Amerant Bank CEO Restructured Credit Risk Oversight
The Coral Gables-based bank has implemented new internal policies to stabilize nonperforming assets.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Banking
Live Poll
Do you trust smaller, relationship-focused regional banks to manage your finances better than large institutions?
Amerant Bancorp CEO Carlos Iafigliola has introduced significant changes to the bank’s internal credit risk culture following a period of rising problem loans. These reforms follow an organizational restructuring intended to address management credibility concerns.
Why it matters
The leadership changes were prompted by mounting pressure from problem commercial real estate and commercial loans that impacted the bank's credibility. By streamlining business lines, the firm aims to regain stability within its primary market areas.
Amerant reported gross loans of $6.9 billion in Q2 2026, supported by $5.13 billion in domestic deposits and $2.5 billion in Venezuelan deposits. Nonperforming assets represented 1.81% of total assets during the second quarter.
The players
Carlos Iafigliola
He is the current CEO and president of Amerant Bancorp.
Jerry Plush
He is the former CEO of Amerant Bancorp who departed the firm in November 2025.
Lee Ann Cragg
She serves as the chief credit officer for Amerant.
The details
Under the direction of CEO Carlos Iafigliola, the bank conducted a comprehensive third-party review of every loan in its portfolio during the fourth quarter of 2025. Amerant also reorganized its operations into distinct international and domestic business lines to better manage risk exposure.
Timeline
November 2025: Carlos Iafigliola assumed the CEO and president roles.
Q4 2025: Amerant conducted a third-party loan portfolio review.
Q1 2026: Nonperforming assets comprised 1.93% of total assets.
Q2 2026: Nonperforming assets reached $186.6 million.
October 23, 2026: The bank is scheduled to report third-quarter earnings.
Market Dynamics
These internal changes follow the 2025 Amerant Bancorp leadership transition and reflect a broader effort to mitigate risks within the commercial real estate sector. The move mirrors industry-wide trends of strengthening credit oversight to stabilize management credibility during economic volatility.
Shareholders and account holders should watch for the upcoming earnings report to see if these credit culture shifts translate into improved fiscal health. The organizational changes may also influence future deposit growth strategies in the bank's key Florida markets.
The takeaway
Management’s focus on tightening credit risk protocols highlights the importance of institutional oversight in maintaining bank stability. Investors can use the upcoming quarterly report as a benchmark to assess whether these structural changes are effectively reducing the bank's exposure to problem assets.
What happens next
Amerant is scheduled to release its third-quarter 2026 financial results on October 23, 2026.
Further reading
For more information on the current regulatory and operational environment, visit our Banking section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Banking Dive.
Live Poll
Do you trust smaller, relationship-focused regional banks to manage your finances better than large institutions?
