A Gulf South bank with a customer base averaging 65 years old that is modernising its digital channels with MX and has bought into Orlando; its 10-K discloses board oversight of AI and an AI Working Group that approves use cases, while its client-facing AI statements concern the threats AI creates.
How is Hancock Whitney using AI?
Hancock Whitney, the $35.5 billion Gulfport, Mississippi bank serving Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida and Texas, has disclosed AI governance, including an AI Working Group that approves use cases, but no named AI product; its technology story is a digital-channel modernisation aimed at a customer base whose average age is 65. Working with the fintech MX, the bank set out to build 'seamless financial experiences to target younger generations', ship a modern mobile app that promotes engagement, and navigate 'internal hesitation from teams accustomed to "old ways" of working', a case study its executives presented alongside MX in June 2026. Pam Hymel, director of digital strategy, brings 25 years of digital leadership from Hibernia National Bank and Capital One and has run online account opening and online-banking initiatives. Where the bank talks about AI it is as a threat: a September 2026 guide for business owners says that 'thanks in large part to artificial intelligence, business cybersecurity risks are reaching unprecedented levels' because AI lets attackers 'automate, scale and refine cyberattacks' and lowers the barrier to entry so that even less-skilled actors can mount sophisticated attacks. Its 2025 Form 10-K, filed in February 2026, adds the governance: the board oversees the company's use of AI, an AI Working Group of legal, compliance, risk and IT representatives reporting to the IT Risk Governance Committee 'is responsible for the approval of AI use cases', and 'our cybersecurity program tracks AI-driven threats while also leveraging AI tools to enhance our security posture'; a risk factor warns that generative AI models 'may produce output or take action that is incorrect'. Strategically the bank is expanding in Florida: it agreed in May 2026 to buy OFB Bancshares, parent of One Florida Bank in Orlando, for $377.6 million in cash, its first bank acquisition in seven years, received regulatory approval in July and completed the acquisition on 1 August 2026, with the systems conversion expected in the fourth quarter. Financially, fourth-quarter 2025 EPS was $1.49; first-quarter 2026 net income fell to $47.4 million after a $98.6 million pre-tax loss on a securities-portfolio restructuring, or $1.52 per share excluding it, with an efficiency ratio of 55.43%; second-quarter 2026 net income recovered to $127.0 million, or $1.55 per share, with an efficiency ratio of 55.31%. Hancock Whitney Bank is a state nonmember bank supervised by the FDIC.
Lead bank
Hancock Whitney Bank
Assets (lead bank, Jun 30, 2026)
$36 billion
Charter
Mississippi state nonmember bank (FDIC)
Headquarters
Gulfport, MS
Flagship platform
MX-powered digital banking modernisation
AI leadership
John Hairston · Shane Loper · Pam Hymel · Greg Fahey · Michael Otero · Suzette K. Kent · Frank E. Bertucci · Jerry L. Levens
- No named AI product, leader, vendor or spend; the 10-K discloses board oversight of AI, an AI Working Group that approves use cases, and AI tools in the security programme.
- Client-facing AI content is cybersecurity guidance: AI lets attackers automate, scale and refine cyberattacks and lowers the barrier to entry.
- Digital modernisation with MX targets younger customers against an average customer age of 65 and Boomer-concentrated wealth.
- Named digital leader: Pam Hymel, director of digital strategy (25 years at Hibernia and Capital One), who has led online account opening, online banking and the new mobile app.
- First acquisition in seven years: One Florida Bank in Orlando for $377.6 million cash, announced May 2026, approved July 2026, closed 1 August 2026.
- Results: Q4 2025 EPS $1.49; Q1 2026 adjusted EPS $1.52 after a $98.6 million securities restructuring loss; efficiency ratio 55.43%.
- Retail leadership refreshed: Greg Fahey named head of retail banking (December 2024); Greenlight family-finance subscription free for clients.
- AI disclosure arrived in stages: the 2023 Form 10-K has no AI language, the 2024 10-K (filed 27 February 2025) adds an AI risk factor, and the 2025 10-K (filed 27 February 2026) adds board oversight of AI, the AI Working Group and AI tools in the security programme.
- The Q4 2025, Q1 2026 and Q2 2026 earnings-call transcripts contain no mention of AI; John Hairston, Michael Achary and Shane Loper spoke about banker hiring, deposits, the bond restructuring and the One Florida deal.
- The 2026 proxy statement places 'cybersecurity, technology and artificial intelligence risks' under the Board Risk Committee (chair Frank Bertucci) and lists director Suzette Kent, the former US Federal CIO, with 'Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence experience'.
- On fraud the bank lobbies rather than announces tooling: its 18 September 2025 FDIC response asked for a federal fraud office and a Regulation CC fraud-hold exemption, and an attached letter to Mississippi senators says scams exploit 'artificial intelligence and voice cloning'.
- Digital adoption figures (Q4 2025 call): mobile account openings up 20% year over year and 80% of new checking accounts digitally active; the MX session description says the new mobile app was rated sixth best across banks and credit unions.
What is MX-powered digital banking modernisation?
Hancock Whitney's technology programme is a digital and mobile modernisation delivered with the data and money-experience vendor MX, presented jointly at American Banker's Digital Banking conference in June 2026. The problem statement is demographic: an average customer age of 65 and wealth concentrated among Baby Boomers, so the bank prioritised 'seamless financial experiences to target younger generations', a modern mobile app that drives engagement, and overcoming internal hesitation from teams used to old ways of working. Pam Hymel, director of digital strategy and a 25-year Hibernia and Capital One digital veteran, has led online account opening and online-banking initiatives. Client education adds a free Greenlight family-finance subscription (November 2025). No named AI deployment, AI leader or AI spend has been disclosed: the 2025 Form 10-K says the board oversees the company's use of AI, a management AI Working Group approves AI use cases, and the cybersecurity programme leverages AI tools, while the bank's client-facing AI content is cybersecurity guidance.[2][3][5][24][10]
What AI partnerships and patents does Hancock Whitney have?
Hancock Whitney discloses three technology partners, none an AI lab or cloud provider: MX for digital and mobile modernisation, Wealth Access for wealth client data, and Greenlight for a family-finance subscription. A Google Patents search under Hancock Whitney Bank, Hancock Whitney Corporation and Whitney National Bank found no patents or published applications assigned to the bank. Not public: any AI model provider, cloud platform, AI spending or AI vendor contract.[2][23][5][10]
| Item | What it is | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| MX | Money-experience and data vendor behind the digital and mobile modernisation | In production | 2026-06-16[2][3] |
| Wealth Access | Connected client-data platform; firmwide agreement extends Sabal Trust usage to all wealth services | Rolling out | 2026-03-02[23] |
| Greenlight for Banks | Family-finance app and debit card offered free to clients | In production | 2025-11-12[5] |
What has Hancock Whitney done on AI, and when?
- Sep 9, 2026
'AI is raising business cyber risk' guidance[24]
Five cybersecurity questions for IT teams and providers.
- Aug 7, 2026
Second-quarter 2026 10-Q[16]
Repeats risks from AI development and use and from generative AI raising cybersecurity risk; the only other AI mention is the macro view that business AI investment supported 1.5% GDP growth.
- Aug 1, 2026
- Jul 21, 2026
- Jul 20, 2026
Regulatory approval for One Florida Bank[9]
Closing expected on or about 1 August 2026.
- Jun 16, 2026
- May 15, 2026
- Apr 21, 2026
- Mar 17, 2026
Proxy statement names AI risk under the Board Risk Committee[15]
Operational risk 'including cybersecurity, technology and artificial intelligence risks'; the board has spent significant time on generative AI; director Suzette Kent listed with AI experience.
- Mar 2, 2026
Wealth Access firmwide agreement[23]
Expands the platform Sabal Trust used for more than six years into the front door for wealth services across the bank; it resolves client data across trust, investments, deposits and held-away assets.
- Feb 27, 2026
10-K discloses AI governance[10]
Board oversight of AI; AI Working Group approves use cases; AI tools in the security programme; AI risk factor.
- Jan 20, 2026
- Nov 12, 2025
Free Greenlight subscription for clients[5]
Family financial-education platform via Greenlight for Banks.
- Sep 18, 2025
Response to interagency payments-fraud request for information[21]
Asks for a Federal Office of Fraud Prevention, telecom and platform accountability, and a Regulation CC fraud-hold exemption; backs the American Bankers Association positions.
- Jun 18, 2025
Letter to Mississippi senators on fraud and scams[21]
Hancock Whitney Bank and other large Mississippi banks say scams exploit AI and voice cloning and ask for a multi-stakeholder response; the bank attached it to its FDIC response.
- Feb 27, 2025
2024 10-K adds an AI risk factor[14]
Says the company or its third- and fourth-party vendors may incorporate AI and that generative AI is raising cybersecurity risk; the 2023 10-K has no AI language.
- Dec 2, 2024
Greg Fahey named head of retail banking[4]
To guide client experience and consumer growth.
- Mar 18, 2024
Client guidance on AI-enabled bank scams[22]
'Look Out: Bank Fraud Trends in 2024' lists AI-generated phishing, malicious chatbots, account takeover and AI-powered social engineering.
- Mar 7, 2024
Shane Loper named Hancock Whitney Bank president[13]
Keeps the chief operating officer role; he began as a computer programmer and his oversight has included information technology.
Where does Hancock Whitney use AI today?
| System | What it does | Status | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital and mobile modernisation with MX[2][3] | Money-experience platform; new mobile app; online account opening. | Rolling out | Customer-facing chatbots |
| AI-threat guidance for business clients[24] | AI lets threat actors automate, scale and refine cyberattacks; five questions for IT teams and providers. | In production | Cybersecurity |
| One Florida Bank integration[9][12] | First acquisition in seven years; closed 1 August 2026, systems conversion expected in Q4 2026. | Rolling out | Third-party & vendor AI |
| AI Working Group[10] | Legal, compliance, risk and IT; approves AI use cases and reports to the IT Risk Governance Committee; board oversight of AI. | In production | AI governance (general) |
| AI tools in the security programme[10] | The cybersecurity programme tracks AI-driven threats and leverages AI tools, per the 10-K. | In production | Cybersecurity |
| Payments-fraud policy position[21] | FDIC response of 18 September 2025 asks for a federal fraud office, platform accountability and a Regulation CC fraud-hold exemption; no AI detection tooling is named. | Announced | Fraud detection |
| Client education on AI-enabled scams[22] | March 2024 guidance covers AI-generated phishing, malicious chatbots, account takeover and AI-powered social engineering. | In production | Fraud detection |
| Wealth Access client-data platform[23] | Firmwide agreement of March 2026 makes it the front door for wealth services; resolves trust, investment, deposit and held-away data into one view. | Rolling out | Third-party & vendor AI |
| Board Risk Committee oversight of AI risk[15] | Operational risk under the committee includes cybersecurity, technology and AI risks; four meetings in 2025; the Chief Risk Officer reports to it each quarter. | In production | AI governance (general) |
| AI inside vendor products[10][14] | The 10-K says the company or its third- and fourth-party vendors, clients or counterparties may incorporate AI in processes, services or products. | Announced | Third-party & vendor AI |
| AI model risk factor[10] | Supervisory expectations on explainability for models incorporating AI; incorrect or biased generative output; third-party models. | Announced | Model risk management |
Use-case links open the tracker's rules-by-use-case matrix: which documents govern each system type.
What has Hancock Whitney disclosed in numbers?
| Metric | Value | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Average customer age | 65[2] | Jun 16, 2026 |
| One Florida Bank acquisition | $377.6 million cash; > $37 billion assets after closing[1] | May 15, 2026 |
| Q1 2026 net income / adjusted EPS | $47.4 million / $1.52[7] | Apr 21, 2026 |
| Securities restructuring loss, Q1 2026 | $98.6 million pre-tax[7] | Apr 21, 2026 |
| Efficiency ratio, Q1 2026 | 55.43%[7] | Apr 21, 2026 |
| Q2 2026 net income / EPS / efficiency ratio | $127.0 million / $1.55 / 55.31%[11] | Jun 30, 2026 |
| Total assets | $36.3 billion[11] | Jun 30, 2026 |
| Full-time equivalent associates | 3,627[10] | Dec 31, 2025 |
| Mobile account openings, year over year (Q4 2025) | Up 20%[18] | Dec 31, 2025 |
| New checking accounts that are digitally active (Q4 2025) | 80%[18] | Dec 31, 2025 |
| New mobile app ranking among banks and credit unions | 6th best (per MX session description)[3] | Jun 16, 2026 |
| Board Risk Committee: members / meetings in 2025 | 8 / 4[15] | Mar 17, 2026 |
| Fraud losses cited in the bank's letter to Congress (FTC 2023 estimate, upper bound) | $158.3 billion[21] | Jun 18, 2025 |
| Wealth Access relationship through Sabal Trust before the March 2026 expansion | More than 6 years[23] | Mar 2, 2026 |
“The first quarter of 2026 was a solid start to the year.”[7]
John Hairston · President and CEO · Apr 21, 2026
“Thanks in large part to artificial intelligence, business cybersecurity risks are reaching unprecedented levels.”[24]
Hancock Whitney · Cybersecurity guidance for businesses · Sep 9, 2026
“Our cybersecurity program tracks AI-driven threats while also leveraging AI tools to enhance our security posture.”[10]
Hancock Whitney · 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K · Feb 27, 2026
“Management has established an AI Working Group, which includes representatives from Legal, Compliance, Risk, and Information Technology.”[10]
Hancock Whitney · 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K · Feb 27, 2026
“the growth in the use and implementation of generative artificial intelligence”[15]
Hancock Whitney · 2026 proxy statement · Mar 17, 2026
“exploiting advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and voice cloning to deceive individuals”[21]
Hancock Whitney Bank · Letter to Mississippi senators, attached to its FDIC fraud response · Jun 18, 2025
“Mobile openings have increased by 20% year over year as well as 80% of our new checking accounts are digitally active.”[18]
Shane Loper · Chief Operating Officer and Hancock Whitney Bank President · Jan 20, 2026
Who runs AI at Hancock Whitney?
Shane LoperLinkedIn ↗
President of Hancock Whitney Bank and Chief Operating Officer (began as a computer programmer; oversight has included information technology; facilitates director involvement in significant cybersecurity incidents)[13][10]
Pam HymelLinkedIn ↗
Director of Digital Strategy[3]
Greg FaheyLinkedIn ↗
Head of Retail Banking Segment (from December 2024)[4]
Michael Otero
Chief Risk Officer (reports each quarter to the Board Risk Committee on enterprise-wide risk management)[15]
Suzette K. Kent
Independent director since 2020; former Federal Chief Information Officer of the United States (2018 to 2020); listed with cybersecurity and AI experience; designated board cybersecurity contact[15][10]
Frank E. Bertucci
Chair of the Board Risk Committee, which oversees operational risk including cybersecurity, technology and AI risks; designated board cybersecurity contact[15][10]
Jerry L. Levens
Chairman of the Board; designated board cybersecurity contact[10]
What AI roles is Hancock Whitney hiring for?
Data as of · 0 AI-titled postings · read from Hancock Whitney's own careers site, re-checked weekly
No open AI-titled postings on Hancock Whitney's careers site as of Oct 25, 2026. A snapshot of current openings, not a source: postings close. Compare with other banks on which banks are hiring for AI.
Which regulators govern Hancock Whitney's AI?
| Authority | Why it matters here | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| FDIC | Hancock Whitney Bank is a state nonmember bank; the FDIC supervises the digital programme, the MX relationship and the One Florida integration. | FDIC FIL-29-2023 FDIC FIL-15-2026 |
| Federal Reserve | Holding-company oversight and interagency model-risk guidance for any future AI in credit or fraud. | SR 11-7 SR 23-4 |
| CFPB | Online account opening and consumer digital servicing fall under UDAAP and, if AI is added, the chatbot circular. | CFPB Chatbots in Consumer Finance (issue spotlight, 2023) |
Side by side: SR 11-7 vs SR 26-2 · PRA SS1/23 vs SR 26-2 · MAS AI Risk Management Guidelines vs SR 26-2 · OCC vs CFPB on AI lending · all comparisons.
What does the public record suggest about Hancock Whitney's AI strategy?
Analysis by BankingNewsAI from the sources cited on this page. Observations, not advice.
01
Demographics make digital the AI prerequisite
A 65-year-old average customer means the mobile and data foundation with MX has to land before any AI personalisation can matter.
02
The bank writes about AI attackers more than AI defences
Its guidance describes AI-automated attacks and the 10-K says only that the security programme leverages AI tools; naming them would reassure the business clients it is warning.
03
Orlando adds integration before innovation
The first deal in seven years will absorb the technology team through the second half of 2026; AI disclosure is unlikely before the conversion is done.
04
MX is a data-aggregation dependency
Money-experience platforms hold customer transaction data across institutions; the FDIC's third-party guidance applies to the vendor as much as the app.
Where does the Hancock Whitney record go deeper?
Which leader rankings does Hancock Whitney appear in?
2 of the computed leaders rankings include Hancock Whitney, each ranked from the same sourced bank pages.
How does Hancock Whitney compare with its peers?
- How does Hancock Whitney compare with its peers on AI and technology?
- Hancock Whitney competitors and alternatives, by business line
Its peer group on this site, by business model and size:
Who leads AI at Hancock Whitney?
Hancock Whitney names no head of AI. Its 2025 10-K says the board oversees AI use and an AI Working Group of Legal, Compliance, Risk and Information Technology staff approves use cases, reporting to the IT Risk Governance Committee, which the unnamed Chief Information Security Officer leads. The Board Risk Committee, chaired by Frank Bertucci, covers AI risk. Director Suzette Kent, a former US Federal CIO, is listed with AI experience. Chief Operating Officer Shane Loper, who began as a programmer, and Chief Risk Officer Michael Otero hold the executive oversight.
Does Hancock Whitney use AI?
Hancock Whitney has not disclosed a named AI programme, AI leader or AI spending, but its 2025 10-K says the board oversees its use of AI, an AI Working Group approves AI use cases, and its cybersecurity programme leverages AI tools. Its public technology work is a digital-banking modernisation with the vendor MX aimed at younger customers, and its AI-related content is cybersecurity and fraud guidance describing how attackers use AI.
What is Hancock Whitney acquiring?
OFB Bancshares, the parent of One Florida Bank in Orlando, for $377.6 million in cash. The deal was announced on 15 May 2026, received regulatory approval on 20 July 2026, and was completed on 1 August 2026, with the systems conversion expected in the fourth quarter.
Does Hancock Whitney talk about AI on earnings calls?
No. The transcripts of the fourth-quarter 2025 call (20 January 2026), the first-quarter 2026 call (21 April 2026) and the second-quarter 2026 call (21 July 2026) contain no mention of AI. John Hairston, Michael Achary and Shane Loper covered net interest margin, banker hiring (42 against a goal of 50 by the second quarter), deposits and the One Florida deal. Loper's only technology data point is that mobile openings rose 20% and 80% of new checking accounts are digitally active. AI appears in the 10-K, 10-Q and proxy as a risk and governance topic.
Which technology vendors and patents has Hancock Whitney disclosed?
Public vendor relationships are MX for digital and mobile banking modernisation, Wealth Access as the client-data front door for wealth services under a firmwide agreement of March 2026, and Greenlight for a free family-finance subscription. No AI lab, cloud provider or GPU vendor is named. A Google Patents search under the bank's names found no patents or published applications assigned to Hancock Whitney, so the bank has no public AI patent record.
- Hancock Whitney inks deal to buy Orlando community bank
- Nate Gardner, Chief Xperience Officer, MX (Digital Banking speaker profile; session 'From Old Money to New Momentum: How Hancock Whitney Modernized for the Next Generation')
- Pam Hymel, Director of Digital Strategy, Hancock Whitney (speaker profile)
- Hancock Whitney Names Greg Fahey Head of Retail Banking Segment
- Hancock Whitney Expands Offering with Free Greenlight Subscription for Clients
- Hancock Whitney Reports Fourth Quarter 2025 EPS of $1.49
- Hancock Whitney Reports First Quarter 2026 EPS of $0.57
- Hancock Whitney to Acquire One Florida Bank
- Hancock Whitney Receives Regulatory Approval to Acquire One Florida Bank
- Hancock Whitney Corporation Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2025
- Hancock Whitney reports second quarter 2026 EPS of $1.55 (Form 8-K, Exhibit 99.1)
- Hancock Whitney Completes One Florida Bank Acquisition
- Hancock Whitney Names Shane Loper as Hancock Whitney Bank President
- Hancock Whitney Corporation Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2024
- Hancock Whitney Corporation 2026 Proxy Statement (Schedule 14A)
- Hancock Whitney Corporation Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended 30 June 2026
- Hancock Whitney Corporation Form 8-K: completion of the OFB Bancshares mergers
- Hancock Whitney HWC Q4 2025 Earnings Transcript
- Hancock Whitney HWC Q1 2026 Earnings Transcript
- Earnings call transcript: Hancock Whitney meets Q2 2026 EPS as shares fall
- Hancock Whitney Bank response to the interagency request for information on payments fraud (RIN 3064-ZA49), with 18 June 2025 letter to the Mississippi Senate delegation
- Look Out: Bank Fraud Trends in 2024
- Hancock Whitney Selects Wealth Access as Connected Intelligence Platform for Enterprise Wealth Management
- 5 Critical Cybersecurity Questions to Ask Your IT Team or Service Provider
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