About Us
RethinkInnovateTransformRevolutionize your processes and technology.
Who is John O'Connell?
John has extensive leadership experience in both emerging businesses and mature, established organizations.
He started his career designing and developing financial applications at Merrill Lynch and KPMG Peat Marwick. He transitioned from developing technology into generating revenue while leading pre-sales efforts at KPMG.
Expertise and Credentials
30+ Years of Fintech Leadership
The Oasis Group brings over three decades of hands-on financial technology experience to every client engagement, with senior leadership roles at Merrill Lynch, KPMG, and Oracle spanning wealth management and technology organizations worldwide.
AI WealthTech Experts
The Oasis Group is at the forefront of AI adoption in wealth management, having created the AI WealthTech Map tracking 100+ firms, delivering live AI demonstrations at major industry conferences, and publishing cutting-edge research through the Peaks Research Series.
Award Winning Thought Leadership
The Oasis Group has earned consistent industry recognition, including three consecutive WealthTech Americas Consultancy Awards, the ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Thought Leadership & Education Award, and placement on the InvestmentNews Hot List.
Proven Client Results
The Oasis Group has guided wealth management and technology firms through IPOs, company sales, enterprise AI rollouts, and full technology transformations — delivering frameworks that are repeatable, compliant, and built for growth.
Why Choose The Oasis Group
Practitioner First Approach
Every framework and recommendation we make is built from real-world experience leading firms through IPOs, enterprise deployments, and full technology transformations.
Trusted by Industry Leaders
The Oasis Group is a recognized presence at the industry’s most prestigious events, including Schwab IMPACT, T3, Envestnet Elevate, and Raymond James Elevate.
AI Demonstrations & Training
We don’t just talk about AI — we show it in action, demonstrating real tools like Claude, ChatGPT, and Microsoft CoPilot live at major industry conferences worldwide.
Insights Backed by Research
Our AI WealthTech Map tracks 100+ firms and the Peaks Research Series delivers ongoing intelligence that keeps clients ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Our Client-First Philosophy
Every engagement is built around the specific needs of your firm — no one-size-fits-all solutions, just tailored strategies that align with your goals, team, and technology stack.
Widely Followed Industry Newsletter
The Oasis Peaks Perspective newsletter reaches over 170,000 wealth management professionals, making The Oasis Group one of the most widely read voices in the industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Oasis Group advises wealth management and technology firms on AI strategy, technology selection, cybersecurity, and data analytics. Services include consulting, thought leadership, keynote speaking, workshops, and executive roundtables. All engagements draw on 30+ years of FinTech leadership and practitioner experience.
John speaks on AI implementation and strategy, the evolving cybersecurity landscape, prediction markets, WealthTech selection, and AI governance. He delivers keynotes, breakout sessions, workshops, and fireside chats at major industry conferences including T3, Schwab IMPACT, and Envestnet Elevate.
The Oasis Peaks Perspective is a widely read newsletter covering FinTech strategy, AI trends, and wealth management innovation. It reaches over 170,000 subscribers and is published by John O’Connell, Founder and CEO of The Oasis Group.
Speaking inquiries can be submitted through The Oasis Group at john-oconnell.com. John is available for keynotes, breakout sessions, workshops, executive roundtables, and virtual webinars. The Oasis Group is based in Charlotte, NC.
Meet the Team
Suzanne O'Connell
Suzanne has been an integral member of the Oasis Group since its inception in 2019, demonstrating her versatile skills and commitment to excellence.
Tom Budnar
Tom is a seasoned executive leader with over 19 years of experience at Oracle, where he led Oracle Consulting’s initiatives in both public and private sectors across North America.
Tim O'Connell
Tim is a retired NYPD Sergeant with a wealth of leadership experience in the information security and cyber security community.
Alex Sauickie
Alex is a seasoned executive with a strong background in building successful FinTech companies, particularly in the SaaS and enterprise software sectors.