Banking Transformed with Jim Marous

Since 2020, financial institutions have faced a perfect storm – rising funding costs, increased delinquencies, and now, a dramatic surge in sophisticated fraud attacks. We're joined on the Banking Transformed podcast by two experts from TransUnion who are at the forefront of understanding and combating these threats: Joshua Turnbull, VP of Card and Banking Strategy, and Craig LaChapelle, VP of Market Development. They'll share insights on why fraud losses are becoming more painful in today's high-cost environment, how fraudsters have adapted their strategies post-pandemic, and most importantly, how financial institutions can build resilience against these evolving threats. Whether you're concerned about the 37% increase in synthetic identities, the fact that 30% of online applications now come from bots, or the alarming spike in early default rates, this conversation will equip you with the knowledge and strategies needed to protect your institution and customers. This episode is sponsored by TransUnio

In an industry where customer trust is paramount, financial institutions like Ally are navigating the delicate balance between rapid innovation and robust security. As part of the Executive Leadership Series, sponsored by Naehas and recorded live at the Financial Brand Forum, we'll explore how Ally has leveraged generative AI to streamline operations, foster innovation, and enhance customer experiences while maintaining the trust fundamental to banking relationships. I'm thrilled to be joined by Sathish Muthukrishnan, Chief Information, Data, and Digital Officer at Ally Bank, one of America's leading digital financial services companies. Sathish will examine broader industry trends and provide a forward-looking discussion of Agentic AI's potential to revolutionize banking relationships, including the ethical considerations involved. This episode is sponsored by Naehas. Naehas provides financial institutions with a centralized platform to efficiently manage product creation, pricing strategies, complianc

The banking industry faces unprecedented pressure to shift from reactive service models to proactive engagement strategies. However, many institutions are still hindered by fragmented customer data, disconnected channels, and limited AI capabilities. Banking's future belongs to institutions that can harness unified data, artificial intelligence, and seamless experiences to predict and fulfill customer needs before they're articulated. I’m joined on the Banking Transformed podcast by Tim Rutten, Chief Marketing Officer at Backbase, to discuss how financial institutions can unlock their growth potential in an increasingly competitive and rapidly evolving market. We discuss how leading banks break down traditional barriers between products, channels, and business units to create cohesive customer journeys that build deeper relationships and unlock new revenue streams. Tim also provides actionable insights on prioritizing high-impact use cases that can be put into action today.

In less than two years, Jenius Bank has surpassed $2 billion in deposits and loans, and recently launched a next-generation mobile and online banking platform that promises to transform how customers understand and manage their finances. The focus has been on leveraging technology to deliver personalized insights, eliminating fees, and helping customers live what they call "richer lives." I’m excited to welcome back John Rosenfeld, President of Jenius Bank, the digital banking division of SMBC MANUBANK to the Banking Transformed podcast. John discusses how digital banking must evolve beyond convenient transactions to become a financial partner that provides actionable insights for customers. By focusing on financial wellness, data optimization, and the mind-money connection, Jenius Bank creating differentiation in a highly competitive digital banking landscape.

Despite having accumulated vast amounts of customer data for decades, many financial institutions struggle to effectively harness this information for strategic advantage. Legacy systems, organizational silos, and competing priorities often leave valuable data isolated and underutilized. Meanwhile, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies has created both immense opportunities and significant challenges for banks trying to keep pace. I'm joined on the Banking Transformed podcast by Lee Wetherington, Senior Director of Corporate Strategy at Jack Henry™ & Associates. Lee has been at the forefront of helping financial institutions navigate these complex data and AI challenges. This episode is sponsored by Jack Henry. Jack Henry™ is a well-rounded financial technology company that strengthens the connections between people and their financial institutions through technology and services that reduce the barriers to financial health – with the purpose of empowering people a

In a world saturated with digital noise, where customer loyalty is increasingly rare, how can traditional banks not just survive, but thrive? I’m joined on the Banking Transformed podcast by Kartik Ramakrishnan, CEO of Financial Services at Capgemini, to discuss the eye-opening findings from their just-released 2025 World Retail Banking Report. This report reveals some concerning trends, including the a vast majority of customers are indifferent or outright dissatisfied with their current banking experiences. Meanwhile, banking executives are struggling to convert prospects into customers, with significant gaps between what consumers want and what banks are delivering. But within these challenges lie extraordinary opportunities for transformation. We explore how leading financial institutions are using the customer-centric "flywheel growth model" to attract, engage, and delight digital-first customers in an increasingly competitive landscape.

In an evolving banking ecosystem, CMOs must approach AI as a transformative force while avoiding the pitfalls of short-term thinking. To drive differentiation, forward-thinking marketing leaders must leverage first-party data foundations, AI tools, and human creativity and stop marketing like it’s in 1999. On today’s episode of Banking Transformed, my friend Eric Fulwiler, who is the co-founder and CEO of the marketing consultancy Rival, joins me to discuss how true marketing innovation will come not from the AI tools themselves but from proprietary customer insights and creative application of AI outputs. Eric also shares practical frameworks for CMOs to evaluate AI investments, build team capabilities, and maintain a strategic perspective amid rapid change while providing tips for ongoing AI learning.

According to Avanade's latest AI Value Report, 59% of these institutions have already embarked on AI transformation journeys, with a third claiming completion. Yet beneath this enthusiasm lies a complex reality: many banks expect quick returns while still building fundamental capabilities in data management, security, and infrastructure. Joining me on the Banking Transformed podcast are Jeromey Farmer, Head of Data & AI for North America at Avanade, and Daragh Morrissey, Director of Artificial Intelligence for WW Financial Services at Microsoft. Together, we'll unpack the report's findings, explore real-world AI use cases delivering value now, examine implementation opportunities and challenges, and look ahead to what's next, including the transformative potential of agentic AI. Microsoft Copilot for Banking | Avanade

As financial institutions navigate rapid technological change, evolving customer expectations, and increasingly complex regulatory environments, industry associations like ProSight play a crucial role in providing guidance, resources, and community. My guest on the Banking Transformed podcast is Debbie Bianucci, who led BAI for nearly 30 years before becoming President and CEO of ProSight. She, shares insights on the complementary strengths each organization brought to the merger and how their combined capabilities create a more comprehensive support system for financial institutions. The conversation examines how ProSight is helping banks navigate digital transformation, changing customer expectations, regulatory complexity, and emerging risks. Debbie highlights ProSight's expanded suite of offerings, including decision support tools, research, learning programs, and peer networking opportunities designed to equip financial leaders with practical strategies for success.

Small businesses are facing unprecedented challenges alongside remarkable opportunities as they respond to the digitalization of engagement, an uncertain geopolitical landscape and increasing consumer expectations. More than ever they want their financial institution to be a partner in their journey. In this episode of Banking Transformed, we sit down with Manny Tocco, Chief Operating Officer of Business Banking at Citizens Bank. Manny shares his insights on the major trends impacting small businesses and how financial institutions must reimagine their small business banking model from the ground up, balancing high-tech capabilities with high-touch relationship management. Whether you're a banking executive seeking to enhance your small business strategy, a fintech leader looking for partnership opportunities, or a small business owner navigating the evolving financial landscape, this conversation offers valuable perspectives on creating meaningful banking relationships in a digital-first world that still c

As financial institutions navigate the challenges of digital transformation while maintaining relevant physical spaces, organizations must focus on reimagining how to connect with customers in an increasingly digital world. This must include a shift from transaction-focused branch designs to experience-centered environments that prioritize consultative interactions. I’m joined on the Banking Transformed podcast by EJ Kritz, Chief Experience Officer at DBSI. EJ shares his expertise on the evolution of branch banking design and customer experience improvements. Recorded live at the Visionary Voices event in Chandler, Arizona, the conversation digs into how data-driven design decisions are helping banks optimize their physical footprint while enhancing customer engagement. Whether you're looking to revitalize your branches or enhance your overall customer journey, this conversation offers valuable insights for financial leaders ready to transform their approach.

Financial institutions face unprecedented challenges in product innovation and customer communication. From managing complex compliance requirements to optimizing offer management across multiple channels, banks struggle with outdated systems that hinder their ability to compete effectively. Today, we're joined on the Banking Transformed podcast by Rab Govil, CEO and founder of Naehas, whose platform transforms how banks create, manage, and execute financial products and offers. Rab shares practical insights on how banks can reduce time-to-market for new products, ensure consistent messaging across channels, and maintain regulatory compliance without sacrificing innovation. Whether you're struggling with disclosure management, seeking to improve offer personalization, or modernizing your product pricing strategy, this conversation provides actionable solutions for banking's most pressing operational challenges. This episode of Banking Transformed is sponsored by Naehas Naehas accelerates value for financi

In today’s rapidly evolving world of fintech and digital transformation, success is often painted as a glamorous journey of resilience and grit. But the reality is far more complex—and far less forgiving. In this episode of Banking Transformed, we sit down with renowned fintech leader and author Leda Glyptis to explore the hard truths behind building what lasts. Drawing from her new book, Beyond Resilience: Patterns of Success in Fintech and Digital Transformation, Leda reveals that survival in this industry is not about luck or brilliance — it’s about mastering the art of doing hard, often unglamorous work, consistently and with precision. Whether you’re leading digital change within a bank or launching the next disruptive fintech, this conversation will shift your perspective on what it really takes to beat the odds. If you’re ready to move beyond the hype and uncover the playbook for building the future of financial services, this is an episode you can’t afford to miss.

The 2025 Retail Banking Trends and Priorities Report reveals an industry in transition. While 51% of institutions are actively implementing digital transformation efforts, 22% struggle with implementation or have halted their efforts. Key priorities focus on improving digital experiences (52%) and enhancing data capabilities (33%), while AI adoption is slowly expanding beyond security into customer service and process automation. Most interestingly, despite the continued focus on improving digital delivery, organizations, especially credit unions, are still building new branches. My guest on Banking Transformed, Mark Sievewright, Chief Strategy Officer for SRM, shares his perspective on where banks and credit unions focus their efforts and whether some of their investments may be misguided. He also discusses how the findings challenge conventional wisdom about digital transformation and highlight the complex balance between innovation and customer expectations.

While banks have successfully implemented GenAI for internal processes and back-office operations, they struggle to achieve meaningful ROI on customer-facing solutions like agent assist and Conversational IVR due to regulatory compliance requirements, data privacy concerns, and model explainability needs. This results in significant hurdles when deploying customer-facing applications. In this episode of Banking Transformed, we're joined by Manish Gupta, CEO of Corridor Platforms, and Toby Brown, Managing Director of Global Retail Banking Solutions at Google Cloud, to discuss their groundbreaking partnership and how AI and cloud technologies can transform banking decisioning capabilities, enabling institutions to compete effectively while maintaining regulatory compliance. Our guests will also share insights on overcoming implementation challenges, managing GenAI risks, and creating sustainable frameworks for long-term success in digital banking. This episode of Banking Transformed is sponsored by Corridor

Several key data trends are transforming the competitive landscape of banking. First, the emergence of Agentic AI is prompting institutions to reconsider how they organize and use customer data. Second, vendor consolidation is compelling banks to take greater control of their data strategies. Third, the growing sophistication of AI models requires higher-quality data to provide personalized experiences while addressing bias risks. In this episode of Banking Transformed, Don Permezel, VP of Data & AI at nCino, joins us to explore how banks must evolve beyond mere data collection to unlock true customer value through AI-powered personalization. The discussion reveals that while many banks excel at data collection and storage, they often fail to turn this data into actionable intelligence that enhances customer value. This episode of Banking Transformed is sponsored by nCino nCino is the leading provider of intelligent, best-in-class banking solutions, focused on streamlining operations for financial institu

Legacy core systems, often decades old, restrict innovation and limit the ability to offer personalized digital products. Traditional "rip and replace" approaches to modernization are risky, expensive, and time-consuming. Organizations need a solution enabling speed and scale innovation while preserving existing infrastructure investments. On this episode of the Banking Transformed podcast, Ahon Sarkar, SVP and general manager of Helix at Q2 discusses a revolutionary approach to core banking modernization. By combining Q2's digital banking platform, Helix's cloud-based core, and extensive fintech partnerships, Q2 Fabric enables financial institutions to launch modern digital products without replacing legacy systems. The conversation explores how this solution helps banks and credit unions compete in today's digital landscape while minimizing risk and maximizing ROI.

Three-quarters of banks report that legacy infrastructure poses significant barriers to implementing new digital solutions. This creates a complex challenge of balancing innovation with addressing budgetary constraints and maintaining operational efficiency. In this episode of Banking Transformed, Barb Morgan, Chief Product & Technology Officer at Temenos, discusses how financial institutions can navigate this technological crossroads, examining strategies for optimizing tech spending, modernizing infrastructure, and leveraging emerging technologies like generative AI to enhance operational efficiency and customer experience. We also explore the evolving role of leadership in driving technological change, including the critical balance between innovation and risk management. The conversation further addresses the industry's growing talent challenge – from recruiting tech-savvy professionals to upskilling existing teams.

Financial institutions of all sizes face mounting pressure to compete with tech giants, global banks and nimble fintechs while meeting rising customer expectations for personalized experiences. The key to success lies not in matching their scale, but in leveraging data more effectively through modern core banking systems. Jeffrey Kendall, Chairman and CEO of Nymbus, is joining me today on the Banking Transformed podcast. We will discuss how data-enabled core banking is transforming financial institutions and enabling them to deliver personalized experiences that rival the largest banks and most nimble fintechs. We also will explore the intersection of vertical banking strategies, real-time data analytics, and the future of community banking.

Banks and credit unions must innovate faster and deliver flexible, scalable, and differentiated offerings to keep up with account holders' changing expectations. This is best achieved through collaborations with solution providers and fintech organizations that offer customizable digital-first offerings. On this episode of the Banking Transformed podcast, Deena Otto, COO of Stanford FCU, and Dan Collins, Director of Digital Development at Visions FCU, share how their organizations are revolutionizing their approach to innovation. Rather than building solutions from scratch or undertaking time-consuming custom integrations, these institutions leverage pre-built components and standardized integration frameworks to deploy new solutions rapidly. Learn how these two credit unions “punch above their fighting weight" by reducing what would typically be year-long development cycles into projects deliverable within three to six months.