NEW YORK: Pravesh Rijal, Chief Data and AI Officer at Cross River Bank, has been named to the prestigious AI100 list, which recognises the 100 most influential leaders in artificial intelligence across the United States.

The award was presented during a special ceremony at MachineCon 2025 in New York City on Friday, 26 July.

Originally from Biratnagar, Nepal, Rijal has emerged as a prominent figure at the intersection of artificial intelligence, financial services, and quantitative innovation.

At Cross River, a leading technology-driven financial institution supporting many of the world’s top fintech companies, he leads the bank’s enterprise-wide data and AI strategy.

Rijal started his career at Citigroup, where he advanced quickly in quantitative modeling. He later founded and led Cross River’s Quantitative Strategies unit before taking on his current position.

He holds a Master’s degree in Financial Engineering from New York University and is pursuing a PhD in Quantitative Finance at EDHEC Business School in France.

The AI100 Awards honour leaders who drive tangible business transformation through artificial intelligence and data science.

Recipients are chosen based on their impact, innovation, and ability to scale AI-driven solutions across complex industries.

Event organizers described Rijal as “a bold, cross-disciplinary leader who exemplifies the future of AI in financial services,” highlighting how his journey “underscores the truly global nature of today’s AI leadership.”

Top AI experts from across the US spoke at the conference, organised by AIM Research, a global analyst firm specialising in artificial intelligence.