Q&A with Adam Gunther: SVP and GM of the Digital Solutions Team at Equifax

With the recent launch of Kount 360, increased global expansion, and the introduction of Kount Essentials for Shopify - Adam Gunther is taking over leadership of the Digital Solutions team at an exciting time. 

Adam answers a few questions about the Digital Solutions team at Equifax and his outlook on what is to come. 

Question: With the rapid acceleration of e-commerce and online transactions around the globe, what are the primary considerations businesses need to take into account for risk mitigation, customer engagement, and revenue growth?

AG: One of the most important things every customer should consider is the evolving nature of payments and fraud prevention. Businesses really need to think of risk mitigation, customer engagement, and revenue growth at every stage of the customer journey. 

There is a myth in the industry that you have to trade off digital experience for fraud protection, and that just isn’t true. There are modern authentication techniques, such as Identity as a Service, multi-factor authentication, and other services we provide that allow businesses to help their customers onboard with a simple click. Maybe it is someone they have never interacted with before and they can immediately, without friction, know who that customer is and start doing business with them in a way that only returning customers would expect. 

We are able to help by interjecting the right data, insights, and identity capabilities to lower customer friction and increase confidence with every interaction. Our identity attributes are critical in enabling our clients with the ability to observe where fraud is coming from, how it is impacting their business throughout the customer journey, and how to manage it up front. 

Question: AI is the hot topic of the day — how is the Digital Solutions team at Equifax leveraging AI today to solve customer problems and what is the opportunity for future innovation?

AG: We have a rich history in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Kount, the platform brand under the Digital Solutions team, was a pioneer in incorporating AI, as well as supervised and unsupervised machine learning, in the evaluation of fraudulent transactions. Kount is known for having the first data device collector and proxy piercing patents and currently we have a number of patents specializing in fraud prevention technology, including the first device fingerprinting patent - a unique identifier assigned to a device differentiating it from others. 

Equifax spent the last few years building the Equifax Data Fabric, a cloud-native, enterprise data management platform on the Equifax Cloud. In the fabric, data is up-to-date,  keeping with regulatory requirements, and secure. Unlike others in our industry, the Equifax CloudTM was built so we can scale at the pace of AI development. We are now uniquely positioned to combine the benefits of Kount’s AI expertise with the Equifax Cloud to launch new models and products, quickly. 

Question: What makes you most excited about leading the Kount and Digital Solutions team at Equifax? 

AG: I am excited and passionate about our mission, what we’re trying to do for our customers, and the benefits that we’re providing to consumers. We have a great opportunity to make a difference in the world with our unique and innovative solutions. 

On a local level, I am honored to have been asked to serve on the newly created Idaho Department of Finance Emerging Technology Advisory Committee (ETAC). The ETAC consists of some of the most respected and well-known leaders on finance and technology issues from across Idaho and the country. This opportunity will allow us to liaise with important stakeholders and demonstrate our technical prowess while building a deeper foundation within the community.  

Lastly, when you combine our amazing team with the unmatched innovation displayed on our solution roadmap, the future is bright and has me very excited.  

To learn more about Adam and Kount, click here.