Banking on Success Macar Stoianov on Banking, Innovation & Moldova’s Future

Stoianov emphasizes values critical to maib's success: openness and transparency, team spirit, agility, and innovation. The bank has dismantled hierarchical barriers to foster open communication and empower employees. Agility and innovation are especially vital in a small, high-potential economy like Moldova’s, where rapid learning and scaling successes are key, he says. 

The new corporate culture at maib centers on putting the customer first, combined with agility, innovation, empowerment, and a strong team ethos. Stoianov acknowledges that cultural transformation is a journey requiring time, clear purpose, and living the values daily.  

Moldova faces significant brain drain, with nearly half its population living abroad. Stoianov believes offering young professionals clear career perspectives, practical opportunities, and a sense of community can encourage talent to stay or return. Maib has successfully attracted professionals back to build something meaningful at home, promoting a purpose-driven environment. 

Despite past underperformance, Moldova is prepared for a transformational leap forward, driven by its EU accession process, Stoianov is convinced. This “North Star” aligns stakeholders and opens access to a massive 450 million-person market, know-how, and financial tools. The banking sector reflects this optimism, with loan book growth exceeding 30% annually and increasing loan-to-GDP ratios signaling rapid development. 

Maib looks globally for inspiration, from Asia to Europe, attending conferences and studying best practices. While no single country serves as a perfect model, lessons from Estonia’s tech leap and Poland’s capital markets success inform maib’s approach. Adaptation to Moldova’s unique context is key, he emphasizes. 

Stoianov highlights that maib currently holds a dominant market share in Moldova (around 35-40% across key metrics) and is now exploring growth beyond its home market. Inspired by examples from smaller countries like the Baltics and Georgia, maib has launched a fully digital, non-bank financial institution in Romania to serve underserved segments, leveraging its strong digital and AI capabilities. 

Regarding international banks entering Moldova, Stoianov is optimistic that foreign investors are increasingly viewing Moldova as an attractive, timely opportunity, not just in the distant future. With Moldova’s GDP per capita significantly lower than neighboring Romania and Western Europe, the country is at the beginning of a growth journey, making it a promising market for early entrants.  

Stoianov outlines maib’s growth strategy over the next three to five years, targeting all key segments: retail, SME, and corporate banking. Retail growth is driven by rising demand for improved quality of life and an aging population’s increasing need for savings and insurance products. Corporate banking will focus on targeted investments to boost efficiency and competitiveness in the broader EU market, especially in areas like energy efficiency and infrastructure. In his opinion, the SME sector holds the highest growth potential. 

EU integration is a transformative force shaping Moldova’s economy, governance, and values. It offers access to a vast 450-million-person market, enabling rapid scaling of products and services. Additionally, Moldova gains access to valuable know-how, expertise, and financial tools such as trade finance that enhance competitiveness and innovation. Stoianov calls this integration a unifying “golden star” aligning stakeholders and fueling the country’s development. 

Stoianov foresees traditional banking evolving dramatically over the next decade. Basic transactions will become invisible and automated, integrated seamlessly into daily life. The human touch will shift toward advisory roles: helping clients with wealth transfer, capital structure, and business transformation. AI, data, open banking, and cybersecurity will reinforce this evolution. 

Maib adopts a cautious yet agile approach to innovation, piloting new ideas in limited scopes with cybersecurity experts embedded in teams from day one. Collaboration with regulators ensures risk is managed proactively while enabling rapid scaling of successful initiatives. 

Stoianov emphasizes that ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is a fundamental and long-term focus for maib, integral to sustainability. Good governance, strengthened by Moldova’s EU integration, ensures transparent, fair decision-making and protection of rights. The social dimension is vital in Moldova’s small, close-knit economy, where people are the backbone of growth. Environmental considerations are critical due to the country’s vulnerability to climate impacts, especially in agriculture. maib integrates ESG into lending and client support, promoting investments in sustainable infrastructure and practices to ensure long-term viability and positive impact. 

Stoianov expresses strong optimism about Moldova’s economic future despite regional and global uncertainties. Moldova’s small size is an advantage in his opinion, allowing agility, quick adaptation, and impactful progress in short timeframes. 

The large Moldovan diaspora, numbering over one million, represents a significant potential for returnees who seek a good quality of life closer to family and community. Stoianov believes Moldova is nearing a turning point where more citizens will choose to return and contribute to the country’s growth. 

Regarding Europe, he underscores the continent’s diversity as a strength, fostering better decision-making through varied perspectives. He stresses the importance of deeper market integration, creating unified capital and banking markets, to enable startups and businesses to scale efficiently across borders. 

At maib, digital innovation is central: customers expect seamless online services, from deposits to loans. Continuous innovation combined with thoughtful scaling is crucial, as early advantages quickly erode due to competition. Staying relevant requires not only learning but also implementing new competencies rapidly. 

Stoianov draws a parallel between personal development and organizational growth: just as individuals must keep learning and applying skills to remain relevant, banks must innovate fast and scale smartly. With Europe’s vast capital, customer base, and talent pool, the challenge lies in connecting these assets effectively. 

His final call is a rallying cry for boldness and strategic decision-making: “Think big, be brave and take thoughtful, well-structured decisions to scale it up quickly.” Advice Stoianov offers both to Moldovans and the broader European banking community 

Stoianov draws energy from continuous personal and professional growth, seeing daily progress and impact on people’s lives. Traveling and engaging with diverse cultures broaden his perspective and humility, reinforcing his commitment to community and leadership.