Bank Director’s 2025 Acquire or Be Acquired conference in January brought professionals from financial institutions together for an update on the economic landscape and to identify opportunities for growth and innovation.
RSM attended the conference and was one of its sponsors. Here are the top themes our professionals gleaned from the three-day event:
1. M&A activity set to increase
“Banks need to ensure they are positioned to seize new M&A opportunities, particularly given the ability to bring critical speed to scale through acquisitions,” as we wrote in this recent article for Bank Director. Deal activity returned to the forefront during the conference and Bank Director’s 2025 Bank M&A Survey reflects that many banks are preparing for such opportunities.
“Forty-three percent of bank leaders say their organization is very or somewhat likely to buy another bank by the end of 2025, up from 35% a year earlier,” the survey found. “Among respondents who were open to acquiring, scale to drive technology and other investments (43%) and geographic expansion (37%) were cited as the two most important factors driving acquisition strategies.”
Given this landscape, banks need to assess and update their M&A strategies.
2. Beyond the hype: Adopting AI
Financial institutions are trying to separate fact from fiction as the hype around generative artificial intelligence continues to drive a fear of missing out for many institutions. Multiple sessions discussed how best to understand the strategic, competitive and regulatory landscape of generative AI and put the technology to use.
As we wrote last year, AI holds significant potential impact and opportunity in two key areas for financial institutions: sales and marketing, and risk management. Banks trying to assess where AI can provide the most value—whether in these functions or elsewhere throughout the organization—should consider existing use cases, data availability and talent needs.
Read more financial services industry insights from RSM.
3. Prioritize risk resilience
From cybersecurity attacks and third-party risk management to fraud and overall uncertainty, panels highlighted the importance of risk resilience for banks in 2025.
While Bank Director’s 2024 Technology Survey found that 89% of respondents were more concerned than they were the previous year about fraud involving their digital channels, there were also other areas of focus for bank leaders. “Check fraud (80%), phishing scams or socially engineering attacks (53%), and digital payments fraud (48%) are the top three types of fraud that worry respondents most,” the survey found.
Financial institution leadership teams will also continue navigating the fallout from the 2023 bank failures and subsequent implications for concentration risk and sector-specific risks.
4. Creating value with data
Multiple panels at the AOBA conference zeroed in on how to harness data for actionable insights, hone strategic advantage and drive growth. Effectively using data enables financial institutions to make informed decisions, identify opportunities for growth and address potential risks.
However, financial institutions often encounter obstacles—such as limited data access, siloed systems and a lack of quality control, to name a few—that limit their ability to retrieve and use data to enhance efficiency and improve the customer experience. Prioritizing data analytics can help organizations enhance their operations and provide better service to customers.
