D avid Vélez is a Colombian self-made billionaire and the founder and CEO of Nubank, the largest and most successful digital bank in Latin America. Frustrated by his own experience with the high fees and poor customer service of traditional Brazilian banks, Vélez set out to create a new kind of financial institution. With a background in finance at firms like Sequoia Capital, he founded Nubank in Brazil in 2013 with his co-founders Cristina Junqueira and Edward Wible.

Nubank started with a single product: a no-fee purple credit card that could be managed entirely through a mobile app. This simple, transparent, and user-friendly approach was revolutionary in the Brazilian market and attracted millions of customers. The company has since expanded its offerings to include digital bank accounts, loans, and investment products, and has grown its operations to Mexico and Colombia. Nubank's massive and highly successful IPO on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021 made Vélez one of the wealthiest people in Latin America. He is a signatory of the Giving Pledge, committing to donate the majority of his fortune.