Episode 213: How Vanguard is Modernizing Finance Through Digital Innovation with Marco and Amber

Join us for an insightful episode where we explore the digital transformation journey at Vanguard with Marco De Freitas, Chief Product Officer for Vanguard's Personal Investor Business, and Amber Brestowski, Chief Product Officer for the Retirement Business. Discover how Vanguard is modernizing client journeys, enhancing products, and building platforms that promise superior investment experiences. Marco and Amber share their strategies for leveraging AI and behavioral science to redefine client interactions, all while maintaining a strong focus on customer outcomes and innovation. Whether you're interested in digital transformation, product management, or financial services innovation, this episode is packed with practical insights that you won't want to miss. Want to learn how Vanguard is leading the charge in transforming financial services? Tune in for the full episode. You'll hear us talk about:10:32 - Aligning Strategy with Product Execution Amber discusses the importance of aligning product strategy with business goals at Vanguard. She emphasizes setting the right incentives and problems for product teams to solve, ensuring they focus on creating superior client experiences that drive competitive advantage.22:56 - Experimentation in Client Modernization Amber shares how Vanguard uses a North Star approach with key OKRs to drive outcomes. She outlines strategies for engaging clients and improving retirement readiness through behavioral finance and agile experimentation.35:05 - Balancing Innovation and Optimization Marco talks about Vanguard's approach to innovation, stressing the importance of client-centricity and empowering teams to innovate. He explains how a portfolio approach allows for both incremental improvements and moonshot projects, fostering a culture of continuous development. Episode Resources:Amber on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-brestowski-019b56ab/Marco on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marco-de-freitas-80416714/Vanguard website: https://investor.vanguard.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Coming Up 01:05 Intro 09:10 Amber's Career Journey 12:11 Marco’s career journey 18:06 Modernizing Client Experience 22:56 Experimentation in Client Modernization 31:04 Aligning Business Strategy with Product Execution 37:43 Behavioral Science in Digital Experiences 46:50 Tackling Digital-First Transformation Challenges 49:58 Closing reflections