BBVA appoints Walter Rizzi as head of digital banking in Italy
BBVA continues to drive growth in Europe with the appointment of Walter Rizzi as Head of Digital Banking in Italy, a key role in adapting the bank’s offering to the needs of the local market.
With an outstanding track record in strategic consulting, technology, and banking innovation, Walter Rizzi joins as Country Manager for Digital Banks at BBVA Italy, reporting directly to Murat Kalkan, Global Head of the unit. His appointment marks a major step forward in BBVA’s European expansion strategy, with the aim of better addressing the specific needs of different customer segments: “Walter Rizzi’s extensive experience in the Italian market and his transformational leadership in the banking sector will be crucial in supporting BBVA Italy’s path toward sustainable and profitable growth,” remarked Kalkan.
Rizzi had previously served as Chief Product & Customer Officer and Deputy General Manager at Banca AideXa (Milan), where he headed up the development of data-driven, customer-focused banking products. He was also a partner at McKinsey and QuantumBlack in Milan, specializing in AI and digital transformation projects for the Italian financial sector.
His strong technical and strategic background makes him a key leader to drive the bank’s growth in Italy, aligning BBVA’s value proposition with the specific characteristics of the Italian market and cementing its position as an innovative digital banking institution.
According to Rizzi, “Leading BBVA’s development in Italy is an opportunity to build a differentiated digital proposition for customers looking for usability, simplicity, and responsive customer service. These customers have a set of needs that other institutions are not currently addressing. By combining the best of digital technology with universal banking services, we are in the best position to meet the financial needs of Italians.
Italy: a strategic market for digital expansion
Italy represents a strategic opportunity for BBVA in its goal to democratize access to digital financial services. With over 700,000 customers and 1,000 mortgages arranged in just one year, the bank aims to consolidate its presence in the country and ramp up growth with an agile, customer-focused model tailored to the specific challenges of the Italian market.
This appointment follows others such as Fernando García as Head of Engineering and Operations, and Luis Calleja as Head of Product and Marketing, both part of the global Digital Banks unit.
The area seeks to accelerate growth with its sights firmly set on business profitability and scalability. To succeed in this task, the organizational structure has been aligned to foster synergies in product and digital technology development, and to optimize decision-making and oversight of the local business.