AI engagements
We help financial institutions move from scattered experiments and policy drafts to a practical AI strategy, clear ownership, defensible controls, and evidence leaders can use.
AI strategy, governance & advisory for financial institutions
Make AI useful.
Keep your institution in control.
We wrote the book on AI governance in financial services. Now we help financial institutions—including banks and credit unions—turn AI ambition into governed action through focused AI engagements, strategic advisory, and fractional leadership.
Advisory engagements
We bring operator judgment to sponsor banking, embedded finance, fintech diligence, operating-model design, partner oversight, and the decisions where growth, technology, risk, and regulation collide.
Fractional & retained work
For leaders who need an experienced advisor in the room over time, we provide a defined mandate, direct access, operating cadence, and accountability through the decisions that cannot wait.
The AI governance premise
A policy can say what should happen. Governance proves what actually does.
Financial institutions need more than a list of AI principles. They need to know what systems and agents are in use, what authority each one carries, who owns the outcome, what evidence supports trust, and when the decision gets reviewed again.
We bring the KYA framework, financial-services context, and direct operator experience to that work—then connect it to the broader strategy, partnerships, technology, risk, and operating decisions around it.
Ways to work with us
AI engagements first.
Advisory depth when the work expands.
01AI engagements
Turn AI ambition into a governed operating capability.
We help financial institutions move from scattered experiments and policy drafts to a practical AI strategy, clear ownership, defensible controls, and evidence leaders can use.
Where it fits: For banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions that need to put AI to work without losing control of risk, accountability, or examiner readiness.
- AI strategy and use-case prioritization
- KYA Readiness Assessment
- AI and agent governance design
- Board, executive, and staff training
- Governance roadmap and implementation support
02Advisory engagements
Solve the consequential problem that crosses every functional line.
We bring operator judgment to sponsor banking, embedded finance, fintech diligence, operating-model design, partner oversight, and the decisions where growth, technology, risk, and regulation collide.
Where it fits: For financial institutions and fintech leaders facing a defined decision, readiness gap, program reset, or high-stakes strategic initiative.
- Sponsor banking and embedded-finance strategy
- Fintech and vendor diligence
- Operating-model and ownership design
- Pre-diligence readiness and remediation
- Executive decision briefs and roadmaps
03Fractional & retained work
Add senior judgment without adding another full-time seat.
For leaders who need an experienced advisor in the room over time, we provide a defined mandate, direct access, operating cadence, and accountability through the decisions that cannot wait.
Where it fits: For a leadership transition, sustained transformation, portfolio of strategic work, or recurring need for independent financial-services counsel.
- Fractional executive and board counsel
- Strategic priorities and operating cadence
- AI governance leadership
- Partner and vendor decisions
- Ongoing risk and regulatory translation
Ways to begin
Start with the shape
the problem needs.
No open-ended discovery phase. We define the mandate, the outputs, the cadence, and what a useful finish looks like before the work begins.
Executive AI Strategy Day
Align leaders on where AI can create value, which risks require attention now, and the decisions, owners, and next moves that follow.
Discuss this engagementKYA Readiness Assessment
A classified AI and agent inventory, evidence-gap assessment, prioritized twelve-month roadmap, and board-ready readout.
Discuss this engagementAdvisory diagnostic
A candid operator review of the program, partner, controls, evidence, and operating story—followed by a sequenced action plan.
Discuss this engagementFractional advisory mandate
A defined seat at the table, clear priorities, a regular operating cadence, and direct access when the decision cannot wait.
Discuss this engagementWe wrote the book
Know Your Agent turns AI governance into an operating discipline.
Know Your Agent was written specifically for AI governance in financial services. It gives financial institutions a practical way to classify AI and agents, assign accountable owners, document evidence, monitor what matters, and re-review decisions as systems and risks change.
Our engagements put that framework to work inside your institution—from executive alignment and readiness assessment through governance design, training, and implementation support.
115-item
The enhanced due-diligence package Stephen built and ran across every partner relationship in a live sponsor-banking program.
Both sides
Experience facing examiners and helping institutions prepare the evidence, ownership, and operating story behind the answer.
Bank to credit union
Technology and operating experience spanning credit-union, community-bank, sponsor-bank, and enterprise financial-institution environments.
Principals
You work with the people
whose judgment you hired.
SB
Principal advisor
Stephen Bishop
Stephen works where financial-services strategy, AI governance, institution operations, partner oversight, innovation, and risk collide. His sponsor-banking work includes building and leading a 115-item enhanced due-diligence program across every partner relationship in a live program. He is co-author of Know Your Agent and co-host of Bourbon and BaaS.
Connect on LinkedInTdF
KYA & technology governance
Tony del Fierro
Tony brings the implementation lens to KYA: payments infrastructure, API architecture, enterprise technology governance, and operational resilience. He works in connectivity solutions strategy at Wells Fargo and formerly served as SVP and CTO of Sound Credit Union. Tony joins KYA and technology-governance engagements where architecture and execution matter.
Start the conversation
Where does AI need to move—or get under control?
Tell us what your financial institution is trying to accomplish, what is stuck, and what is at stake. We will come back with the right first conversation—not a generic capability deck.
info@kyabook.com