Wesley Winter

Background

About Wesley Winter

I come from a physics background, where the models worked so flawlessly that we only got excited when they failed! Modeling in the financial world is different, and the Great Recession taught me that models can be as fragile as they are powerful. Since then, models and data have grown in complexity and allow new insights, yet their limitations persist. I've spent my career exploring these limitations - determining when a modeling solution can push past them, or when the limits must be accepted and managed. I now lead the model risk management team for Capital One's Mainstreet card customer acquisition model suite. Our models use advanced machine learning techniques and complex datasets to generate insights that are robust across dynamic economic and business landscapes. My team's responsibility is to ensure that the business understands and manages the risks inherent in these models. With two decades of experience in model development and risk management—from building mortgage prepayment and default models during the Great Recession to overseeing market risk models during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now focusing on card customer acquisition—I have built a deep, practical understanding of modeling and the associated risks.