Riva Bobrowsky: Procurement as a First Line of Defence

As America's first all-digital, nationally chartered bank, Varo Bank operates in an environment where procurement is far more than a back-office function. Riva Bobrowsky, Chief Procurement Officer, explains how her team transformed a manual, spreadsheet-driven process into a tech-enabled, AI-powered first line of defence following Varo's landmark national bank charter in 2020.

From automated contract redlining and NDA management to intelligent vendor tiering and parallel risk workflows, Riva reveals how Varo balances the need for fintech speed with the rigorous compliance demands of a regulated financial institution.

She also explores how smarter procurement directly supports Varo's mission of financial inclusion, driving operational savings that fund fee-free accounts, high-yield savings products and credit-building tools for everyday Americans living paycheck to paycheck.

With AI handling administrative heavy lifting, Riva's team focuses on high-value work: creative contracting, risk balancing and building fair, long-term partnerships that keep Varo's digital perimeter secure and its customers moving forward.