Janki Shah has been a key figure in the transformation of financial technology over the past decade. With 14 years of experience in Fintech, she has specialized in modernizing financial infrastructure through cloud-native architectures, microservices and AI-driven analytics.
During her 13-year tenure at Fidelity, Shah progressed from software engineer to Director of Full Stack Engineering. In this role, she led the decommissioning of outdated applications, replacing them with scalable, secure platforms that enabled fully digital transactions
Breaking Down the Legacy Wall
The financial system Shah encountered early in her career is dominated by siloed systems built decades ago. These were massive, monolithic applications written in outdated code that required extensive maintenance while delivering minimal flexibility. These legacy systems cost financial institutions billions annually just to maintain.
Shah, who earned her Bachelor of Technology in IT from Ganpat University before completing her Master's in Computer Science at Polytechnic Institute of NYU, witnessed these limitations firsthand as a software engineer working on enterprise-grade applications in Fintech.
Beyond Code: The Human Element
In the brain of Shah's transformative approach was the adoption of microservices architecture - breaking down monolithic applications into smaller, independent components that could be developed, deployed and scaled independently.
Shah spearheaded the implementation of cloud-native architectures across financial services in Fintech. Rather than replacing entire systems at once, her team developed strategies for incremental transformation, improving agility and security.
Applications that once took months to update could now be modified in days. Services that previously required manual processing became fully automated.
What distinguishes Shah's approach from previous attempts at modernizing financial infrastructure is her recognition that technology alone cannot drive transformation in Fintech. She focused on bridging the gap between business and technology teams, ensuring that technology decisions directly advanced business objectives. This approach positioned Shah as a valued advisor to senior management on technical strategy and emerging technologies.
AI-Driven Personalization
While microservices provided the foundation, Shah also worked on leveraging data analytics to deliver personalized experiences in Fintech. This personalization extended to the approval process for financial products. Shah led the transformation of paper-based applications to fully digital workflows with automated approvals and document processing.
Throughout her career, Shah has received recognition for aligning business with engineering practices. Her ability to translate business vision into architectural strategy has proven crucial for financial institutions navigating digital transformation in Fintech.
Shah selected optimal tech stacks (Java, Angular and TypeScript) and established coding standards to support business objectives. Her technical leadership extends beyond her immediate team, as she provided guidance and mentoring to associates and interns.
Securing the Future
As financial systems become increasingly digital, security concerns have grown exponentially. Shah positioned security as a fundamental component of modern architecture rather than an afterthought.
The distributed nature of microservices, when properly implemented, creates natural containment zones that limit the impact of potential breaches. As digital transformation accelerates across financial services in Fintech, Shah continues to explore new frontiers. Her interests include further integration of AI capabilities and preparing financial systems for the next wave of computational advances.
Shah has authored scholarly articles on AI/ML applications in Fintech and advocated for diversity in tech, earning acknowledgment from the Canadian Gujarati Women community for her leadership in inclusive team-building.
Her approach - combining technical excellence with business alignment and incremental change with vision - has contributed significantly to the modernization of financial technology and Fintech infrastructure.
