Nordea executive says bank modernisation depends on staff skills

Nordea transaction banking head Allan Kismeyer said banks upgrading their technology must put more investment into training existing employees, according to comments made to FinextraTV at EBAday 2026. He said staff capability will influence whether modernisation programmes deliver results, with specialised expertise across a fragmented banking value chain becoming a competitive edge.

Kismeyer’s remarks, published by Finextra on 25 June 2026, focused on the operational side of banking modernisation: new platforms and processes can add complexity unless employees are able to use them effectively. Finextra said the sponsored video was produced by its editorial team with input from subject-matter experts at the funding sponsor.

Training as part of the technology spend

According to Kismeyer, investment in infrastructure alone is not enough. Banks also need to equip their existing workforces to work with the systems and procedures introduced during modernisation programmes. That places training and upskilling alongside technology implementation, rather than after it.

The mechanism is practical. Modernisation in transaction banking often changes how work is divided, how processes are executed and how employees interact with new tools. If employees do not understand those processes or technologies, the upgraded infrastructure may face adoption barriers inside the institution. Kismeyer described the human element as a possible obstacle to the wider programme if banks do not address skills development.

His comments also pointed to a more specialised model for banking work. Kismeyer said a successful banking future requires people to be specialised in different parts of a fragmented value chain. In that model, competitive advantage comes not only from owning modern systems, but from having employees who can apply them within distinct operational and product functions.

Implications for transaction banking

The remarks were made in the context of EBAday 2026, a European banking and payments event, and were linked by Finextra to payments, next-generation banking, banking-as-a-service and human resources themes. Nordea was identified by Finextra as the related company.

For transaction banks, the issue is execution. Technology programmes can involve new workflows and different service models across corporate banking, payments and related infrastructure. Kismeyer’s position, as reported by FinextraTV, is that banks must make employee capability part of the programme design if they want technical upgrades to translate into business outcomes.

Finextra reported no financial figures, hiring targets or specific Nordea technology projects in connection with the comments.

This story draws on original reporting from Finextra Research.