Redwood Credit Union has built its approach around a clear philosophy: every product, service and interaction must ultimately serve the member. From early investment in digital channels to creating seamless, intuitive experiences, the organisation has focused on ensuring that digital delivers the same level of service and engagement as the branch experience.

In this episode of Banking Uncovered, Mark Donohue speaks with Tony Hildesheim, Chief Operation Officer and Executive Vice President at Redwood Credit Union, about how community-led financial institutions can compete with larger institutions and fintechs by providing services and digital experiences that create strong human connections.

The conversation explores how this customer-centric approach is evolving, from the growing role of AI in banking to balancing security with personalisation and how member feedback continues to drive digital innovation. Tony also shares how Redwood is combining technology, service and insight to deliver more relevant, intuitive and member-led experiences.

Topics discussed include:

• How Redwood has extended the human branch experience into digital channels
• The importance of designing digital journeys that focus on outcomes, not transactions
• How digital benchmarking and extensive member feedback have informed decision-making
• The role of AI in reducing friction and simplifying banking
• The potential of voice-activated technology to personalise experiences
• Balancing customer control with personalised security
• How Redwood uses continuous feedback to shape digital innovation
• The digital-first strategy that has helped to grow business accounts by 16%
• Three factors that will define the future of financial services

Bank of America data shows that 94% of customer interactions now take place through digital channels. As customers become accustomed to new technologies, expectations continue to evolve. Today's innovations quickly become the norm, raising the question: what's next for digital banking?

In this episode of Banking Uncovered, Mark Donohue, Managing Director of iSky at RFI Global, is joined by Jorge Camargo, Head of Digital Platforms at Bank of America, to discuss how customer expectations and technology are evolving and what the future of digital banking will look like. Jorge shares insights into the evolution of the bank's AI-powered virtual assistant, Erica, the growing role of AI in creating more proactive customer experiences, and why trust transparency and customer choice remain critical as financial institutions embrace new technologies.

Looking ahead, they explore the trends shaping the next generation of digital banking, from personalised financial guidance and holistic money management to the increasing role of AI in helping customers make smarter financial decisions.

Topics discussed include:

• How customer expectations of digital banking are evolving
• Why trust remains central to the digital banking experience
• The eureka moment that led to Bank of America's virtual assistant, Erica
• How AI is enabling more proactive and personalised banking experiences
• Why a holistic view of customers' financial lives matters
• The balance between convenience, security and fraud prevention
• How financial education can strengthen customer relationships
• What will differentiate banks in an increasingly digital future

This podcast was recorded on 22 June 2026.

As digital adoption accelerates across commercial and business banking, the role of the relationship manager is not diminishing - it is becoming more critical.

In this episode of Banking Uncovered, Jon Ruston speaks with Claire May, Head of Commercial Clients at Santander UK, to explore how banks are redefining relationship management in a digital-first world. The discussion follows Santander’s recognition at RFI Global’s UK Banking & Finance Awards 2026, where it won awards for Best Relationship Managers (Business Banking) and Best Business Loan Services, based on feedback from over 4,500 UK business banking customers.

Jon and Claire discuss the evolving role of Relationship Managers (RMs) and, based on Santander’s experience and RFI Global’s data, what small and medium-sized (SMEs and mid-market firms) and commercial businesses expect from their banking partners. They explore how expectations of both digital and human interactions are evolving, and how banks should respond by focusing on where they add the most value. Businesses increasingly expect seamless self-serve for everyday tasks, while placing greater value on human expertise in more complex moments.

Topics discussed include:

• How customer expectations are evolving across digital and human channels
• How customer needs vary by business type, operational complexity and decision-maker
• Why demand for self-serve is growing, but human expertise is becoming more valuable
• The role of data and insight in understanding customers and improving delivery
• How banks can identify and respond to ‘moments that matter’
• The impact of AI on relationship management and client engagement
• Why complexity, not size, should define relationship support
• How banks can better support fast-growing businesses
• The future of business banking and what will define success.