BAI Banking Strategies

When Climate First is part of your name, it’s clear where your priorities lie. Ken LaRoe, founder and CEO at Climate First Bank, joins us to talk about his startup institution, its name and its values in the context of broader issues in banking today.

With all the pressing challenges that community banks face, should they also devote brain space to cryptocurrencies? Shuki Licht, chief innovation officer at Finastra, makes his case for why community banks should be focused on crypto now.

Improving the digital customer experience is one of 2022’s top business challenges for financial services providers, according to BAI Banking Outlook research. Gaurav Bhatia, chief marketing and digital experience officer at PenFed Credit Union, joins us to talk about what his institution is doing for its 2.6 million members and how it’s working.

Millions of Americans are living their lives largely outside the banking system. Lisa Fischer, chief growth and lending officer at Mission Lane, joins us to discuss how data can be used to provide more financial access to the underbanked.

Bank mergers are occurring at a brisk pace these days. Some deals will be successful, while others will be less so. What accounts for the diverging outcomes? Vibhas Ratanjee, a specialist in M&A integration from Gallup, discusses the role culture can play in making it more likely that a banking merger will work out according to the dealmakers’ plans.

Rising inflation joins growing competition and digital disruption as key threats for banking in 2022. Prominent banking analyst Tom Brown tells us why he nonetheless has a rosy outlook for the industry this year.

Digital banking continues to grow in momentum and importance. Jacquie Hersch, head of industry marketing for financial services at ServiceNow, joins us to discuss digital transformation and how banks can offer even more effective digital products and services.

When the pandemic restricted access to branch lobbies, customers took to the idea of making appointments when doing their banking. Matt Hertel from UKG joins us to talk about the current state of appointment-setting and where he sees it going in the years ahead.

Credit unions are getting more active in the bank-buying business as a way to add scale and efficiencies. Our guest is Jeff Disterhoft, who heads Iowa’s GreenState Credit Union, the most active M&A player in that market.

With the end of 2021 in sight, it’s time to start thinking about what we might experience in banking in the coming year. Karl Dahlgren, who heads the research group at BAI, is with us to talk about emerging issues and ongoing trends that stand to affect the industry in 2022.