What BMO actually looks for
BMO, or Bank of Montreal, is the oldest bank in Canada, founded in 1817, legally headquartered in Montreal with its main executive offices in Toronto, and one of the country's Big Five. It made a major strategic move in 2023, completing its acquisition of Bank of the West, which significantly expanded BMO's presence across the US Midwest and West, building on its earlier BMO Harris Bank operations in Chicago. That acquisition is one of the largest bank deals completed by a Canadian institution in recent years, and it's reshaping how BMO talks about itself as an increasingly North American, not just Canadian, bank. BMO also holds naming rights to BMO Field, home of Toronto FC, giving it strong local visibility. Interviewers want candidates who understand this US growth story and can speak to integrating operations across borders and different regulatory regimes.
Common questions and how to answer them
BMO recently completed a major US acquisition with Bank of the West. How would you help integrate two banking cultures? Show you understand this is a real, current integration effort, not a hypothetical. Why BMO over another Big Five bank? A strong answer references the bank's growing US footprint or its long history as Canada's oldest bank. Tell me about a time you had to work through a merger, acquisition, or major organizational change. Use a genuine example, even from a smaller-scale project or team change.
How to prepare
Understand the Bank of the West acquisition and what it means for BMO's US strategy, since it's the most significant recent event in the bank's history and a natural interview topic for anything US-facing. Know that BMO is Canada's oldest bank, founded in 1817, a detail that comes up often in how the bank frames its stability and heritage. If you're applying for a US-based role, be ready to discuss integrating legacy BMO Harris operations with the newly acquired Bank of the West footprint.