Truist is adding to its leadership team with the addition of a head of AI enablement. 

“As one of several leaders advancing Truist’s AI capabilities, this role will help accelerate adoption of AI across our wholesale business,” Kelly Buchanan, chief technology, data and operations officer for wholesale, told FinAi News. 

The news comes as the bank reported rising revenue, headcount and efficiency today: 

• Revenue for the full year 2025 reached $20.5 billion, up from $13.5 billion, or 51.8%, in 2024;

• Headcount increased 1.1% year over year in the fourth quarter to 38,062 from 37,661 in Q4 2024; and 

• Adjusted efficiency ratio clocked in at 54.9% in Q4, down 4.8% YoY. The bank’s efficiency ratio has been showing improvement since December 2023, according to FinAi News’ Efficiency Ratio Database. 

New role

The head of AI enablement will work closely with Chief AI and Data Officer Pascal Belaud, Buchanan said.  

Belaud, who reports to Chief Information Officer Steve Hagerman, joined Truist from Microsoft in November 2025, according to a Truist release. 

“By working closely with [Belaud], Truist’s chief AI & data officer, and other key partners across the enterprise, we’re focused on empowering teammates with other tools and insights they need to deliver smarter, faster and more personalized experiences for our clients,” Buchanan said. 

Qualifications

The Truist job posting notes that the qualified candidate will have: 

• Technical expertise of deploying and maintaining AI or generative AI; 

• 10 or more years of engineering leadership across AI engineering teams; and 

• Architectural fluency across modern AI infrastructure. 

Tech efforts at Truist

Truist invested in products, talent, technology and risk infrastructure in 2025, according to its fourth-quarter earnings presentation released today. 

AI efforts in 2025 include: 

• The bank is piloting its Truist Client Pulse tool, a solution that uses machine learning to provide client feedback; 

• The bank was on pace for 125 patent issuances in 2025; and 

• Truist’s AI-driven personal assistant, Truist Assist, reached 1.3 million conversations facilitated by the bot in Q3. 

Talent acquisition efforts are ongoing. The bank brought on multiple new executives in 2025 as part of its five-year plan, including: 

• Diane Rogerson, chief information risk officer;  

• Jenna Kelly, head of the consumer and retail practice group; and  

• Elaine Kim, head of commercial banking sales. 

Truist‘s Chris Ward, executive vice president and head of enterprise payments, will speak Tuesday, March 3, at the FinAi Banking Summit. Register here for the inaugural FinAi Banking Summit, taking place March 2-3 in Denver. View the full event agenda here.