BNY to launch free training for community bank executives

The $439 billion-asset Bank of New York Mellon plans to offer free technical training to 1,000 community bank executives as part of a wider effort aimed at boosting financial education among employees of banks and nonprofits.

BNY unveiled the initiative Wednesday.

For bankers, the specialized instruction will cover a range of topics, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data analytics, corporate finance and strategic planning. BNY conceived of the program in-house, using input it gathered from a survey of community banks last September.

“Our capacity-building and training initiative was developed internally because we recognize the pivotal role small community banks play in fostering local economies,” Shofiur Razzaque, BNY’s head of community banking and solutions, wrote in an email to American Banker. “These banks are integral to the communities they serve. Our goal is to find ways to support and strengthen them.”

BNY is limiting eligibility to bankers from institutions with less than $10 billion of assets. The New York-based custody bank will deliver the training remotely and in sessions led by the company’s senior leaders. It also plans to hold panel events on key topics, according to Razzaque. Participants will be permitted to access the training sessions of their choice, rather than adhere to a formal class structure.

BNY plans to reach out to bankers through their CEOs, trade groups and state bankers associations. It will also invite them to participate directly, Razzaque stated in the email. 

The 2024 survey, which included participation from more than 100 senior community bank leaders, indicated a widespread desire to strengthen data analytics capabilities and explore AI’s potential. Respondents also expressed concerns about cybersecurity challenges.

Along with the community bank training piece, BNY plans to donate $10 million to nonprofit organizations that promote financial well-being, and to offer its own employees a series of digital financial education courses.

“It’s rooted in our belief that access to knowledge, especially early on, makes a lasting difference,” Jayee Koffey, BNY chief enablement and global affairs officer, said Wednesday in a press release. “Every step matters, and broader participation strengthens the financial ecosystem for everyone.”

BNY has already been training startup companies in cybersecurity and AI. Its Ascent program, which provides six months of training, graduated its first cohort of firms this summer. BNY structured the Ascent program to assist early stage tech firms with validating their solutions in a real-world financial services environment.

BNY also served as an anchor depositor for the Advancing Communities Together program, which aims to collect deposits from large banks, corporations and wealthy individuals, and to funnel them to community development and minority financial institutions. The program, launched in 2024, recently eclipsed $100 million in deposits collected. 

BNY created its community banking and solutions group in 2024, tapping Razzaque, who joined the company in 2019, as its leader.

Outside of the planned training program, BNY provides wealth management and treasury services to community bank clients. 

BNY is the world’s largest custody bank. Its total assets under custody or administration topped the $50 trillion threshold in 2024, reaching $55.8 trillion on June 30, 2025. Assets under management totaled $2.1 trillion on June 30, according to the company.

Some reports earlier this summer indicated BNY held talks with Northern Trust about a possible purchase of the Chicago-based company. While BNY remained largely silent about the rumors, Northern Trust CEO Michael O’Grady strongly denied that any discussions had taken place.