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Bank bold moves
I’m Adam Wendel. I drive growth, shape strategy, and transform organizations through innovative products, customer experiences, value propositions, and bold market moves for financial services companies.
Go on
the offense and light up growth
To win, you need to go on the offense—expanding into new markets, deepening customer relationships, unlocking untapped potential, and staying ahead of the curve. In banking, where core financial products are often seen as commodities, the real competitive edge comes from going beyond the basics. It’s about crafting differentiated value propositions and standout customer experiences that drive lasting growth.
When efficiency dominates the agenda, growth is where the real opportunity lies. Success hinges on making bold moves with precision, combining visionary strategy, pragmatism with disciplined execution, and leading in a market that’s evolving faster than ever.
Approach
Make sense of ambiguity and define where to play and how to win
Growth starts with clarity. It begins by identifying the right markets and segments, understanding key customer needs, and determining where to play. The next step is defining how to win through innovative value propositions that go beyond the product—delivering end-to-end value, driving business impact, and ensuring technical feasibility. The goal is to turn strategy into focused, actionable growth.
From insight to impact—test, build, and deliver with precision
Turning strategy into action requires iterative de-risking and testing to ensure concepts align with customer needs. Direct customer feedback refines product-market fit through actionable insights. This approach integrates product, technology, and business insights, seamlessly feeding into one another. With a focus on grit and implementation, the process aligns with the Product Development Life Cycle (PDLC) to deliver agile, market-ready solutions. Strategy isn’t just a PowerPoint deck—it needs to live and thrive in the market.
Capabilities
Where strategy meets creativity—from 0 to big
Getting this right is hard—it requires holistic capabilities across strategy, creativity, and execution. I am a full-stack and hybrid strategist and operator, leveraging my business strategy and analytical experience from McKinsey & Company with the creative depth honed at top innovation and design consultancies. I help conceive, develop, and launch new value propositions and products by bringing together all the required tools and capabilities to drive the end-to-end process from 0 to big.
My capabilities span the entire lifecycle—from strategic planning and concept development to execution and scaling. I balance insights across strategy, design, and execution to ensure that every solution is desirable for customers, viable for the business, and feasible to build—delivering impactful products that drive meaningful growth.
Customer-backed insights & innovation
Driven by what customers need most....
Quant & qual research methods
Customer experience design
Concept development & ideation
Co-creation & de-risking
Rapid prototyping & UX design
Business-driven strategy & growth
Aligned with business objectives and market potential...
Market sizing & quantitative analysis
Business model innovation
Strategic roadmapping & planning
Portfolio management & optimization
Performance tracking & ROI analysis
Pragmatic execution with technical feasibility
Grounded in what can be built and scaled...
Product development lifecycle
Technology integration
Scalable design & implementation
Compliance & regulatory alignment
Delivery of secure, reliable solutions
Focused on building an engine for sustainable growth
Underpinning these capabilities is a deep commitment to leadership and capability building. Developing people and capabilities is my passion, ensuring lasting and sustainable growth as a repeatable engine for success. Implementing an innovative strategy isn’t just about the idea—that's the easy part.
It's about culture change that transforms the organization from the inside out, moving the hearts and minds of the team, and walking the halls to build conviction and drive alignment. This includes building a culture that not only retains but also attracts the best talent, creating an environment where people and ideas thrive. Success hinges on tactical influence and syndication at the key moments that matter most.
About me
Customer-focused product leader with a proven track record of generating revenue growth through innovative ventures and value propositions. I have extensive experience working with leading fintechs, retail banks, regional banks, mid-cap banks, credit unions, wealth and asset management firms, life insurance companies, and megabanks—spanning financial institutions of all sizes.
Currently an Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company, with past leadership roles at Doblin Deloitte and Fahrenheit 212, my expertise spans strategy, product development, and customer experience design. With over a decade of experience collaborating with C-suite leaders and leading high-performing teams across business, technology, and product functions, I deliver sustainable impact at scale.
