Emanuele Di Palma, General Manager of the Banca di Credito Cooperativo di San Marzano di San Giuseppe, is widely considered an innovator in the banking world. An expert in economics and finance, under his leadership the BCC di San Marzano grew from two to ten branches. The prestigious results achieved in terms of mission and commitment, combined with its particular attention to the local community and its ethical and social commitment, make the BCC di San Marzano one of the most respected cooperative banks in Italy.

As part of the BCC reform, you decided to join the Trentino Consortium. What motivated you to do so, and what will this merger entail?
The reform was not initiated from the bottom up but was imposed by law, and therefore we had to adapt. We chose the Cassa Centrale Banca group because, in our view, it represents one of the most innovative projects in the Italian banking system, and the one that appears to represent the greatest break with the past. We therefore expect to be able to continue operating as a local bank, but with operational support from a parent company that looks to the future, to a more modern and contemporary approach to banking.

How will the recent entry into force of the Fourth Directive impact the anti-money laundering and terrorist financing activities of banks, particularly mutual banks?
Current regulations naturally require us to be particularly vigilant regarding any type of transaction that could conceal a violation of anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism regulations. This inevitably entails costs for the banking structure, which are quite significant at this particular time, given that maximum attention must be paid, the tools available must be valid, and the personnel assigned to these tasks must be well-trained. In our bank, the personnel who follow the regulations and have direct contact with the Authority are part of our legal department: these professionals have proven legal experience and, combined with their banking experience, are able to provide efficient responses in this area.

You're considered by many to be the director of one of Italy's most innovative mutual banks. Your bank has implemented numerous activities not strictly related to the banking world (web TV, promoting local cultural heritage, sustainable development). Where does this focus on the local area come from, and why did you choose to give back to the local community?
Our focus on the local community stems from our desire to truly understand our role as a cooperative credit bank. Our goal, in fact, is not to distribute profits to our members in the form of dividends, but rather to be present in the local community, fostering cultural and, above all, social activities that would otherwise never take off, or even be established, without the bank's intervention. Supporting the region's sometimes overlooked excellence is our duty, our mission. Our bank operates in a wide variety of fields; for example, in the film industry, we have helped develop films directed by local directors or those with local roots, which would otherwise never have been produced. We strive to foster not only financial growth, but also cultural and social growth, striving to give the region the opportunity to express itself in the best possible way.

BCC di San Marzano's focus on staff training is another hallmark of the company. This, too, is not without its fair share of innovation. In fact, you're launching a project with the European School of Banking Management to train staff using the Lego methodology. How important are training and continuing education for the smooth running of a "bank enterprise"? Can you tell us about the Lego project?
Today, a bank's most important asset is its staff; it's what makes the difference because electronics have become commonplace; everyone has them. It's clear that staff must be adequately trained, especially in this time of great transformation for the banking world. We must always be at the forefront and provide our employees with training that focuses on teamwork. Unfortunately, one of the characteristics of our country, but even more so of our local area and of small institutions like ours, is individualism, which generally represents a negative value. For us, training, therefore, doesn't mean limiting ourselves to technical and regulatory aspects: we must teach our employees to work together, to be team players, to have common goals, and to foster a sense of belonging. This is a constant and ongoing effort, which at our BCC is ensured through the use of innovative training methodologies, such as cooking classes and radio broadcasts. For this reason, we greatly appreciated the Lego project proposed by the European School of Banking Management. Conceptually, the project will serve as a team building exercise using the famous building blocks: our employees will work to build objects, which will spark a series of discussions, reflections, and questions about how to work together. The building block will be a provocation, a way to bring together different minds and uncover commonalities and conflicts, to be resolved using an entirely new methodology.