Payment tech provider Fortis announced that Brent Coles has been appointed chief financial officer and Sharat Shankar as chief risk and operations officer of the Plano-based company.

Fortis said the strategic hires position it to accelerate its embedded payments capabilities and deepen relationships across its software platform and enterprise resource planning (ERP) partner network. It said its expanded C-suite reflects the company’s commitment to scaling its payments infrastructure as demand grows for integrated financial solutions among software platforms and their business customers.

“Brent and Sharat join Fortis at a crucial point in our company’s trajectory,” Fortis CEO Greg Cohen said in a statement. “As we scale to meet increasing market demand, their combined expertise in financial operations, risk management, and strategic partnerships will be critical to our success. Both leaders bring proven track records of driving growth and operational excellence in fast-moving fintech environments.”

Financial strategy

Fortis said that Coles brings more than 25 years of fintech and payments leadership to his new role. Coles has held senior finance roles at leading payments companies including Onbe, Clearent, and BluePay, where he demonstrated expertise in scaling high-growth businesses, managing M&A transactions, and partnering with private equity sponsors to deliver measurable results.

At Fortis, Coles will oversee all financial operations, including strategic planning, forecasting, and capital allocation, the company said. Coles will work closely with the executive team to strengthen financial discipline and support strategic growth initiatives across the company’s partner and ERP ecosystems.

“I joined Fortis because of the significant opportunity ahead,” Coles said in a statement. “The company has built strong market positioning and assembled the right technology and team. My focus will be on building the financial infrastructure needed to scale efficiently while delivering value to our customers, partners, and stakeholders.”

Operations and risk

Fortis said that Shankar brings deep payments, lending, and fintech expertise to his new role.

Most recently, Shankar was EVP of Risk at Corpay, a global business spend management platform. His background also includes senior leadership positions at established financial technology companies including Intuit and First Data.

At Fortis, Shankar will oversee its operations and risk functions, with a focus on operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and partner experience.

“The embedded payments space is evolving rapidly, and Fortis is uniquely positioned to lead that transformation,” Shankar said. “I’m excited to work with the team to deliver exceptional partner and customer experiences while enabling scalable growth.”

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