Metropolitan Commercial Bank Appoints Ali Abedini as its first Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer
'We recognize the critical importance of growing our team to lead the development and implementation of cutting-edge technologies to better serve our clients,' said Mark R. DeFazio, Founder, President and CEO at Metropolitan Commercial Bank.
Ali joins Metropolitan Commercial Bank with over two decades of experience in advanced analytics, machine learning, and responsible AI in highly regulated financial services. The newly appointed Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer will collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate AI and advanced data capabilities into the Bank's core financial and operational systems.
'We recognize the critical importance of growing our team to lead the development and implementation of cutting-edge technologies to better serve our clients,' said Mark R. DeFazio, Founder, President and CEO at Metropolitan Commercial Bank. 'Mr. Abedini's background and experience will be instrumental in achieving our strategic growth.'
Prior to joining MCB, Ali Abedini served as Executive Head of Advanced Analytics & AI at TD Bank. Throughout his career, he has spearheaded AI and data-driven initiatives, with a strong focus on personalization and intelligent automation to drive business outcomes.
'I'm honored to join Metropolitan Commercial Bank as its first Chief AI Officer at such a pivotal moment. This organization has developed a well-thought-out growth plan that will benefit from integrating AI into its systems,' commented Ali Abedini, Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer. 'I'm also excited to work directly with Mark DeFazio, a founder-CEO who brings a rare combination of entrepreneurial mindset and institutional leadership.'
In addition to elevating Metropolitan Commercial Bank's client experience, the Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer role is strategically designed to strengthen the Bank's capacity to deliver tailored banking solutions to both clients and partners.
About Metropolitan Commercial Bank
Metropolitan Commercial Bank (the 'Bank') is a New York City based full-service commercial bank. The Bank provides a broad range of business, commercial and personal banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, private and public middle-market and corporate enterprises and institutions, municipalities and local government entities.
Metropolitan Commercial Bank provides specialized banking services for the EB-5 and E-2 communities. The Bank combines deep industry expertise with tailored financial products to ensure a smooth, secure and efficient journey from initial investment to project completion.
Metropolitan Commercial Bank was named one of Newsweek's Best Regional Banks in 2024 and 2025. The Bank was ranked by Independent Community Bankers of America among the top ten successful loan producers for 2024 by loan category and asset size for commercial banks with more than $1 billion in assets. Kroll affirmed a BBB+ (investment grade) deposit rating on January 29, 2025. For the fourth time, MCB has earned a place in the Piper Sandler Bank Sm-All Stars Class of 2024.
Metropolitan Commercial Bank operates banking centers and private client offices in Manhattan and Boro Park, Brooklyn in New York City, and Great Neck on Long Island in New York State.
The Bank is a New York State chartered commercial bank, a member of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and an equal housing lender. The parent company of Metropolitan Commercial Bank is Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. (NYSE: MCB) (the 'Company').
To learn more about the Bank visit: mcbankny.com
Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer
This release contains 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Examples of forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the Company's future financial condition and capital ratios, results of operations and the Company's outlook, business, share repurchases under the program, and dividend payments. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts. Such statements may be identified by the use of such words as 'may,' 'believe,' 'expect,' 'anticipate,' 'plan,' 'continue' or similar terminology. These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and are generally beyond our control and may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we caution you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Factors which may cause our forward-looking statements to be materially inaccurate include, but are not limited to the following: the interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve and other regulatory bodies; an unexpected deterioration in the performance of our loan or securities portfolios; changes in liquidity, including the size and composition of our deposit portfolio and the percentage of uninsured deposits in the portfolio; unexpected increases in our expenses; different than anticipated growth and our ability to manage our growth; global pandemics, or localized epidemics, could adversely affect the Company's financial condition and results of operations; potential recessionary conditions, including the related effects on our borrowers and on our financial condition and results of operations; an unanticipated loss of key personnel or existing clients, or an inability to attract key employees; increases in competitive pressures among financial institutions or from non-financial institutions which may result in unanticipated changes in our loan or deposit rates; unanticipated increases in FDIC insurance premiums or future assessments; legislative, tax or regulatory changes or actions, which may adversely affect the Company's business; impacts related to or resulting from regional and community bank failures and stresses to regional banks; changes in deposit flows, funding sources or loan demand, which may adversely affect the Company's business; changes in accounting principles, policies or guidelines may cause the Company's financial condition or results of operation to be reported or perceived differently; general economic conditions, including unemployment rates, either nationally or locally in some or all of the areas in which the Company does business, or conditions in the securities markets or the banking industry being less favorable than currently anticipated; inflation, which may lead to higher operating costs; declines in real estate values in the Company's market area, which may adversely affect our loan production; an unexpected adverse financial, regulatory, legal or bankruptcy event experienced by our non-bank financial service clients; system failures or cybersecurity breaches of our information technology infrastructure and/or confidential information or those of the Company's third-party service providers or those of our non-bank financial service clients for which we provide global payments infrastructure; emerging issues related to the development and use of artificial intelligence that could give rise to legal or regulatory action, damage our reputation or otherwise materially harm our business or clients; failure to maintain current technologies or technological changes that may be more difficult or expensive to implement than anticipated, and failure to successfully implement future information technology enhancements; the costs, including the possible incurrence of fines, penalties, or other negative effects (including reputational harm) of any adverse judicial, administrative, or arbitral rulings or proceedings, regulatory enforcement actions, or other legal actions to which we or any of our subsidiaries are a party, and which may adversely affect our results; the current or anticipated impact of military conflict, terrorism or other geopolitical events; the successful implementation or consummation of new business initiatives, which may be more difficult or expensive than anticipated; the timely and efficient development of new products and services offered by the Company or its strategic partners, as well as risks (including reputational and litigation) attendant thereto, and the perceived overall value and acceptance of these products and services by clients; changes in consumer spending, borrowing or savings habits; the risks associated with adverse changes to credit quality; an unexpected failure to successfully manage our credit risk and the sufficiency of our allowance for credit losses; credit and other risks from borrower and depositor concentrations (e.g., by geographic area and by industry); difficulties associated with achieving or predicting expected future financial results; and the potential impact on the Company's operations and clients resulting from natural or man-made disasters, wars, acts of terrorism, cyberattacks and pandemics, as well as those discussed under the heading 'Risk Factors' in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q which have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. We do not undertake (and expressly disclaim) any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, except as may be required by law.
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