BBVA Taps Walter Rizzi to Lead Italy’s Digital Banking Expansion

BBVA Taps Walter Rizzi to Lead Italy’s Digital Banking Expansion

(IN BRIEF) BBVA has named Walter Rizzi Head of Digital Banking in Italy, reporting to Murat Kalkan. Rizzi’s background includes senior roles at Banca AideXa—where he led product and customer initiatives—and consultancy work at McKinsey and QuantumBlack on AI and digital projects. His mission is to craft a tailored, tech‑driven banking experience for Italian customers. After quickly acquiring 700,000 clients and originating over 1,000 mortgages, BBVA aims to consolidate its Italian digital bank through agile structures and a strengthened leadership team that includes recent hires in engineering, operations, product, and marketing.

(PRESS RELEASE) BILBAO, 16-Jul-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — BBVA is strengthening its European footprint with the appointment of Walter Rizzi as Head of Digital Banking for Italy—a pivotal role in tailoring the bank’s services to local customer demands.

Reporting to Murat Kalkan, Global Head of Digital Banks, Rizzi joins BBVA Italy as Country Manager for Digital Banking. His proven expertise in strategic consulting, technology implementation, and banking innovation will be instrumental in driving sustainable, profitable growth within the Italian market. “Walter’s deep understanding of Italy’s financial landscape and his track record of transformative leadership will accelerate BBVA Italy’s digital journey,” said Kalkan.

Rizzi arrives from Banca AideXa in Milan, where he served as Chief Product & Customer Officer and Deputy General Manager, spearheading the development of data‑driven, customer‑centric financial products. Prior roles include partnerships at McKinsey & Company and QuantumBlack, leading AI and digital‑transformation initiatives for major Italian banks.

“Heading BBVA’s Italian digital bank is a unique chance to deliver a differentiated proposition for customers seeking intuitive, streamlined services backed by responsive support,” remarked Rizzi. “By marrying cutting‑edge technology with comprehensive banking offerings, we can address unmet needs and set new standards in Italy’s digital banking sector.”

Italy represents a strategic growth market for BBVA’s digital banking ambitions. After acquiring over 700,000 retail customers and facilitating more than 1,000 mortgages in its first year, the bank plans to deepen its presence through agile, customer‑focused solutions designed for the Italian context.

This appointment builds on recent leadership hires in BBVA’s Digital Banks division—such as Fernando García (Head of Engineering and Operations) and Luis Calleja (Head of Product and Marketing)—and aligns the local organizational structure to enhance collaboration, speed up decision‑making, and optimize product and technology development.

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SOURCE: BBVA