We are joined today by Sofia Khaira, a leading specialist in diversity, equity, and inclusion with a wealth of experience in organizational development and corporate restructuring. She is at the forefront of driving initiatives that build more inclusive and effective work environments. We’ll be discussing the nuances of a major transformation aimed at simplifying operations, enhancing efficiency, and strategically developing talent for the future.
Throughout our conversation, we will explore the practical execution of this ambitious organizational shift. Sofia will shed light on how thousands of employee-generated ideas are being transformed into tangible operational improvements, particularly in automation. We will discuss the company’s unique approach to reducing its workforce by 1,800 positions not through layoffs, but through a robust internal mobility and upskilling framework. She will also detail the vision for the new Mobility and Skills Campus, explain how these internal changes will directly benefit the company’s 26 million clients, and outline the communication strategies essential for maintaining employee engagement during a multi-year transition.
Your collaborative initiative involved 2,000 employees generating thousands of ideas. Can you share a specific example of an AI or automation idea that emerged, and walk me through the steps taken to translate that employee feedback into a concrete change in your operations?
Absolutely. One of the most impactful ideas came from our procurement team. An employee pointed out the sheer volume of manual work involved in cross-referencing invoices with purchase orders, a process that was not only time-consuming but also prone to human error. Their suggestion was to develop a small-scale AI tool to automate this verification. We loved the idea, so we formed a small, agile team with members from procurement and IT to develop a pilot program. After a successful trial that demonstrated significant time savings and improved accuracy, we are now in the process of scaling this solution across the relevant central functions. It’s a perfect example of a bottom-up innovation that directly enhances our operational efficiency, born from the practical, everyday experience of our people.
A net reduction of 1,800 positions is planned without a redundancy plan, relying on natural attrition and mobility. What specific programs will ensure employees successfully transition into different roles, and what key metrics will you use to measure the effectiveness of this internal career-move strategy?
Our approach is centered on investment in our people, not on forced exits. The entire strategy is underpinned by an Employment Agreement that formalizes our commitment to internal mobility. We are establishing dedicated career transition teams that will provide one-on-one coaching, skill-gap analysis, and personalized development plans for affected employees. We’re also revamping our internal job portal to prioritize and promote opportunities to internal candidates first. To measure success, we’ll be tracking several key metrics: the internal placement rate, the percentage of open roles filled by internal candidates, and the time-to-fill for these positions. Crucially, we will also be using employee engagement surveys to measure satisfaction with the mobility process itself, ensuring it feels like a genuine opportunity for growth.
With the establishment of a Mobility and Skills Campus, can you describe how it will function day-to-day to create practical bridges between business units? Please provide some details on the specific upskilling pathways prioritized for employees transitioning to new roles within the bank.
The Mobility and Skills Campus is designed to be a dynamic hub, not just a static training center. On any given day, you might see an employee from our French Retail division attending a workshop on ESG financing alongside a colleague from Global Banking and Investor Solutions. We’re creating project-based learning opportunities where employees from different entities can collaborate on real business challenges, literally building bridges between departments. The upskilling pathways are directly tied to our strategic priorities. We’re heavily focused on developing skills in sustainable finance, data analytics, and AI implementation, as well as digital client relationship management. These pathways will ensure that as we evolve, our 119,000 employees have the skills needed to move into the high-demand roles of the future within the bank.
The simplification of central functions and retail banking organization aims for more agile client service. Can you provide an anecdote or a step-by-step example of how these internal changes are expected to directly improve the experience for one of your 26 million clients?
Of course. Let’s imagine a corporate client looking for a complex, tailored financing solution for a sustainable infrastructure project. In the past, this might have involved a lengthy process where their request was passed between several siloed departments—credit, legal, and our ESG advisory team—leading to delays and a fragmented experience. With our simplified structure, the client’s relationship manager is empowered to act as a single point of contact. They can now immediately convene a small, cross-functional team with decision-making authority. This agile team can then work in parallel, streamlining approvals and delivering a comprehensive, value-added solution in a fraction of the time. For the client, the experience is transformed from a slow, bureaucratic process to a fast, seamless, and highly responsive partnership.
Given the gradual implementation timeline of 2026-2027 and beyond, what are the primary challenges you anticipate in maintaining employee morale and engagement? Please elaborate on the communication strategies you will use to manage this multi-year transformation effectively across the organization.
The primary challenge in any long-term transformation is managing uncertainty and change fatigue. A multi-year timeline can feel daunting for employees if not managed properly. Our strategy is built on a foundation of continuous and transparent communication. This isn’t just about a few big announcements; it’s about creating a constant, two-way dialogue. We will be holding regular town halls, publishing detailed progress updates on a dedicated transformation portal, and empowering managers with the tools to have open conversations with their teams. Most importantly, we’re embedding feedback mechanisms throughout the process, like the collaborative initiative that started this, to ensure our employees feel heard and see their input shaping the future of the organization. They are co-authors of this change, not just subjects of it.
What is your forecast for the future of skills development within large financial institutions?
I believe we are moving away from traditional, siloed training programs and toward a model of continuous, integrated skills development. The future isn’t about simply learning a new software program; it’s about cultivating adaptability, digital fluency, and a deep understanding of cross-functional areas like sustainability and AI. Large institutions will increasingly function as internal talent ecosystems, where the primary engine for growth is internal mobility and upskilling, not just external hiring. The “Mobility and Skills Campus” concept is a forerunner of this trend. Success will be defined not by the number of courses completed, but by the organization’s ability to fluidly move talent to areas of strategic importance, ensuring its people grow and evolve right alongside the business.
