Q1. Could you start by giving us a brief overview of your professional background, particularly focusing on your expertise in the industry?

I’m a senior finance, technology, and consulting leader with 26+ years of extensive and progressive experience in a suite of areas—cloud, AI/GenAI, Data, and analytics—and a proven ability to effectively build, manage, and scale transformational programs for large Banking and FSI customers.

I have built, managed, influenced, and mentored large, highly skilled (niche), geographically diverse teams varying in size/scale: 25 – 200 FTEs. I've challenged and motivated teams to create an environment of purpose, passion, and continuous improvement, thereby enhancing team performance, capability, and competency.

More recently, I’ve been a Cloud and data transformation evangelist and Journey coach to the C-suite and LoB execs for large FSI customers. I help craft and shape opportunities through effective CXO-level engagements.

I help collaborate/partner with our sales teams and TAMs in defining and crystallizing technology strategy, building TOMs (Target Operating Models), creating RoI-driven road maps, and articulating AI/GenAI strategy, data, and cloud business value proposition through compelling use cases.

Q2. Looking forward, what are the potential innovations in Generative AI that could further revolutionize customer personalization in financial services?

Broadly, I see three areas where GenAI could sharpen personalization in Banking/FS: 

• Data-driven recommendations powered by GenAI accelerators
• Customize pricing based on personalized interactions
• Tailored products through GenAI-powered agents

Q3. How might Open Banking influence future technological investments and partnerships in the sector?

Perhaps, one of the main goals of open banking is to make the financial system more accessible (to the masses) and inclusive. While accessibility may look different from country to country depending on the state of the economy, open banking (at its core) will enable businesses to break down previous financial barriers by opening data sharing between FS providers, businesses, ecosystem partners, and consumers.

Q4. How are banks addressing the risks associated with sustainable finance, such as market volatility and the evolving nature of green technology?

Banks and FS institutions are increasingly integrating ESG criteria into their operations, investment strategies, and lending portfolios. It’s pertinent to understand that ESG criteria are now a core component of banking policies, influencing investment decisions, risk assessments, and lending practices. 
Increasingly, many institutions are now recognizing the potential financial benefits of incorporating ESG criteria, including risk mitigation, portfolio diversification, and access to emerging market opportunities. Moreover, investors are keenly scrutinizing companies' ESG performance, which has prompted banks to refine their strategies to address some of these concerns.

Q5. How are RegTech companies leveraging emerging technologies to stay ahead in the competitive landscape?

RegTech companies are swiftly embracing new and emerging technologies, like AI/GenAI, ML, NLP, Blockchain, et al., to facilitate regulatory compliance across different industry segments. These technologies help organizations manage large volumes of data and comply with complex and ever-changing regulatory landscapes much more effectively than ever before.

Q6. Who are the current market leaders in deploying AI technologies in banking, and what specific AI applications are they known for?

Typically, large banks and FS institutions have been the laggards due to their legacy and proprietary tech-stack. ‘Born in the Cloud’ FinTech players who embrace a ‘cloud first/cloud-native’ approach in creating a data-driven organization have been the champions all along and have shown considerable resilience, agility and growth. 
However, we are now seeing large banks jump on the AI/GenAI adoption bandwagon, with compelling use cases, getting into pilots and production.

Q7. If you were an investor looking at companies within the space, what critical question would you pose to their senior management?

As an investor, I would ask the following three questions:

• What could be the top 3 potential downside risks to your tech & business strategy?
• What is your hiring philosophy?
• Are you willing to sacrifice growth & market share for revenues, cash flows & profitability?