Technology Experience to Wise
Eilam spent 25 years at NiCE, joining as an engineer in 1999 before advancing through executive positions. He served as CEO from 2014 to 2024, overseeing its transformation into a cloud-based enterprise technology business.
That career gives him experience spanning product development, commercial expansion, and organizational leadership. It also provides a perspective on how technology companies adapt their platforms while continuing to serve established customers.
His move to Wise is a board appointment. Co-founder Kristo Käärmann remains CEO, while Eilam’s responsibilities will focus on governance, oversight, and working with the board and leadership team on the company’s direction.
Eilam will also chair Wise’s nominating and corporate governance committee as part of his responsibilities.
A Managed Transition From David Wells
The handover is designed to provide continuity rather than an immediate change in board leadership.
Wells said he would work alongside Eilam for several board cycles before moving into a supporting board role ahead of his departure in April 2027.
That overlap gives Eilam time to develop a working relationship with Wise’s directors and executive team, while drawing on Wells’ knowledge of the business.
Wells’ tenure covers a significant period in Wise’s development. He joined as a non-executive director two years before becoming chair, supporting the company through international expansion and its evolution as a publicly listed business.
Recognizing a Period of Growth
Käärmann highlighted the scale of Wise’s growth during Wells’ time on the board.
The company had six million customers when Wells joined in 2019. It now serves nearly 19 million, alongside major banking clients, according to Käärmann.
He also recognized Wells’ contribution as Wise expanded its global reach and became a dual-listed company.
Recent developments during Wells’ chairmanship include the acquisition of expatriate information platform Expatica and the introduction of a UK current account offering. Together, these moves illustrate how Wise has extended its activities beyond its original international money transfer service.
The leadership transition comes against that broader business backdrop, with the board overseeing an organization serving different customer groups through an expanding range of services.
Eilam’s Perspective on the Business
In Wise’s appointment announcement, Eilam emphasized the company’s combination of a clear customer proposition and a scalable technology model.
He identified an opportunity to build on those foundations, expand Wise’s global impact, and create long-term value for customers and shareholders.
Those comments express support for the business and its growth potential. The appointment announcement does not introduce a separate strategy, new product commitments, or specific operational targets.
Eilam also brings wider corporate governance experience. His board portfolio includes HMH, Similarweb, FactSet, and CCC Intelligent Solutions, alongside his role as chairman of Cvent, the events and hospitality technology provider.
Why the Appointment Matters
Wise operates at the intersection of financial services and technology, where customer growth must be supported by dependable systems and disciplined execution.
Eilam’s experience leading an enterprise software company could offer a useful perspective as Wise develops relationships with both individual customers and large organizations. His background adds to the board’s experience in building and managing technology businesses at scale.
The immediate significance, however, is the succession itself: Wise has named its next chair and established a transition period with its outgoing board leader.
As the handover progresses, Eilam will move from incoming director to chair, supporting the executive team as Wise continues its development as a global payments business.
Sources: The FinTech Futures repo