Advanced Certified International Retail Banker programme

The next advanced Certified International Retail Banker programme begins on 28 January 2023, and is delivered over seven consecutive weekends by Retail Banking Institute faculty.

The advanced Certified International Retail Banker programme is the top-level of our retail banking programmes and is delivered online with live tutorials from our expert faculty. The programme is open to candidates who have completed Levels I and Level II, and experienced bankers with three years at managerial level are also eligible to join the programme.

Leadership is key in retail banking as banks tackle the challenges of digitalisation, fintech, big tech, and transforming into a modern digital customer-centric retail bank. Retail Banking Institute’s premier programme is designed for future leaders of the retail banking business.

This programme is rich in digital knowledge, but it’s not only about digital, or technology. Banks structured around products and delivery channels are on the way out. Don’t be fooled into thinking that cost-cutting is the way to compete with fintechs. People love human contact, which is all about serving customers.

That’s the philosophy at the heart of our newly-created level III programme, the Certified International Retail Banker. The seminars are delivered by our experienced faculty members:

Dr Paul Griffiths is Professor of Finance at EM Normandie Business School and Academic Director of the M2/MSc Graduate Programme in Banking, Finance and Fintech. He is author of Corporate Governance in the Knowledge Economy: Lessons from Case Studies in the Finance Sector (Palgrave, 2021). He teaches about governance, ethics, and compliance.

Dr Essam El Mallakh started his banking career in 1976 and has wide

experience in retail banking management and retail credit management. He worked as VP Retail Banking head in ABC Egypt; Head of Retail Banking in AAIB Egypt; and Head of Retail Banking & Central Operation of Burgan Bank, Kuwait. He has worked in training activities with the American University of Cairo, Egyptian Banking Institute, IMC, and Ouda. Dr El Mallakh is an expert in retail credit risk.

Carlos Wanderley is a principal at Smarter Way Mentors. An experienced retail banker, Carlos has worked as Head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management, Latin America Region, HSBC, Regional Head of Retail, Europe, HSBC, and General Manager of Customer Propositions at HSBC Bank UK. He is also former Head of Retail at Union Bank of Nigeria. He holds a BSc Economics and an MBA and is an expert on customer-centricity and a true believer in customer-driven success. He is author of A Better Way of Doing Business. Carlos teaches on leadership, branding, and asset and liability management.

Michael Lafferty, FCA, is the founder of Lafferty Group. A chartered accountant, Michael began his journalism career with the Lex team at the Financial Times. He teaches about finance and sustainability.

Dr Ronan Lynch is Editorial Director at Lafferty Group and Academic director of Retail Banking Institute. He has an MA from the University of Michigan and a PhD from the National University of Ireland, Galway.

Caroline Hastings is an Executive Director at Retail Banking Institute and Lafferty Group and was a Senior Vice President at Rabobank New York prior to joining Lafferty Group. Qualifications include a Master’s in Economics from Trinity College Dublin and an MBA in Finance from La Salle University and Wharton School of Business, Pennsylvania. Caroline is the supervisor for academic candidates at the top level of the Certified International Retail Banker programme.

Graham Flower has worked as Head of Customer Propositions and Head of Marketing at HSBC Bank UK, and Group Head of Customer Management at HSBC Group. He also worked in management consultancy with Suncorp. His expertise is in customer management and channel strategy. Graham is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers and Academic Board Member of the Institute of Financial Services, London.

Stuart Harle is principal at Smarter Way Mentors, and has many years of high level experience in retail, SME, and commercial banking as Group Head of Intelligence at HSBC Group, along with management consultancy experience with Deutsche Bank, Santander, Union Bank UK, and Suncorp. An associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Stuart is an expert on customer management.

Experienced in implementing customer insight-driven proposition and transforming distribution with First Direct and HSBC Group, Michael Sollitt has management consultancy experience with i-wish Innovation, Union Bank of Nigeria, LQID, and British American Tobacco.

A fintech founder, Roberto Patriarca is experienced in business transformation across marketing and sales and strategic planning and execution at HSBC Group, UBS, and PwC. Robert holds an MSc in Strategy in Business Administration.