Carolina ORBIE Leadership Award recipient: For MetLife’s Head of Global Technology and Operations Bill Pappas, leadership is all about the people
When Bill Pappas reflects on his more than 30-year career, he doesn’t point to a single transformation, role, or business milestone. He points to the people he has helped develop—and the leaders who helped shape him.
“I’m most proud of the people I’ve had the opportunity to help develop and work with throughout my career, and the environments we’ve built together where they can do their best work,” said Pappas, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Technology and Operations at MetLife and the recipient of the 2026 CarolinaCIO Leadership Award. A commitment to attracting talented people, helping them thrive and developing the next generation of leaders has become a cornerstone of his leadership.
That philosophy has shaped a career spanning continents, industries and increasingly complex organizations.
Leading through complexity
Pappas’ global perspective began early. Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, he spent most of his childhood in Greece after his family moved there before his first birthday.
That experience shaped how he thinks about relationships and prepared him for a career leading global teams.
He began his career at GE Capital Services, spending seven years working in the U.S. and Europe. He credits GE with teaching him the importance of developing talent, including advice from former GE chairman Jack Welch that has stayed with him: “If you get the people right, success will follow.”
Pappas went on to Bank of America, where he held a number of global technology and operations leadership roles, including CIO for Global Wholesale Banking and head of operations for the bank’s Consumer, Small Business, Wealth Management and Private Banking businesses, overseeing more than 50,000 people serving approximately 63 million consumers and clients. His mentor for more than a decade, Cathy Bessant, the bank’s former Chief Operations and Technology Officer, shaped how he thinks about technology, communications and the power of purpose-driven work.
In 2019, Pappas joined MetLife. He was drawn there by President and CEO Michel Khalaf, who Pappas said inspires the company’s employees by building a shared purpose and culture. Today, Pappas leads more than 38,000 colleagues responsible for technology, operations, cybersecurity, data and customer service, supporting more than 90 million customers across 40+ countries.
Technology with a human touch
What first attracted Pappas to technology was its ability to solve problems and create meaningful change at scale. But he has never viewed technology as an end in itself.
“Throughout my career, I’ve been fascinated by the balance between high-tech and high-touch, using technology to make experiences simpler and more seamless while preserving the human connection that we all value as people,” he said.
That balance is especially important in insurance, where customers often turn to their insurer during some of life’s most critical moments. In Pappas’ mind, technology accelerates outcomes, people create connection. By taking on more routine tasks, technology gives employees greater capacity to bring empathy, judgment and care to the moments when customers need them most.
Creating opportunities for others
When it comes to leadership, Pappas measures it by looking at the impact on the people around him.
“Leadership isn’t measured by what you accomplish yourself, but by the opportunities you create for others,” he said.
That commitment extends beyond MetLife. Pappas serves on the boards of Novant Health and Bentley University, his alma mater, and was previously a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Payments Risk Committee. He is also a frequent contributor for the Forbes Tech Council and the Wall Street Journal Tech Council.
MetLife’s presence in North Carolina—anchored by its 2,600-employee Global Technology Hub in the Research Triangle—has given Pappas a platform to build a broader community around technology, education, and opportunity. That work includes the Triangle Tech X (TTX) conference, designed to advance innovation, inclusion, and talent development in STEM. Last year TTX attracted more than 7,500 participants from 60+ countries. Pappas also frequently hosts curated small group sessions that convene government, technology, education, and nonprofit leaders from across the state. For Pappas, creating those connections is another form of leadership. “The best ideas come from bringing the right people into the room,” he said.
His advice to the next generation of IT leaders is straightforward: stay curious, never stop learning, and invest in people. “Give your teams room to grow,” Pappas said. “Encourage them to challenge conventional thinking.”
As AI continues to reshape technology and business, Pappas believes the leaders who make the greatest impact will be those willing to anticipate change, prepare their organizations, and create opportunities for others to lead. But through every new season, there’s one constant: the importance of people.
“Technology changes. Business priorities evolve. The one thing that endures is people. Long after any particular project or business milestone is forgotten, the leaders we’ve developed and the culture we’ve built will be the legacy that matters most.”