Latest opinions that Maria Schuld has shared on Finextra

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Maria Schuld

Head of Regional and Community Banking

FIS

Member since

11 Feb 2021

Location

Milwaukee

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Maria's opinions

Key Components of Merger Integration Success

Ben Franklin may not have had a bank merger in mind when he penned this quote, but it certainly applies. Mergers and the related conversions they bring are seminal events that require careful planning, thorough communication, and precise execution. Successful merger-driven integration reflects the following characteristics and components. A consist...

19 March 2024 /retail /markets Banking Strategy, Digital and Transformation

Obtaining, Training and Retaining Data Analysts

The need for data analytics talent Staying abreast of current data and analytics technology and practices can help community banks maintain their inherent relationship advantages. Hiring qualified data analysts to dive deep into banking data and create meaningful analytics presents a considerable challenge for community banking and credit union ex...

22 January 2024 /retail /markets Banking Strategy, Digital and Transformation

Enabling Proactive Risk Management

Why manage risk? Banking leaders realize their organizations are exposed to more risk than in the past given the scope of cyber occurrences, more frequent global and geographic catastrophic events, and dependence on global networks to conduct business. Executives need confidence in their ability to overcome such threats. To alleviate these challen...

12 December 2023 /retail /markets Banking Strategy, Digital and Transformation

Making Sustainability a Common Practice

Many financial institutions lay claim to sustainability with Going-Green objectives as an element of their culture as well as an on-going commitment to their customers. But getting these intentions ingrained into a bank or credit union takes more than a press release. Sustainability as a widespread practice requires consistency, commitment, and ac...

27 November 2023 /retail /markets Banking Strategy, Digital and Transformation

Delivering on the Small Business Banking Customer Experience

According to the Small Business Administration, small companies generate 1.5 million jobs per year and account for 64% of new jobs in America. Small businesses also comprise 44% of U.S. economic activity, so as the number of new businesses expands, their economic contributions grow as well. Community banks are critical engines to the economic expa...

23 October 2023 /retail /markets Banking Strategy, Digital and Transformation

Cultivating IT Talent

The talent crunch within financial institutions occurs most distinctly in IT. As banks evolve digitally, the need for quality technical resources has become even more critical. In fact, in a recent InsiderIntelligence poll, the ability to attract qualified talent ranks as the top concern of bank executives. Within IT roles at banks, the positions o...

01 September 2023 /retail /markets Banking Strategy, Digital and Transformation

Generating Deposits while Protecting Margins

The number one concern of banking executives I spoke with at a recent industry conference was deposit growth. Specifically, bankers want to grow core deposits without pricing themselves into less profitable situations. This sentiment extends well beyond the hallways of conference sidebar conversations. A recent American Banker headline observed th...

25 July 2023 /retail /markets Banking Strategy, Digital and Transformation

The Evolving Role of a Bank COO

The talent crunch for financial institutions doesn’t stop in the IT department. Increased regulatory pressure, liquidity challenges, and margin shortfalls create pressure to have the right individuals to guide a community bank. Perhaps the most critical position in a financial organization today is that of the Chief Operating Officer (COO). And th...

29 June 2023 /retail /markets Banking Strategy, Digital and Transformation

Banking as a Service (BaaS) and Embedded Finance, innovation for today’s challenges

Few could have anticipated the margin and deposit growth pressures financial institutions have suddenly faced in 2023. Traditional models cannot always solve balance sheet shortfalls. As innovative banking technologies evolve, they offer opportunities to broaden customer relationships on a different, deeper level. This is especially true in the cas...

22 May 2023 /retail /markets Banking Strategy, Digital and Transformation

Transparency – transformative for today’s banks

The value of transparency in business practices According to business.com, “transparency is defined as a lack of hidden agendas or conditions, accompanied by the availability of full information required of collaboration, cooperation and collective decision-making.” Financial institutions that embrace transparency find this practice leads to custo...

27 January 2023 /retail /markets Banking Strategy, Digital and Transformation