5 Questions with … TD Bank CIO Judy Dinn

Judy Dinn was promoted to chief information officer at TD Bank in November 2021 after joining the bank in 2020 as chief architect and CIO of U.S. credit cards.

Dinn leads technology strategy, planning and delivery at the is $452.1 billion bank, which is a member of the TD Bank Group. She plans to hone that strategy by leveraging practices such as agile development and DevSecOps — short for development, security and operations, she told Bank Automation News.

DevSecOps adds security to the traditional DevOps conversation, ensuring that it is a shared responsibility throughout the entire IT lifecycle. One of the most surprising changes in banking automation is in development tools that support developers and others in technology, Dinn said.

“When I started my career, so many of these tools and resources weren’t available,” she told BAN.

Bank Automation News: What banking technology challenges are you most concerned about or are most focused on now?

Judy Dinn: Our No. 1 focus is always security and stability and ensuring we’re keeping pace with the changing nature of security challenges. This is table stakes and something the industry at large is always challenged with. Second to that, I am heavily focused on changing the bank through digital and data, cloud, agile and DevSecOps to advance our strategy and solve problems for our customers, colleagues and communities.

BAN: What’s something you will prioritize automating in 2022?

JD: We will continue to prioritize DevSecOps adoption, which includes the automation of deployment and CICD [continued integration and continued deployment].

TD Bank wants to be the service, convenience and advice leader in the markets we serve, and we’ll do this by understanding the needs of our customers and communities, and quickly delivering products and services that are best suited to meet those needs. Automating the DevSecOps pipeline will enable us to bring those products and services to market more quickly, while also improving the experience for our colleagues, reducing production issues and improving security. And as the bank continues to mature and adopt the latest technologies, we will bring our colleagues along with us by continuing to invest in their learning and upskilling.

BAN: What have been some of the most surprising changes in banking automation?

JD: The great surprises are the amounts of tools and best practices that are available for technologists to leverage — whether it be agile, DevSecOps, testing tools. So many people in the industry are participating in building and creating new things that others can take advantage of, enabling our industry to leapfrog in terms of maturity. When I started my career, so many of these tools and resources weren’t available. It’s an exciting time to be in this space and I can’t wait to see where we go as an industry from here.

BAN: What is one thing your team would be surprised to learn about you?

JD: I am a licensed nutritionist and yoga instructor and I meditate daily. These practices are the opposite of technology, but they help keep me balanced and provide perspective. Beyond that, they’ve provided me with great tools to manage stress and maintain a healthy mindset.

BAN: What’s your favorite piece of leadership advice you’ve received?

JD: Be yourself! It’s a simple phrase, but I am guilty of having not always followed it. I’ve learned that I can’t do my best work and be creative and innovative and inspire others unless I am bringing my authentic self to the table. This is advice that I would impart to anyone, and as a leader I make it a priority to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable bringing their whole selves to work. I am fortunate that TD encourages inclusion and diversity. It’s one of the reasons I joined the organization.

Bank Automation Summit, taking place March 1-2 in Charlotte, is the first and only event to focus solely on automation in banking. The event will feature the brightest minds from across financial services on intelligent automation strategies and deployment. Learn more and register here for Bank Automation Summit 2022.