In the first BRAVO Leadership Conversation of 2024, Ignacio Yarur, board director at Banco de Credito e Inversiones (Bci), explored Bci’s commitment to digital innovation, international expansion in the Americas, and financial inclusion in Chile. In an event that marked the bank's twenty-fifth anniversary of its U.S. expansion and the strategic acquisition of City National Bank, Yarur was interviewed by BCG's Jorge Becerra on March 21 in Miami. He shed light on Bci's U.S. expansion as the first Chilean financial institution to own a bank in the United States. Yarur also talked about Bci’s societal impact in expanding online financial services through Chile’s first digital banking platform, MACH. "[MACH] is a free checking account for everyone…it completely opened the gate for anyone in Chile to use e-commerce.”

Talking on the recent digitalization in the banking industry, Yarur explained the transition went beyond an IT issue, and required cultural changes. “Regardless of the recent IT revolution, our values have always lied in change. These are the same as when we started in 1997. We [Yarur family] are strongly convinced that if we work hard and remain true to those values, our reward will come in the end." As a fourth-generation leader, Yarur's appointment to the board of directors is marked by nearly two decades of leading key business units, including his most recent role as Bci's chief of innovation and digital bank.

“It is very important for us to remain as close to the client as possible,...which requires listening to them, but also following our clients wherever they are doing a deal,” he said. 

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This conversation is part of the 2024 BRAVO Leadership Forums, a series leading up to this year's Council of the Americas Symposium and BRAVO Business Awards, which will take place in Miami, on October 30, 2024. The BRAVO Leadership Forums have become one the most important engagement and dialogue platforms for bringing together Latin America’s business leaders to promote cross-industry collaboration on critical issues impacting the region. The conversations highlight remarkable business visionaries, pioneers, and entrepreneurs from Latin America who are transforming their industries and driving positive impact in their fields. 

Join the series as a podcast subscriber, or watch the conversations via Linkedin, Twitter, or YouTube.