Regarding Garanti BBVA’s technology vision and banking strategy, the CEO pointed to the key role played by technology in the bank’s growth, with technological developments calling for a transformation in the way business is done. “At Garanti BBVA, we are leading this transformation thanks to our agility, innovative working culture and strong technological infrastructure,” he added. In that sense, Bastug reminded that the bank continues to invest heavily in technology, so “we can offer our customers a seamless and highly personalized experience. All of our subsidiaries stand to benefit from this new technology and operations center and can pass on the benefits to their own customers.”
Meanwhile, İlker Kuruöz reflected on how technology can affect banking services and how this process unfolds at Garanti BBVA: “The fintech ecosystem has been growing rapidly not only in Türkiye but worldwide and our new Garanti BBVA Technology is a fine example of this,” he said. BBVA’s Turkish unit unveiled Garanti Technology back in 1998, anticipating that technology would be key to the future of the banking industry and this ecosystem has been the driving force behind the transformation of all subsidiaries, especially Garanti BBVA. “Garanti BBVA Technology plays a crucial role within the sector by harnessing technology to develop new business models and enabling our bank to grow,” he added.
Relentless technological progress and digital transformation have been a dominant force within the banking sector and changing customer expectations are hugely important, as innovations such as mobile banking apps, online banking platforms, and digital payment systems have radically changed the banking experience among customers, Kuruöz shared with reporters. “We are constantly renewing and improving our IT processes in response to changing customer needs and making huge investments in infrastructure. Ultimately, we always use technology for the benefit of our customers, with the aim of creating value and making life that bit easier for them,” he asserted.
Garanti BBVA Technology General Manager Fatih Bektaşoğlu explained that this new unit —the ‘tech factory’ of Garanti BBVA and all its subsidiaries— is committed to designing the very future of banking with its immense engineering staff of 2,400 people. Furthermore, he noted that 41 percent of tech employees (with an average age of 34) are women and “this makes us very proud. Without question, our greatest asset at Garanti BBVA Technology is our human team,” he said.
