Valley National Bank CEO Ira Robbins and WaFd Bank CEO Brent Beardall reunited at the NEXT Forum to discuss the future of community banking, regulatory pressures, and the widening gap between community banks and institutions that are too big to fail. The two leaders, introduced through Travillian, have also shared insights together on platforms like CNBC.

Their conversation explored key industry topics including commercial real estate risk and the realities of bank M&A. They also reflected on leadership and culture, emphasizing how empowering teams and building strong organizations can help banks navigate industry change.

Read the full conversation on Travillian Next here.