A new title rarely tells the whole story, but it is worth starting with anyway. In April 2026, John MacLeod became Senior Vice President, Director of Revenue Strategy and Sales at Newline™ by Fifth Third, the bank’s embedded-finance and payments platform, working from the greater Boston area. Newline combines Fifth Third’s banking capabilities with an API-driven platform designed to help fintechs and enterprises launch payment, card, and deposit products.
John’s own professional description identifies him as an “accomplished and hands-on B2B Payment Executive” with experience spanning B2B payments, buyer-initiated payments, credit cards, virtual payment accounts, ERP integration, supply-chain financing, dynamic discounting, and e-invoicing.
Building on a B2B Payments Career
Before joining Newline, John spent nearly seven years at Capital One, where he worked in commercial payments and business-card strategy. His work centered on enterprise sales, commercial-client development, and payment solutions for businesses.
That experience placed him close to the problems that continue to shape B2B payments: how companies move money, automate accounts payable and receivable processes, improve cash-flow management, and replace manual payment methods with digital alternatives.
His move to Newline builds directly on that background. The platform is focused on helping fintechs and enterprises integrate financial capabilities into their products and workflows, putting payments and banking infrastructure closer to the businesses and consumers using them.
The Comdata Years
Before Capital One, John spent several years at Comdata, working in strategic sales and partnerships. Comdata operates in commercial payments, providing payment products and services for businesses and organizations.
His experience there added another layer to his B2B payments background, particularly around virtual-card solutions and strategic partnerships.
Taulia and Supply-Chain Finance
John also worked at Taulia, a financial-technology company focused on working-capital and supply-chain-finance solutions. His work there broadened his exposure to the financial processes surrounding business payments, extending beyond the transaction itself into areas such as supplier relationships and working capital.
That experience is relevant to the broader evolution of B2B payments, where payment technology increasingly connects with invoicing, procurement, financing, and cash-flow management.
Building the Healthcare Connection
Before moving deeper into financial technology, John developed substantial experience in the healthcare sector. He worked in commercial roles serving healthcare organizations, giving him a close view of the operational and financial challenges faced by hospitals and other large institutions.
That background later informed his work with healthcare clients in commercial payments, where payment automation could address some of the inefficiencies created by traditional, paper-based processes.
From Sales Leadership to Payments Strategy
Across the different stages of his career, the common thread has been helping organizations adopt technology that improves the way they operate. His earlier work in healthcare sales developed his understanding of large institutional buyers. His financial-technology roles brought him deeper into B2B payments, virtual cards, working capital, and payment automation. His work at Capital One expanded that experience across commercial payments.
At Newline, those capabilities come together within a platform focused specifically on embedded finance and enterprise payments.
The Newline Opportunity
Newline represents a significant shift in how banking and payments can be delivered. Rather than requiring businesses and fintechs to build financial infrastructure themselves, the platform provides APIs and banking capabilities that can be integrated into digital products and existing workflows. Its offerings include payments, cards, deposits, and other embedded financial capabilities.
John has already been active in articulating that direction. His recent industry commentary has focused on embedded finance, payment infrastructure, bank-fintech partnerships, instant payments, and the infrastructure required to move money securely and reliably at scale.
Newline has also received recognition for its work in the space. American Banker named Newline an Innovation of the Year 2026 honoree in the Embedded Finance category, recognizing its API-driven platform for fintechs and enterprises.
Where B2B Payments Are Heading
The next phase of B2B payments is increasingly connected to the systems businesses already use. Payment acceptance, account services, ERP connectivity, automated workflows, real-time payments, and financial data are becoming parts of a broader digital infrastructure rather than isolated products.
For someone whose career has centered on B2B payment solutions and commercial growth, Newline gives him an opportunity to work at that intersection directly.
The role is also closely aligned with the direction of Fifth Third’s embedded-finance strategy. The bank has positioned Newline around partnerships with fintechs and enterprises, using its banking infrastructure to help those companies build and scale financial products.
The Next Stage
John arrives at Newline with experience spanning healthcare, commercial payments, financial technology, enterprise sales, and revenue strategy. The common thread is a focus on helping businesses navigate increasingly complex financial processes through technology and more efficient payment models.
At Newline, that experience is being applied to a market where payments, banking, software, and embedded finance are becoming increasingly interconnected. As the platform expands its enterprise and fintech relationships, his role will center on translating that infrastructure into sustainable commercial growth.
