Chris Black
Thread Bank CEO
Chris serves as CEO, President and Director at Thread Bancorp, Inc. and Thread Bank. Previously, he was EVP/CFO of Franklin Financial Network and Franklin Synergy Bank, located in Franklin, TN. Before joining Franklin Financial Network and Franklin Synergy Bank, Chris served as SVP/CFO, Banking at FirstBank in Nashville, TN. Previously, he worked in the investment management and investment research industries, specializing in the banking sector while at Merrill Lynch & Co. and ISI Group, both based in New York City. Prior to working in the private sector, he served for over nine years as an Officer and pilot in the United States Air Force. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University with a major in Engineering and his Master of Business Administration from Auburn University, with a concentration in Finance.
2026 Agenda Sessions
Can community banks be the fastest movers?
Community institutions are quietly leading innovation through agility, partnership, and mission alignment. With fewer layers and more trust, some of the most forward-looking digital plays are coming from regional banks and credit unions.
This panel features a diverse set of leaders showing how they’ve leapfrogged legacy peers in UX, CRM, and embedded finance. Their secret? Less red tape, more guts, and better use of fintech.
Takeaways:
• Understand why smaller institutions can innovate faster.
• Learn how to build partnerships that accelerate - not complicate - change.
• See examples of agile teams winning in regulated environments.
Tuesday 31 March 08:50 - 09:30 Banking
Embedded Finance
Partnerships & Ecosystem Play
UX & Customer Experience
This panel features a diverse set of leaders showing how they’ve leapfrogged legacy peers in UX, CRM, and embedded finance. Their secret? Less red tape, more guts, and better use of fintech.
Takeaways:
• Understand why smaller institutions can innovate faster.
• Learn how to build partnerships that accelerate - not complicate - change.
• See examples of agile teams winning in regulated environments. Banking US/Pacific
