Matt Zames and SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano served in co-COO roles at the banking giant
The Social Security Administration has a "digital-first agenda" in the coming year.
Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano's former colleague Matt Zames, previously an executive at JPMorgan Chase, will take on an unpaid adviser position at the agency, according to recent news reports.
Zames, who has previously held roles such as co-chief operating officer alongside Bisignano at JPMorgan Chase $(JPM)$, will help with the modernization of the agency, CNBC reported Friday, citing people familiar with the move but unauthorized to comment publicly on the matter. The report also said Zames would be able to hold the position as a special government employee for 130 days, or potentially longer if he's not full time.
The finance executive is also the founder of Zames Group, an advisory and restructuring business for financial-technology companies and other financial institutions, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, where he is a member of the Financial Sector Advisory Council.
The Social Security Administration did not respond to a request for comment.
The SSA has undergone major upheaval since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year. The agency announced in February 2025 that it had a goal of downsizing by 7,000 workers, amid other cost-cutting measures.
Bisignano, who has an extensive background in financial technology, has also set his eyes on modernizing the SSA's systems. During his confirmation process last year, Bisignano said he would bring his expertise to the agency to reduce payment mistakes and improve its older technological infrastructure.
More recently, the SSA told MarketWatch that its proposed budget for fiscal-year 2027 will highlight its "digital-first agenda and streamline operations."
"Our hiring efforts this year are aligned with the commissioner's goal to transform service delivery across all channels by leveraging new technology, implementing process improvements and updating tools to better serve the public," the agency told MarketWatch.
-Alessandra Malito
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