James Francisco Turner Lazaro is the Managing Director of Kappa Investments, his Family Office, where he leads strategic planning, investments, and long-term growth initiatives. He is also the Chairman and CEO of MAKE Financial Technologies.

With more than 30 years of experience across financial services, banking, private equity, and financial technology, James has led strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, corporate financial planning, investor relations, capital offerings, and payments initiatives.

Prior to Kappa Investments and MAKE Financial Technologies, Mr. Turner Lazaro served as Interim President, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Strategy Officer of Banc of California. During his tenure, Banc of California became one of America’s fastest-growing banks, growing assets to more than $17 billion and market capitalization from approximately $250 million to $1.7 billion at its peak in 2017. The bank was also recognized by Forbes Magazine in 2016 as one of the 100 Best Banks in America.

Earlier in his career, Turner Lazaro served as Managing Director and Head of Institutional Banking at The Bancorp Bank, overseeing more than 300 private-label affinity partner programs globally representing over $1 trillion in assets. He also led business development and served on the Board of Directors of Transact Network prior to its acquisition by The Bancorp Bank.

Turner Lazaro additionally worked in private equity with Spectrum Equity Investors and in investment banking with Bank of America Robertson Stephens, focusing on corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions.

Turner Lazaro received an A.B. degree in Romance Languages from Harvard University. Outside of business, he competed in the 2006 and 2008 World Padel Championships and trained in track and field at an Olympic level.