The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) has promoted Nikita Pearson, currently the director of the agency’s Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI), to deputy to the chairman for external affairs, and Ben Bendler will be the director of the division of administration. Pearson will continue to serve in both of her roles.
“Nikita is a tireless advocate for the FDIC’s mission and has exponentially advanced our diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility work and our efforts to expand financial inclusion,” FDIC Chair Jelena McWilliams said. “Dan’s leadership of our Division of Administration will further efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the FDIC, to restore internal controls, and to develop innovative solutions to the agency’s operational challenges.”
Pearson is a commissioned bank examiner, and before her appointment to lead the OMWI was an executive in the bank supervision workforce. In her new role she will be responsible for managing the agency’s broader engagement mission and will oversee the FDIC’s Office of Communications and Office of the Ombudsman.
Bendler has been with the Division of Administration for over 20 years. Most recently he was the chief of staff to the chief operating officer. Bendler helped to lead the FDIC’s operational response to the pandemic and strategic efforts in the design and construction of new agency facilities to support a hybrid workforce.