Holly Ransom Challenges Global Credit Union Leaders to Sustain Their Edge

SYDNEY, Australia — Global leadership expert Holly Ransom challenged credit union and financial cooperative leaders to build high-performing teams equipped to navigate constant change during Tuesday’s general session at the 2026 World Credit Union Conference (WCUC).

In her keynote, Sustaining Your Edge: High-Performance Teams & Culture, Ransom urged attendees to cut through the noise, focus on what matters most and turn insight into meaningful action.

Drawing on her experience advising organizations across the corporate, nonprofit and public sectors, Ransom encouraged leaders to ask better questions, challenge entrenched assumptions and create environments in which individuals and teams can perform at their best.

The day continued with breakout sessions examining emerging forms of digital money and strategies for reaching underserved communities.

One session, Stablecoins, Tokenized Deposits, CBDCs: What Does It All Mean for Credit Unions?, explored how emerging forms of digital currency could affect credit union deposits, payments, technology and member relationships, while emphasizing the importance of advocacy as regulations take shape.

“Regulations are being developed now, and it is critical that credit unions are part of the conversation—even if these technologies are not an immediate priority for their institutions or members,” said Erin O’Hern, Senior Director, International Advocacy and Regulatory Counsel for World Council of Credit Unions. “We cannot allow regulations to be finalized without the credit union perspective.”

During Growing Credit Union Membership—Reaching Excluded Communities, speakers explored barriers to access and trust facing immigrants, refugees and first-generation users of the financial system. Examples from the United States, European Union and Brazil highlighted alternative identification, culturally relevant products and partnerships that provide financial and nonfinancial support.

Tuesday’s program concluded with the World Council of Credit Unions Annual General Meeting, where delegates elected George Ombado to a second three-year term on the Board of Directors and welcomed Ricardo Lopez and Paul Norgrove as newly elected directors. Lopez will serve a three-year term, while Norgrove will serve out a two-year term vacancy.

During the AGM, World Council also presented its 2026 Digital Growth Awards, recognizing initiatives that demonstrate inclusivity, innovation and scale in using technology to expand access to financial services.

Chandragiri Savings and Credit Cooperative Ltd. of Nepal was honored for a community-focused digital ecosystem that combines mobile banking, QR payments, remittances and tablet-based doorstep services. Its tablet-banking program alone has facilitated 765,000 transactions, helping reach people who cannot easily visit a service center.

Coopenae R.L. of Costa Rica received an award for WINK, a digital platform that allows individuals to open accounts through a mobile app using biometric identity verification and simplified onboarding. The platform is designed to reach young adults, gig workers, freelancers and people living outside major urban centers.

Vietnam Cooperative Bank received the Digital Growth Award for Sustained Excellence for scaling an integrated digital ecosystem that connects banking services, social payments and national identification systems. The initiative helps deliver pensions and social assistance to older adults, vulnerable populations and people in remote communities.

The 2026 World Credit Union Conference concludes Wednesday with an interactive musical session led by chart-topping recording artist Freddie Ravel, who will challenge teams to become more “in tune” in their work. Additional discussions will focus on strengthening the global credit union movement and preparing institutions for what comes next.

World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) is the global trade association for the credit union movement, advancing cooperative finance worldwide. Through advocacy, education and more than 300 technical assistance programs in 90 countries, WOCCU advances financial inclusion and strengthens cooperative finance across diverse markets. Globally, more than 67,000 credit unions across over 100 countries serve more than 412 million people and hold over $3.8 Trillion (USD) in assets. Learn more at www.woccu.org.

Contact: Liz Stanislawski
Organization: World Council of Credit Unions
E-mail: lstanislawski@woccu.org

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