Reporter
American Banker
Claire Williams is American Banker's Congress reporter, where she tracks political risk for banks from the halls of Capitol Hill. She's previously covered financial policy for Morning Consult and agribusiness for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Leading a regulated entity during the best of times is complicated. But adapting your leadership strategy when you face a confluence of factors—geopolitical instability, cybersecurity threats, disruptive innovation and unknown unknowns—is critical to how your company identifies and mitigates an increasing number of risks (within business units and across the enterprise), capitalizes on emerging innovations without creating excessive vulnerabilities, and anticipates and complies with regulation.
Customer expectations are evolving faster than ever, and banks are under pressure to keep up. This roundtable discussion will explore how financial institutions can combine innovative technology with the emotional connection that customers still want, and what differentiates the best CX in fintech versus traditional banks. From AI-driven personalization to privacy, trust, and the role of empathy in digital design, this discussion will explore what it takes to create truly connected banking experiences for 2026 and beyond, including how banks are addressing legacy systems and internal silos that block CX innovation, how to overcome cultural and organizational inertia, and how banks can maintain empathy and trust in increasingly digital interactions.