Going ‘Beyond Banking’ with ČSOB’s Branislav Straka

Since 2006, Branislav Straka has been a pillar of ČSOB Bank, witnessing the industry’s evolution from traditional, branch-led banking into a forward-thinking digital era. Today, as the bank's COO and Innovation Leader, Branislav’s mission exceeds traditional ledger management.

In a world where customer attention is the most valuable currency, Branislav is steering ČSOB toward a ‘Beyond Banking’ model that transforms a financial institution into a digital ecosystem. By utilising his deep experience in insurance and board-level banking, combined with a forward-thinking ‘super-app’ philosophy, Branislav is ensuring that ČSOB doesn't just store wealth but also actively simplifies the lives of its users.

Strategic vision and the super-app model

For Branislav, the future of the bank lies not in traditional transactions but in the concept of total customer relevance. He explains the concept of ‘Beyond Banking,’ defining it as a fundamental pivot toward becoming a daily life partner for customers – a strategy that required convincing the market that a bank could, and should, be more than just a place to store money. 

“Not everyone expects that banks can sell tickets for public transportation, for taxi or for parking. But we knew, and we believed that this is something that we can call the ‘super app’ or Beyond Banking,” Branislav explains. 

By identifying which services customers use most frequently, he has created a model within ČSOB that allows the organisation to operate as a digital environment. The consumer demand here is measurable. Branislav shares that more than 30% of customers “are using at least one service per month.” The introduction of public transportation was the first Beyond Banking service, and now, ČSOB has sold an excess of 1.8 million train tickets – which is growing every month.

Additionally, the bank leverages its role as a trusted intermediary to simplify processes through a banking identity model. Branislav explains that by providing a “fully authenticated customer” to third-party services, ČSOB allows users to “onboard themselves” with a click of a button. This integration is further strengthened by the implementation of account-to-account payments (A2A) and instant payment services.

Branislav also discusses the launch of ČSOB’s ‘Moja garáž’ service, highlighting that the role of a bank is evolving into a platform that proactively manages the “everyday needs” of vehicle ownership, from tracking technical inspections to predicting maintenance.

Since Moja garáž’s launch, there has been a rapid adoption of the service, as it hit its yearly target in just eight weeks. “If you give me the number plate of your car, we will download data from the state registry and let you know once your technical or emission inspection is outdated,” he notes. “We will then notify the user one, 30 and 60 days prior.”

Through this platform, ČSOB’s strategy is shifting toward predictive financing. “We can be a good partner to [customers] because we can predict the next steps they should take,” Branislav explains. Consequently, by introducing non-financial routines to the bank, ČSOB edges closer to becoming the primary digital interface for the customers.

Technology, digital transformation and AI

As we move towards the future of work, Branislav is keen to ensure that the technological evolution of ČSOB is balancing modernising what he terms as “old world” banking foundations with the next frontier of intelligence. To reiterate the importance of remaining competitive against digital-only startups, Branislav oversees the migration to the Temenos T24 platform to ensure the bank is “twenty-four-seven ready,” operating “without outages.” 

While startups typically have more room to be flexible with digital products, Branislav notes that a full-service bank must digitise complex processes, such as mortgages end-to-end, to meet modern expectations. He says: “Everyone knows Facebook, everyone knows Instagram, and everyone expects that all banks will operate the same way.” 

People and culture in operational excellence

At his core, Branislav sees himself as a builder – someone driven by new frontiers, new ideas and the satisfaction of creating something that didn’t exist before. He therefore views innovation to be purely human and something that thrives on an organic culture defined by genuine collaboration, rather than within rigid structures. 

This philosophy focuses on Branislav’s unique leadership metaphor, which he uses to describe how he manages his team. “I have two hands,” he says, “one is to hold the umbrella to protect employees, and the other is to hold the hammer – I don’t like to use the hammer very often.” By acting as both a shield from corporate friction and a tool for removing obstacles, Branislav empowers his teams to focus on delivery rather than bureaucracy.

It’s also important for ČSOB to have a realistic view of the challenges that come with turning the traditional workforce into the digital future. In fact, Branislav notes that only a small number of people commit to continuing the development of their knowledge after completing their formal studies. 

However, to encourage employees to take control of their learning, the bank launched SURE Studio – a dedicated department which acts as a surfing guide for its 3,500 employees. Branislav: “SURE Studio has one key role – to show how new technology can teach people and to spread new knowledge.” In addition, ČSOB’s Technology Academy has been made available to every manager to ensure they can keep pace with the exponential growth of the industry.

ČSOB is also committed to fostering a successful company culture. To facilitate this, Branislav conducts quarterly “pulse checks” to monitor the company’s internal temperature. What’s more, he views job rotation and continuous upskilling as essential for maintaining employee value in an era of rapid change. 

“We tell employees that rotations within a job or training on new technology will increase the quality of their role, as well as adding value to the company,” he highlights. Operational excellence is, therefore, achieved when people are not just skilled, but feel a sense of ownership over the transformation: “Employees feel their own responsibility, but also their own fire. They want to deliver and be proud of what they achieved.” he says.

Sustainability and responsible operations

As ČSOB continues to become more integrated into the everyday lives of its users, Branislav is focused on ensuring that the operational expansion is built on a foundation of sustainability and ethics. Within the European regulatory framework, he views ESG principles not as a compliance burden, but rather as an opportunity for genuine innovation across three dimensions: internal operations, client guidance and technological ecosystems. 

Internally, the bank leads by example, shifting its employees toward greener routines. From installing solar panels on corporate buildings to fundamentally rewriting company logistics, the shift has been clear. Branislav notes: “Now we have the allowance to buy fully electric cars. We have the photovoltaic on the roof of the buildings – it's working.” All daily habits – no matter how big or small – are taken into consideration, all the way down to ČSOB’s move to completely remove plastic water bottles from the bank’s headquarters.

Beyond the walls of ČSOB, Branislav’s strategy uses financial influence to guide commercial clients toward sustainable transitions. While the bank initially acted as an educational advisor, asking questions about corporate heating systems and recommending green alternatives, the operational strategy has tightened. Today, adherence to environmental standards directly impacts a client's eligibility for capital, with Branislav saying: “There are now some red marks; if you do not change from bad environmental practices, we cannot finance you. The industry is really going in this direction, and we are keeping it that way.”

The third aspect of Branislav's vision is driven by technological partnerships that create a “double win” for ecology and customer convenience. A recent operational initiative involves partnering with a retail chain and a specialised startup to completely digitise the shopping experience, removing paper waste by pulling retail loyalty metrics directly into the banking interface. 

“The retailer will not print out the paper voucher anymore – the receipt will be stored in our applications,” he says. “It’s also a cost for the company to print out the labels.” By storing these financial footprints digitally, Branislav turns an environmental necessity into a frictionless, value-add routine for the modern customer.

Strategic partnerships and ecosystem collaboration

For ČSOB, building a broad digital ecosystem depends on a willingness to collaborate rather than the focus on building a self-reliant bank. For Branislav, bringing in third-party services such as parking apps or transport tickets introduces a unique operational challenge: when a partner's system goes down, the customer blames the bank. 

“We are adding additional complexity, which we realised once the customers started to use our services more,” he explains. “Now, we are also responsible from the customer's point of view for the quality of third-party connectivity and services.” As the bank assumes responsibility for the user experience, Branislav places a weight on the tight synchronisation with external providers. Therefore, if a partner has an issue, ČSOB acts as a transparent shield for the user, communicating shifts proactively. “We have to be very good at the synchronisation of steps,” Branislav highlights. “When an outage occurs, we have to be aware ahead of time. We have to give that information to our customer, because they expect that we are responsible.” 

Looking ahead, Branislav sees the true power of these strategic partnerships in their ability to cross-reference data over various industries to solve real problems. By connecting financial data with automotive or housing networks, the bank can step in as a true advisor. “‘Be Relevant’ is our key. I always want to be relevant for the customer,” Branislav emphasises. 

By concentrating on its customers, ČSOB has transitioned to be more than just a bank, but rather an active, everyday partner for its users. By automating small financial habits, including rounding up purchases to build a necessary three-to-six-month emergency safety net, ČSOB is proving that a modern financial institution can successfully merge high-tech capability with genuine human care. 

For Branislav, the ultimate benchmark of operational excellence isn't just a flawless backend, but the creation of an ecosystem that naturally delivers a positive, secure and stress-free impact on society.