Bank of Montreal

Banks are at the forefront of blockchain innovation, disrupting cross-border payments, trade finance and product development worldwide.

Banks are at the forefront of blockchain innovation, disrupting cross-border payments, trade finance and product development worldwide.

The banks contend distributed ledger technology (DLT) makes it easier to coordinate trade finance deals. And the use of smart contracts can help parties comply with contractual obligations such as staged payments.

The country's six largest lenders are approaching their strongest capital position since 2013, leaving them with enough resources to pursue acquisitions, buy back shares or build from within. That has the chiefs of Canada's big banks weighing options.

Erminia Johannson's promotion is part of an effort by BMO Financial to generate more revenue from its U.S. operations.

Darryl White sees an opportunity for Bank of Montreal to take more market share in the United States, and he’s betting on investments in mortgage lending, commercial banking and capital markets to get there.

Bank of Montreal is open to more deals with cannabis companies, as long as those firms can get past "traps" in the lender's due diligence process, Chief Executive Officer Darryl White said.

In some ways the Canadian bank's U.S. consumer business is only now shaking off many of its crisis-era problems here. CEO Darryl White is pinning his retail-comeback hopes on a rejuvenated sales culture and a focus on more profitable customers.

Recent growth has come through acquisitions, including the 2015 purchase of a transportation finance business from General Electric and the 2011 takeover of Milwaukee-based Marshall & Ilsley.

Brett Pitts joins from Wells Fargo, where he most recently was executive vice president and group head of digital.