Banking Transformed with Jim Marous

The Untold Journey of a Female Tech CEO

For tech firms serving banks, survival isn’t guaranteed. It takes more than a great product or engineering talent to stay ahead. It requires relentless innovation, the ability to scale without losing agility, a deep understanding of financial institutions' pain points, and above all, visionary leadership that adapts to change rather than fears it. On this episode of Banking Transformed, we welcome Ana Inés Echavarren, the dynamic CEO of Infocorp, a company that has not only survived but thrived in this volatile environment. But her story isn’t just about corporate growth — it’s a story of personal reinvention. From her roots in engineering to becoming one of the few female tech CEOs in Latin America, Ana’s journey is marked by lessons in courage, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and the transformative power of mentorship. A vocal advocate for women in tech and leadership, Ana challenges old paradigms and champions diversity as a competitive advantage. This conversation serves as a roadmap for what it truly takes to build a resilient, purpose-driven, and future-ready organization.

Hidden Costs of Wrong Vendor Selection

Every week, we hear another story: A major bank's mobile app crashes during peak hours with no vendor support in sight. A credit union's core system update goes sideways, leaving customers locked out for days. A regional bank discovers that their "24/7 support" actually means "leave a voicemail and we'll get back to you Tuesday." Here's the brutal truth most banking executives learn too late: You're not just buying a solution – you're buying a relationship that could either supercharge your institution or slowly strangle it. While your procurement team obsesses over features and price tags, the real question that will determine your success or failure is this: When everything goes wrong at 2 AM on a Friday, who's actually going to answer the phone? I'm joined on the Banking Transformed podcast by Jennifer Gibson, VP of Sales for Primax, who has a front-row seat to both sides of this equation. Jennifer is here to reveal the hidden warning signs that separate true partners from mere sales pitches, the questions banks should be asking but rarely do, and why the most expensive mistake you can make is choosing the cheapest vendor. This episode of Banking Transformed is sponsored by Primax Primax provides community banks with an expansive array of value-added services and customizable solutions to help profitably grow their portfolios and deliver an unparalleled experience to cardholders. With a longstanding commitment to service excellence, Primax has been designing and providing support services for payment card programs for financial institutions throughout the U.S. and the Caribbean for over 40 years. Visit www.primax.us/ for more information

From Cash and Cards to Invisible Banking

The convergence of artificial intelligence, real-time payment rails, open banking, and embedded finance is creating both unprecedented opportunities for innovation and significant competitive pressures. Banks must navigate the delicate balance between embracing cutting-edge technologies, such as generative AI, and maintaining the trust and security that customers demand. In this episode of the Banking Transformed podcast, we delve into the rapidly evolving payments ecosystem with Rich Clow, Head of Innovation and Strategy at Global Payment Solutions, Bank of America. With over 25 years of experience spanning from the early days of branchless banking to today's AI-powered financial services, Rich provides unique insights into the transformative trends reshaping how we think about money, payments, and banking relationships. Join us as we explore these critical trends with one of the industry's most experienced innovators, who has been at the forefront of digital payments evolution for over two decades.

Rebuilding Banking Loyalty for the Digital Age

In an age where customers can switch banks with just a few taps on their smartphones, loyalty has shifted from being a nice-to-have marketing tactic to a business-critical survival strategy. Today's banking customers don't just want rewards—they seek relevance, personalization, and experiences that fit seamlessly into their daily routines. This shift represents more than just changing customer preferences; it's a fundamental reimagining of how financial institutions create value and foster lasting relationships. Traditional banks are grappling with legacy systems that were never designed for the dynamic, real-time engagement that modern loyalty programs demand, while nimble fintech competitors are building loyalty into their DNA from the outset. Today on Banking Transformed, we explore the future of retail banking loyalty with Carson Kotnyek, VP and Head of Loyalty and Ecosystems at Zafin, who will share insights on how traditional banks can bridge the innovation gap and build loyalty programs that don't just retain customers – but turn them into passionate advocates. This episode of Banking Transformed is sponsored by Zafin Zafin's Loyalty Rewards capability helps banks deepen customer engagement by rewarding behaviors across the entire banking journey, not just their transactions and spends. It offers behavior-based incentives, flexible point strategies, and personalized rewards, moving beyond traditional spend-based models. With seamless integration and real-time analytics, banks can optimize loyalty programs to enhance customer lifetime value and drive sustainable growth. Visit https://zafin.com/insights/banking-blueprints/?videos

Your Customer Onboarding is Broken

Despite massive investments in digital transformation, most banks and credit unions are still struggling to deliver seamless and intuitive account-opening experiences. In fact, financial institutions could more than double their digital account opening success by following just a few simple strategies. In today’s episode of Banking Transformed, I’m joined by Frida Leibowitz, Co-Founder and CEO of Debbie — a fintech platform that not only helps institutions attract younger members, but also rewards positive financial behavior to boost engagement and loyalty. We discuss Debbie’s rapid growth, the findings from their recently released 2025 Digital Account Opening Guide, and what is holding most financial institutions back from achieving digital onboarding success. If your organization is still relying on outdated forms, clunky ID verification, or legacy vendor excuses — this is the episode you can’t afford to miss.