Charlotte Hiring Accelerates as First Horizon Doubles Down

Regional lender First Horizon is expanding its presence in Charlotte, North Carolina, signaling a strategic focus on the city’s growing financial sector. By increasing its workforce and consolidating office space, the bank aims to strengthen client services, boost digital capabilities, and support broader economic growth in the region. For investors and customers, these moves highlight both opportunities for local employment and enhanced banking services.

Expanding Presence in a Key Financial Hub

First Horizon, headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, operates across 12 states in the South with total assets of $81.2 billion. The bank currently employs just under 200 people in Charlotte, a number it intends to increase as it taps into the city’s deep talent pool.

Laura Bunn, the bank’s Mid-Atlantic regional president based in Raleigh, emphasized that hiring will span multiple business lines, including commercial banking, small business, specialized client services, and corporate roles. She highlighted the importance of Charlotte’s established banking ecosystem, home to giants such as Bank of America and Truist, which provides access to experienced professionals across finance and technology sectors.

Investment in Digital and Corporate Teams

A major focus for First Horizon is its digital platform, designed to enhance customer experiences for everyday banking, including checking accounts, deposits, loans, and mortgages. By hiring more staff for digital and fraud teams, the bank aims to streamline operations, improve credit and loan processing, and strengthen cybersecurity and regulatory compliance.

The bank’s commitment to digital innovation reflects broader industry trends, where regional lenders are investing heavily in technology to compete with both large banks and emerging fintech platforms. These initiatives make banking more convenient, from mobile deposits to digital mortgage applications, while reducing operational risks.

New Charlotte Office Space

First Horizon plans to consolidate its two existing Charlotte offices into a new space in the city’s South End neighborhood by mid-2026. The bank will occupy the top three floors of an 88,000-square-foot building, which also houses Coinbase and SouthState Bank.

This move is not just about physical space—it underscores the bank’s strategy to deepen local economic ties, strengthen client relationships, and support ongoing growth for both customers and associates. Recent internal town halls showed that approximately 40% of attendees had joined the bank since November, highlighting significant recent growth in the city.

Strategic Implications and Outlook

First Horizon’s Charlotte expansion reflects a broader trend in banking: regional lenders are increasingly leveraging local talent to enhance both digital and traditional banking services. Strengthened corporate and commercial teams allow the bank to provide better loans, credit solutions, and deposit services, while digital investments meet growing customer expectations for convenience and speed.

Closing Insight:
For clients and businesses, First Horizon’s investment in Charlotte means improved access to banking services, from mortgages and checking accounts to corporate credit and digital banking solutions. For the bank, growing its workforce and digital capabilities strengthens regulatory compliance and positions it for long-term growth. As regional banks expand strategically in financial hubs like Charlotte, the trend signals a more competitive, technologically advanced, and customer-focused banking landscape.

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