Following a banking career that took her to London, San Francisco, and New York, Elaine Agather moved to Dallas in 1984, climbing a career ladder that would eventually lead her to become chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Dallas region. Agather says her company’s most significant success this past year was JPMorgan Chase’s acquisition of First Republic, the third and largest U.S. lender to fail in 2023. “That deal helped stabilize and strengthen the U.S. financial system in a time of uncertainty,” she says. “About 7,600 of our employees worked on the integration and have done a fabulous job. The integration of this large bank has been truly seamless for clients and bankers at First Republic. Our people respectfully managed this transition, knowing circumstances were particularly tough for our new colleagues, whom we welcomed with open arms.”
EDUCATION:
The University of Texas at Austin (MBA), The University of Oklahoma (BA)
LESSON LEARNED:
“If you’re smart, you’re constantly learning new lessons every day. We all have different hard skills and soft skills. Using both strengths hand in hand will help expand your job opportunities. Flex the other side of yourself, and don’t let people put you in a box.”
DESTINATIONS OF CHOICE:
“Montana, Aspen, Napa, West Texas, and Paris, France—really, anywhere my family is.”
PRIZED POSSESSION:
“My reserved seating—an eight-seat box in my name that I will hand down in my will—at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.”
KEY STRATEGIES:
“Authentic and consistent leaders build trust. Leaders must also connect with employees and clearly communicate the team’s mission. Additionally, gratefulness and a sense of humor are two traits that set a strong leader apart. Funny people make the day go by faster.”
CHILDHOOD MEMORY:
“I loved riding around in my father’s pickup truck.”
FUTURE FORECAST:
“One of our industry’s biggest opportunities is in our backyard: the massive growth we continue to see across North Texas. We’re basing more bankers in Plano and other suburban cities to keep pace with growth in DFW. The growth we are experiencing and forecasting in DFW is visible with Chase branches expanding where the growth is and new banks coming in to serve new residents moving into our state.”
INTERVIEW FAIL:
“Two years ago, I was interviewing a young job candidate, and the first question they asked was, ‘Do I have to come in every day?’ It was a short interview.”
USING AI:
“We began using AI more than a decade ago and now have more than 2,000 ML and AI experts working for our bank. We have outstanding talent using technology to help prevent fraud, improve our risk controls, and handle other important functions like marketing. The important thing is that we maintain a very high ethical standard and are very transparent in how AI helps us make decisions.”
MY LEGACY:
“I want to be remembered as someone who was authentic, tireless, had a sense of humor, and a passion for the business. Every legacy depends on preparing a new generation to carry the work forward. Teaching and encouraging our teams—from the newest associate to the most senior banker—is as important as anything I do.”
Author
