Manuel Rivero | The AI and Internal Innovation Playbook Behind Banregio and Hey Banco

The audio and video are in Spanish. These notes are a translation.

Today I spoke with Manuel Rivero Zambrano, CEO of Hey Banco and of Regional, the holding company that includes Banregio. Manuel is the fourth generation of bankers in his family, but he has been a key player in the organization's digital transformation. He founded Banregio Labs and launched Hey Banco, a fintech with more than 600,000 users. In this conversation we talk about leadership, innovation, artificial intelligence applied to banking, and how to build a culture centered on continuous learning.

1:08 - From Traditional Banking to Digital Banking

Manuel tells how his trip to China a decade ago inspired him to transform Banregio digitally, and how Hey Banco was born as part of that vision.

How did his international experience shape his vision of digital banking?
What steps did they take to turn a traditional institution into an agile organization?
How important were talent and organizational culture in this transformation?

12:00 - The CEO’s Role and the Innovation Lab

Banregio Labs was one of the first big bets on innovation, led directly by Manuel as CEO.

Why is it key for the CEO to stay close to the innovation agenda?
What sets a successful innovation lab apart?
How does the transformation area connect with the business’s operations?

19:45 - Artificial Intelligence Applied to Banking

Hey Banco has already implemented AI for customer service and for personalizing services.

In which areas is Manuel investing the most to apply AI?
How does he see the impact of AI agents on a bank’s internal processes?
What changes are expected in the bank employee’s role with the use of AI?

28:00 - The Future of Banking with AI

Manuel’s vision points to banking embedded in the user’s life, helping people build wealth in an accessible way.

How does he imagine the banking interface of the future?
What obstacles stand in the way of AI adoption in Mexico?
What advantages does AI offer for democratizing financial services?

36:30 - Leadership and Organizational Culture

Manuel reflects on the skills a leader needs to guide processes of technological transformation.

What role does empathy play in innovation leadership?
How do you make sure the transformation is a collective effort?
How important is it to treat employees as the first customer?

48:30 - Training, Continuous Learning, and a Vision for the Future

From university to personal curiosity, Manuel stresses the importance of learning constantly and starting with small experiments.