Niki White featured on RVA Darden: Niki White Leverages Darden Experience to Manage Change and Hedge Risk

Niki White, Chief Growth Officer at SRA Watchtower was interviewed for a recent UVA Darden learning blog.

On Thursday, September 19, 2024, UVA Darden released "Niki White Leverages Darden Experience to Manage Change and Hedge Risk" featuring Niki White, Chief Growth Officer at SRA Watchtower. The article outlines Niki's leadership journey, beginning at Dardens Bank Executive Leadership Program in 2013 and her return to the program as a guest speaker. Key takeaways include:

• People-First Leadership: Niki White emphasizes the importance of focusing on people during organizational change. Building strong relationships helps navigate transitions and creates a more productive organization.
• Lifelong Learning: Niki's experience at Darden’s Bank Executive Leadership Program shaped her leadership style. She stresses the importance of continuous learning, especially in a rapidly changing industry like banking and risk management.

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• Evolving Risk Management: The risk management landscape has drastically changed over the past decade. Niki highlights the increased regulatory expectations and the need for a holistic, organization-wide approach to risk management.
• Disruption in Banking: Technologies like FinTech, blockchain, and AI are transforming the banking sector. Niki notes how these innovations are driving regulatory scrutiny and challenging traditional banking models.
• Collaborative Networks: Niki values the relationships she built at Darden and encourages others to maintain connections with peers, stressing that they are collaborators, not competitors, in navigating the industry.
• Adapting During Times of Change: Niki’s Darden education provided her with the leadership tools to guide her team through a merger, reinforcing the value of programs like Leading Mindfully and Servant Leadership during turbulent times.

Niki White, Chief Growth Officer at SRA Watchtower, first began her lifelong learning journey at Darden in 2013 when she came to Darden Executive Education & Lifelong Learning’s Bank Executive Leadership Program, a 5-day intensive program tailored for senior bank leaders. Since that program, she has gone on to earn her noncredit Certificate in Leadership & Management at Darden – and returned this year as a guest speaker at the Bank Executive Leadership Program. She recently shared insights from her Darden experience, how it continues to impact her career and how the banking industry is drastically changing...

Read the full article on UVA Darden's website.

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