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The banking sector today is changing rapidly, driven by modern technology, regulatory changes and new customer expectations. In such a dynamic environment, the success of a bank largely depends on its management, which must not only manage the business but also anticipate the future. Andriy Grigel, CEO of RADABANK, is a manager for whom leadership principles, strategic thinking and the ability to make risky decisions are key components of success. In his career, there was no shortage of challenges, important steps and even moments when an accident could change everything. In an interview with Banker.ua, Andrii told us what it means to be a leader in the financial sector, what principles help to effectively manage a team, why customer focus is an important part of the bank's strategy, and how the bank adapts to new realities. He also explains how chess influenced his management skills, why psychology is important in finance, and what risk he has taken in his life.

ABOUT MANAGEMENT STYLE, PRINCIPLES AND RISKS

- Andrii, what is the most important thing for you in managing a team and what principles help you to be an effective leader? How would you describe your leadership style?

- I consider my management style to be democratic, but I am quite demanding of people who, in my opinion, have the potential for greater achievements. In managing a team, the fundamental principles for me are the need to maintain an atmosphere of openness and honesty and to set an example by adhering to these principles. In addition, I believe that a leader should always remain calm, moderately optimistic and instil this calmness in other people.

- What values do you foster? Does the bank have any unique traditions or approaches to work that distinguish it from its competitors?

- I can't say that our values are unique, but we do try to develop a culture of customer centricity within the bank. I personally like it when clients grow with us. And large clients remain satisfied because of the individual approach and speed of decision-making.

- And what is your credo or principle in decision-making? How was it formed and how much has it influenced your career?

- I always try to assess what the long-term effect of a decision I make now will be. Does it lead to the achievement of strategic goals, what will be the consequences not today, but in a few months or a year. This is what chess taught me: as a child, I played this sport for 5 years... or even art, if you like.

- What was the riskiest decision you had to make in your professional life? Were there moments when you hesitated, and what helped you make the final choice?

- Looking back on the experience, I think the riskiest decision was not to leave my hometown of Dnipro at the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022. Both I and the team members were confident that the city would survive, but given that we were not military and did not fully understand the situation, I now see this decision as risky.

ON TRENDS IN FINANCE AND NEW SERVICES FOR CLIENTS
- Speaking from a professional perspective, what trends in business and finance do you see as the most important for the next few years?
- All modern trends are in one way or another related to digitalisation, process automation and the use of either robots or artificial intelligence in performing routine tasks. Separately, the banking segment should highlight the accelerated harmonisation of European directives on banking supervision and regulation with a view to integration into the European Union. Personally, I consider the area of virtual assets to be very promising, provided it is properly regulated at the legislative level.
- RADABANK is actively developing, and many people note its progressive approach. What strategic areas of development are your priorities? And what can customers expect in these segments?
- RADABANK is now at such a stage of development that we are simultaneously moving in several directions. This is the development of digital channels, where we are at the stage of launching pilot projects for their further scaling to the whole of Ukraine. This includes further work on the mobile application, which has never actually ended, but over the past year we have significantly strengthened the team to introduce new services faster. It also includes work on remote customer identification schemes and the introduction of a paperless service philosophy in branches

ABOUT FATE AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN THE BANKING SECTOR

- How do you feel about fate and luck in business? Was there a moment in your career when an accident or unexpected meeting changed your professional trajectory?

- In Western culture, there is a term called a positive attitude. I can use it to describe my approach to life. I sincerely believe that everything will be fine, even though I was a chief risk officer in the past. In 2015, I quit my previous job in one day, as they say, out of nowhere, and a month later I came to work at RADABANK, having absolutely no career ambitions. But in just a few years, he rose from a financial analyst to become the youngest Chairman of the Management Board of a bank in Ukraine. What is this if not fate?

- What motivates you to work in the banking sector?

- I like the structured nature of banking. In all areas of life, I try to avoid chaos. And the banking sector provides clarity, a clear understanding of the cause-and-effect relationships in the economy. In addition, I am impressed by the redistributive role that banks play in the system - they promote business development by providing financial resources raised from households. This is the implementation of a win-win strategy for all our clients.

- If you had not become a bank manager, what profession would you have chosen? Are there any areas that you have always been interested in but never tried yourself in?

- In my final year of school, I wanted to become a psychologist, but at that time my parents insisted that I go into banking. And I did it despite the fierce competition in that speciality. I can now proudly say that I work in my speciality, as this is rare in our society. However, I later learnt the basic principles of human psychology in the process of real communication with people, and this really helps me in managing teams.

Based on the materials of Banker.ua