If I Knew Then What I Know Now: Chief Customer Officer for Bank of Ireland, Áine McCleary
With a career spanning 30 years, Áine McCleary was the first female president of the Institute of Banking, and was appointed to the role of Chief Customer Officer for Bank of Ireland in May 2023.
Áine McCleary was appointed to the role of Chief Customer Officer for Bank of Ireland in May 2023 as an advocate for all customers across the Bank of Ireland Group.
Prior to taking up her current role on the Group Executive Committee, Áine’s career spanned 30 years where she has led senior teams across Retail, Corporate and Institutional banking as well as having a leadership role in the Group’s acquisition strategy.
As a past president of the Institute of Banking, and first female to hold the position, she shares her strongly held belief in life-long learning, as well as her thoughts on how to progress in your career while maintaining a work life balance. Áine talks about what defines resilience and how humility is an under-rated quality in leadership.
Describe your career in three words…
Varied. Pioneering. Fulfilling.
What’s one lesson you have learned in business/your career that you wish every woman knew?
Have the confidence to advocate for yourself – you don’t have to wait for recognition. Building your network and having a mentor is every bit as important as the technical skills needed for your role. If and when the right opportunity comes along, back yourself and go for it!
Tell us about your role as Chief Customer Officer at Bank of Ireland.
As a member of the Group Executive Committee, I am responsible for developing a Groupwide customer first culture, elevating customer experience, retention, and satisfaction.
I lead a team of colleagues across a number of specialist disciplines including: Marketing, Brand & Sponsorship; Customer Experience, Insights & Innovation; Customer Data Analytics; Customer journeys and outcomes.
It’s my job to bring all those strands together to make it simpler and easier for all Bank of Ireland customers to bank with us.
Do you feel your early training and career set you up for taking on this role, and if so, how?
I had a strong educational foundation when I started my career. I am a great believer in life-long learning and have always sought to build and hone my skills through study and on the job learning.
I’ve held variety of roles and been able to observe and learn from the leadership styles of others as I moved across different areas of the bank. The Covid pandemic was the ultimate challenge of leadership, where I was responsible for the wellbeing of 3,000 colleagues, while supporting our customers at a time when they needed us most.
Do you believe the Irish educational system adequately supports entrepreneurial and leadership spirit and action?
There are a growing number of programs encouraging entrepreneurship and a shift towards valuing creativity and leadership qualities. As a large organisation we support and encourage “intrapreneurship”, with a balance of internal learning pathways, external programmes and experience gained in role.
What is the most underrated quality essential for leadership in your opinion?
Humility is a strength, not a weakness. Acknowledging you don’t have all the answers and seeking a diverse range of inputs and opinions from others leads to better outcomes.
What defines a resilient leader?
First and foremost, have a vision. Make a plan that’s directed towards your target outcome. Expect bumps in the road, and when they happen, re-plan and move on in the right direction. Maintain optimism and clarity of vision during uncertainty.
What is your advice for anyone building a team?
Diversity of thought and background and different perspectives are the secret sauce to success in a team. When building the team, don’t rush hiring decisions – be prepared to wait for the right people. Three months now could make a positive difference to the team dynamics in the longer term.
How best can a leader support and motivate a team?
Listen! Once you listen and understand you can communicate clearly and consistently. Whether that’s clarifying vision, strategy, priorities, day to day operational needs – consistent messaging is key. As part of that, it’s also really important to give feedback and to recognise achievements publicly and sincerely.
Is there any life, business or career advice that you were given but (thankfully) ignored?!
I think I have been lucky in that any advice that I sought and received has always benefitted me. Sometimes the worst advice you get is the advice of your own inner critic!
What’s the most valuable piece of financial advice you ever received?
Start putting some money aside early, even a small amount. Time and compound interest are your friends!
Work-life balance. What are your thoughts?!
I prefer to call it work life blend. Acknowledge that there will be times when the balance isn’t always right, know your non-negotiables and make time for them. I am lucky that I work in an organisation like Bank of Ireland that recognises the importance of family life and affords people the flexibility they might need from time to time for various reasons.
What has been your most proud moment in business so far?
I have led the delivery of some major transformational programmes, faced the unique and once in a generation Covid pandemic and led large high performing teams.
My appointment to the position of President of the Institute of Banking was a key moment. I was the first female appointed to the role since its foundation in 1898.
Having a five-year plan – yes or no?
Yes, have a plan to get to a desired outcome, but it doesn’t have to be time bound. Plans can change – be flexible, expect the unexpected – the path is rarely ever straight.
What’s your ‘go-to’ quotation for inspiration?
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
If you knew then what you know now, would you do anything differently?
I am so lucky to have had a great career to date, culminating in senior executive and non executive director roles. So looking back, maybe I can leave others with a few thoughts and some advice.
- Invest in personal development and lifelong learning
- Build a strong network from the start
- Prioritise health and well-being alongside ambition
- Support others and help them develop
- Surround yourself with great people
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