Banking Transformed with Jim Marous

In this episode of Banking Transformed, we sit down with John Hope Bryant, the visionary behind Operation HOPE, Inc. John shares his journey from founding the organization in the aftermath of the 1992 Rodney King riots to becoming a leading advocate for financial literacy and economic empowerment. We delve into his latest book, Financial Literacy for All, and explore the critical role of financial education in building a new American middle class. John discusses the challenges and successes of promoting financial dignity, his influence on federal financial policies, and the future of financial literacy in a digital age. This conversation is a deep dive into the transformative power of financial knowledge and the ongoing fight for economic equality.

Personalizing experiences across the entire customer lifecycle has emerged as a critical strategy for engaging customers and driving growth in banking. However, unlike retailers who focus on maximizing immediate transactions, financial institutions face unique challenges in leveraging personalization to build long-term, profitable relationships.We are excited to have Olly Downs, Chief Technology and AI Officer at Curinos on the Banking Transformed podcast, join us on the Banking Transformed podcast. Olly will discuss the importance of personalizing experiences and engagement in banking, and what marketing executives must do now to prepare for a future of hyper-personalization.Olly also discusses the impact of AI and machine learning on customer engagement and the challenges banks face in implementing personalization strategies at scale.This episode of Banking Transformed Solutions is sponsored by CurinosAmplero Personalization Optimizer is the only personalization solution built exclusively for Financial Institutions. It’s tuned for critical financial use cases and workflows – including onboarding, cross-selling and deposit growth. Where other personalization tools have limited testing capabilities—think A/B testing where you pit just one variable against another—Amplero dynamically and continuously fine-tunes the experience to deliver the best option among an entire universe of options, every time. Curinos recently announced expanded creative management workflow capabilities for Amplero incorporating generative AI, allowing marketers to rapidly create fresh, engaging content tailored to each client's individual needs that is relevant throughout the entire customer lifecycle.

As banks and credit unions continue to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of digital transformation, developing a skilled and adaptable workforce has become more critical than ever. We are thrilled to have Pierre Naude, CEO of nCino, joining us on the Banking Transformed podcast to discuss the opportunities and challenges of hiring and upskilling key employees for a digital future.Pierre shares nCino's approach to talent acquisition, training, and development, highlighting the importance of continuous learning and adaptability. He also discusses the challenges banks face in attracting and retaining top talent in a competitive market and offers strategies for overcoming these obstacles.This episode of Banking Transformed Solutions is sponsored by nCinonCino is the worldwide leader in cloud banking. Through its single software-as-a-service platform, nCino helps financial institutions serving corporate and commercial, small business, consumer, and mortgage customers modernize and more effectively onboard clients, make loans, manage the loan lifecycle, and open accounts. Transforming how financial institutions operate through innovation, reputation and speed, nCino is partnered with more than 1,800 financial services providers globally.Visit https://www.ncino.com/ for more information.

Brianna Elsass, Head of US Digital Servicing and Technology at BMO Financial Group, discusses BMO's digital transformation journey, breaking down silos, empowering agile teams, and fostering a customer-centric culture. Lessons learned include the impact of communication on positive customer and employee experiences.

In this special episode of Banking Transformed, recorded at MeridianLink LIVE, we sat down with Lynn Yznaga, SVP from Broadway Bank in San Antonio, Texas.The conversation covers the importance of digital growth and meeting customers where they are, to the delicate balance of risk sensitivity and streamlined processes.She also discusses the challenges and successes of implementing a new loan operating system and the potential impact of AI on the future of mortgage lending. Finally, she offers listeners valuable insights into how community banks can navigate the complexities of digital transformation in the lending space in the future.This episode of Banking Transformed Solutions is sponsored by MeridianLinkMeridianLink® (NYSE: MLNK) powers digital lending and account opening for financial institutions and provides data verification solutions for consumer reporting agencies. MeridianLink’s scalable, cloud-based platforms help customers build deeper relationships with consumers through data-driven, personalized experiences across the entire lending life cycle.MeridianLink enables customers to accelerate revenue growth, reduce risk, and exceed consumer expectations through seamless digital experiences. Its partner marketplace supports hundreds of integrations for tailored innovation. For more than 20 years, MeridianLink has prioritized the democratization of lending for consumers, businesses, and communities. Learn more at meridianlink.com.

CEO of Alliant Credit Union, Dennis Devine, discusses the power of purpose in banking, emphasizing innovative strategies, superior rates, and customer service. He shares insights on challenges faced by credit unions in the digital age and offers advice for financial institutions to adopt a purpose-driven approach.

By enabling secure data sharing between financial institutions, fintechs, and third-party providers, open banking can foster innovation, enhance competition, and ultimately deliver better financial products and services to customers. With open banking, consumers will be able to access personalized services, compare offerings from different providers, and make more informed financial decisions.In this episode of Banking Transformed, Deep Varma, CTO at Alkami, explores the technological challenges, regulatory developments, and strategies for success in this new era of financial services.Deep also discusses how organizations of all sizes should be positioned to embrace the open banking revolution, leading to a more customer-centric, efficient, and embedded financial services landscape.This Episode of Banking Transformed is Sponsored by AlkamiAlkami’s Digital Sales & Service Maturity Model Assessment was developed to help banks and credit unions self-assess their digital maturity - and then take action on the results.Take this 5 question assessment and compare your responses to benchmark data collected from hundreds of U.S. based regional and community institutions and determine just how digitally mature your FI is. Get your results now, and with it details to support you on your path forward.Link to assessment tool: Sales and Service Digital Maturity Model Assessment

In a digital age, physical bank branches are still crucial with 72% of consumers prioritizing nearby branches. TD Bank's SVP discusses the adaptation of branches to meet evolving customer expectations. The importance of empowering bank employees in navigating digital banking is highlighted. The future of branch banking, customer relationships, and the role of cash are explored. Innovation labs, customer values, and digital processes in branch experiences are also discussed.

We're excited to welcome April Clobes, CEO and President of MSU Federal Credit Union back to the Banking Transformed podcast, recorded live at the Financial Brand Forum, to discuss the power of innovation through dynamic co-creation.As credit unions face increasing competition from nimble fintechs and larger traditional players, finding new ways to innovate and stay ahead of the curve is more important than ever. April and her team at MSUFCU have developed a unique approach to this challenge, leveraging in-house tech talent and a Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO) to create "composable solutions" that drive member value and growth.We explore the strategies behind this approach and learn how other financial institutions can foster grassroots innovation and accelerate the creation of new solutions, even with limited resources.This episode of Banking Transformed is sponsored by Microsoft:Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.More at Microsoft.com/financialservices

Today, we are joined on the Banking Transformed podcast by Abbas Merchant, ex- CMO and EVP at Regions Bank.It's clear that the role of the marketer is evolving, and those who can effectively harness the power of Gen AI while maintaining a focus on creativity, strategy, and consumer trust will be well-positioned for success. As a senior financial services leader with extensive experience in blending the art and science of marketing, Abbas brings a unique perspective on how Generative AI is poised to revolutionize the marketing landscape.In this episode, we explore the potential of Gen AI, its implications for marketers, and how it's set to transform the way we approach marketing strategies and operations.