Juel to Lead Digital Strategy as Schaller Retires
Synchrony has initiated a leadership transition following the retirement of Bart Schaller, the company’s executive vice president and CEO of its Digital platform. Carol Juel, previously the firm’s executive vice president, chief technology and operating officer, will succeed Schaller to lead the Digital division, according to a June 29 company announcement.
Executive Realignment to Sharpen Digital Focus
The transition involves three primary executive moves. Beyond Juel’s appointment to the Digital platform, the firm has restructured its technology and operations oversight:
- Florin Arghirescu has been promoted to executive vice president and chief technology officer. He previously served as the company’s senior vice president and chief product officer.
- DJ Casto has been named executive vice president, chief people and operations officer. Casto, who was previously executive vice president and chief human resources officer, will continue to lead human resources as well.
Brian Doubles, president and CEO of Synchrony, stated that these appointments are intended to advance the company’s momentum in AI and “agentic commerce,” while continuing to build the platforms required for the firm’s next growth phase.
Efficiency Gains Through Cloud and AI
Synchrony is focusing on cloud infrastructure and AI to increase its operational efficiency. In an April interview with PYMNTS, Synchrony Chief Financial Officer Brian Wenzel noted that the company’s investments in these areas were already contributing to a higher efficiency ratio.
The firm expects these technological shifts to provide several long-term benefits:
- Streamlined Operations: Streamlining operations.
- Enhanced Customer Service: AI to improve call centers.
- Optimized Onboarding: AI to improve merchant onboarding efforts.
By promoting leaders with deep technical backgrounds, such as Arghirescu, the company aims to accelerate its adoption of AI tools.
Bridging Infrastructure and User Experience
The leadership changes signal a push toward digital-first banking. By aligning the Technology and Operations organizations under specialized leadership, Synchrony intends to bridge the gap between back-end infrastructure and front-end user experience.
The company’s strategy remains centered on “agentic commerce”—a concept involving AI systems that can execute complex tasks on behalf of users.