Author

Anil Oncu

Published

2 October 2026

Estimated Read time

4Mins

Banks have taken meaningful steps to incorporate stablecoins into their institutional payment strategy as pressure intensifies for faster cross-border settlement. This could finally signal the death of the multi-day payment, says Anil Oncu, Chief Executive Officer at Bitpace, but launching a stablecoin is just the beginning…

Interoperability and end-to-end execution will determine whether bank-issued stablecoins remove friction from today’s fragmented correspondent-banking system or recreate it in a new collection of digital silos. 

Stablecoins are moving into mainstream payments infrastructure 

Businesses still regularly wait days between a payment being initiated and the recipient gaining access to it in the required currency through traditional international banking routes. Correspondent banks, clearing cycles, cut-off times, compliance checks, currency conversion and the final domestic banking leg can all introduce delays.

Stablecoins already offer a faster alternative. They combine the near-instant settlement efficiency of blockchain networks with the price stability of fiat-linked assets. However, it is only recently that banks have started to move towards more commercially focused initiatives of their own. Now, there is growing momentum. 

In recent months alone, 21 major financial institutions have announced they are preparing to issue their own stablecoin, while US Bank has completed a live intrabank pilot transaction between North America and Europe using its own dollar-backed stablecoin. The significance of these announcements is not simply that bank-backed stablecoins may enter the market. It is that major financial institutions are demonstrating the confidence to move blockchain settlement into an established part of the institutional payment strategy. 

This could help address some of the confidence gaps for businesses, too. However, a bank-issued stablecoin does not automatically mean that settlement delays disappear from mainstream payments infrastructure. 

Launching a stablecoin is the first step

The involvement of major banks will help to give businesses greater confidence in stablecoin infrastructure, as will frameworks such as the GENIUS Act and MiCA. However, the strength of initiatives will still depend on their execution. Questions remain around reserve structures, redemption rights, governance, supported blockchains, custody arrangements and access for businesses outside the participating banks.

Interoperability is particularly important here. If bank-issued stablecoins become closed ecosystems within individual institutional networks, the industry risks the same old problems, just in a new, digital guise. 

Fast payments are the result of stablecoins that can move securely between institutions, payment providers, currencies and markets. They must also connect with the systems that businesses already use.

Fast blockchain settlement, therefore, needs to be distinguished from a genuinely faster end-to-end payment. A transaction may settle on-chain in seconds, but businesses will not experience the full benefit if onboarding, compliance checks, conversion or access to local banking rails still introduce delays.

The difficult work is what happens beyond issuing a stablecoin. Ending the multi-day payment requires the whole journey to operate more efficiently. Crypto payment gateways are already demonstrating what this looks like. At Bitpace, we’re driving adoption by providing businesses with compliant, instant and reliable access to stablecoin-based settlement. By combining regulatory-first design with high-volume settlement capabilities, we ensure businesses can move liquidity globally, efficiently.

The message for CFOs

The takeaway isn’t that every business needs to hold a new bank stablecoin immediately. It is that real-time, programmable and always-available settlement is rapidly becoming a realistic part of mainstream financial infrastructure.

CFOs should begin assessing where settlement delays currently affect working capital, supplier relationships, FX exposure or access to international markets. They should also review whether their treasury, accounting and compliance systems are capable of supporting digital settlement assets.

Can blockchain transactions be reconciled within existing systems? How will custody and counterparty risk be managed? Which jurisdictions and currencies matter most? Can payment providers support multiple stablecoins and convert them into the required fiat currencies?

The aim isn’t to design a strategy around a single token or banking consortium. The priority should be flexible, compliant infrastructure that provides access to multiple payment and settlement methods as the market develops.

Conclusion

The means to achieving faster international settlements already exist, with crypto payment gateways demonstrating how stablecoins can be used to settle payments across borders in minutes. The increasing involvement of banks will contribute to stablecoins’ mainstream use, but the interoperability and execution of their initiatives will be what determines whether we are about to see an end to multi-day settlements in traditional international banking services, too.

Learn more at bitpace.com

  • Blockchain & Crypto
  • Digital Payments

Author

Ramon Villarreal & Armin Warda

Published

15 September 2026

Estimated Read time

5Mins

Red Hat’s Ramon Villarreal, payments industry lead, financial services, and Armin Warda, global FSI architect and digital assets lead, on building an open infrastructure capable of supporting all financial rails

Stablecoins are moving beyond experimentation and into the financial services mainstream. Fiserv launched its FIUSD stablecoin in July, Mastercard recently acquired BVNK for up to $1.8 billion, and Visa has started offering stablecoin advisory services. These actions are driven by customer demand for faster, more efficient cross-border payments, along with increased interest in programmable payments and automated settlement capabilities that traditional payments cannot provide.

But while stablecoins offer noticeable strengths over traditional payment rails, those systems aren’t going away. Instead, the rise of stablecoins is causing them to adapt and modernise. Real-time payment systems continue to expand globally, card networks are investing heavily in digital asset capabilities, and SWIFT is pursuing modernisation initiatives designed to improve the speed and efficiency of cross-border payments.

Stablecoins are also driving innovation in traditional payment rails. While the industry continues to embrace these new forms of digital currency, it must also be prepared to integrate with and evolve traditional payment rails. Indeed, one of the biggest challenges facing financial institutions will be building the infrastructure needed to support a multi-rail payments environment.

Stablecoin’s Biggest Infrastructure Challenges

Traditional payment systems may be built on complex, cumbersome legacy technology, but they do have some inherent advantages. Organisations have spent years refining legacy payment platforms to meet throughput, high-reliability, business-continuity, and security requirements. They may not be designed to meet the speed and responsiveness requirements of modern business, but they are generally very good for resilience, scalability, compliance, and data protection.

In comparison, the underlying infrastructure for stablecoins is, at this point, more of a concept than a practical reality. That’s good news in one respect: organisations essentially have a blank slate upon which to build their stablecoin technology. However, it poses a couple of major challenges.

First, the infrastructure must be as robust as that already in place and in operation in traditional payment systems, with the same service-level agreements and security controls. However, organisations must also account for the unique demands of distributed ledger technologies (DLTs). Compared with traditional payment environments, DLT systems add further layers of operational complexity that can quickly become difficult to manage at scale. As a result, automation becomes a critical requirement rather than an optional feature. Financial institutions must consider how they will automate the processes required to deploy, maintain, monitor, and operate these environments.

Interoperability is Critical to Success

Building an automated, secure, and resilient stablecoin platform is only part of the challenge. Since stablecoins and traditional payment systems will operate side by side for the foreseeable future, organisations must configure their new networks to effectively integrate with and communicate with the wider payments ecosystem that customers already rely on.

Financial institutions are increasingly wary of creating new technology silos. So, while it’s possible to deploy a standalone stablecoin platform with its own features and safeguards, that creates a disconnected island that operates independently from the systems banks use every day.

Platforms for digital assets management and custody cannot remain isolated islands, but have to be integrated into the existing business-, compliance- and IT-landscapes of the organisation. Tightly integrating stablecoin capabilities with existing account management platforms, payment systems, fraud controls, and compliance processes addresses this issue. Stablecoins must be able to interact with traditional payment rails as well as with other stablecoins, tokenised deposits, and emerging digital currency frameworks across regions worldwide.

Why Open Hybrid Architectures Matter

Achieving this level of interoperability requires a technology architecture that connects emerging digital asset classes to existing payment rails while retaining high levels of flexibility, resilience, and security. This is where open hybrid architectures come into play.

Hybrid environments give financial institutions an edge in resilience and business continuity across borders and systems. For instance, many stablecoin networks span multiple jurisdictions and cloud environments. Open hybrid architectures enable organisations to easily move workloads across disparate locations without downtime or interference.

This level of flexibility will become increasingly important as the payments landscape evolves. An open infrastructure is essentially platform-agnostic. It allows organisations to respond to changing requirements without rebuilding their underlying technology at the whim of every new regulation or system update. A massive benefit in a world where the regulatory and technological landscape is continually changing.

A commitment to openness, however, provides more value than just flexibility and portability. Many of the distributed ledger technologies that underpin stablecoin ecosystems were developed within open source communities, creating a natural alignment between open source innovation and open hybrid architectures. By embracing this community, organisations can leverage innovation from the broader technology ecosystem while maintaining the security, transparency, governance, and operational controls required for modern-day financial services.

An Infrastructure for Today and Tomorrow

The financial market is at an inflection point. Traditional payment networks are no longer the only option for moving money across borders and businesses. Today, a growing number of organisations are turning to stablecoins to leverage a currency that offers the stability of fiat and the speed of bitcoin.

However, as financial institutions navigate this exciting opportunity, it’s important to remember that although stablecoins offer significant benefits over traditional payment rails, those rails remain vital to the global economy. Therefore, financial institutions should not choose between rail systems. Instead, they should focus on building an open infrastructure capable of supporting both—an approach that will set them up well now and in the future.

Learn more at redhat.com

  • Blockchain & Crypto
  • Digital Payments

Author

Dan Brightmore

Published

10 September 2026

Estimated Read time

3Mins

The stablecoin infrastructure provider and the modern card issuing platform partner to build a new generation of payment card products

BVNK and Marqeta, Inc announced a partnership to deliver stablecoin-backed card capabilities to crypto-native and non-crypto companies. The integration will enable Marqeta’s customers to embed stablecoin capabilities into wallets, cards and everyday financial products. Together, the companies are unlocking stablecoin spendability to allow users to transact in digital dollars at millions of merchants globally with a standard payment card.

Marqeta, the modern card issuing platform provider, processed nearly $400 billion in annual payments volume during 2025, demonstrating the depth and scale of its offering. BVNK is the stablecoin payments infrastructure provider behind more than $39 billion in annualised payment volume, helping enterprises move digital dollars globally.

The partnership is noteworthy as it connects Marqeta with two existing parts of Mastercard’s network. Mastercard is one of Marqeta’s major network partners, while BVNK’s stablecoin infrastructure has been part of Mastercard since its acquisition of the business in August 2026. Over time, the growing collaboration will give Marqeta’s customers a path to additional Mastercard capabilities through the same integration, rather than a separate build.

Mastercard, Marqeta and BVNK are also all supporters of Open USD, a global standard for stablecoins that is collaborative, transparent and built to scale. By bringing together companies across the payments ecosystem around a common standard, Open USD will help create a shared foundation for stablecoin payments that works across networks, providers and use cases. Making it easier to adopt digital dollars and scale them across payment operations.

The partnership reflects growing demand for stablecoin wallets inside mainstream financial products. Earlier this year, BVNK research found that 77% of surveyed crypto holders would open a stablecoin wallet through their primary bank or FinTech app if one were available. The partnership gives Marqeta customers access to stablecoin infrastructure without having to build and operate it themselves. This can be even more powerful with attached card credentials that allow users to spend wherever Mastercard is accepted.

“Stablecoins are becoming a durable, complementary layer in global money movement, particularly where speed and cost matter most. The real question is how you incorporate them into the infrastructure people and businesses already trust. By collaborating with Mastercard and BVNK we’re enabling our customers to issue stablecoin-backed cards that work anywhere cards are accepted, without requiring merchants to change how they accept payments. This partnership further strengthens Marqeta’s leadership at the intersection of crypto and fiat payments, and our ability to deliver flexible solutions to both crypto-native and non-crypto companies.”

Anthony Peculic, Chief Strategy Officer, Marqeta

BVNK will provide the infrastructure for Marqeta’s customers to move and manage stablecoins alongside traditional fiat currencies through familiar financial products, while Marqeta will manage card issuance, acceptance and bank and network relationships. Marqeta selected BVNK’s regulated platform to accelerate delivery while maintaining the compliance and operational standards expected by enterprise customers.

“As more financial products become global by default, businesses need infrastructure that lets money move as quickly as information. Stablecoins are becoming part of the core payments infrastructure, and we are excited to help bring these capabilities to Marqeta’s customers. Stablecoins are another financial building block. Developers shouldn’t need deep blockchain expertise to use them any more than they understand card networks today. Our role is to make that infrastructure invisible, and doing that from inside Mastercard’s network, alongside a partner like Marqeta who’s been building on it for years, is exactly the kind of connection we exist to make.”

Chris Harmse, Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer, BVNK

The partnership is another sign that stablecoins are moving beyond crypto-native applications and into the infrastructure powering global financial services. As stablecoin networks mature, they are becoming another payments rail alongside cards and bank transfers. 

Marqeta and BVNK will speak about stablecoin-backed cards and how the partnership is bringing value to the ecosystem at Stablecon, the world’s leading stablecoin conference, in Washington DC.

About BVNK

BVNK powers the stablecoin-powered financial stack for enterprises. Build financial products, unlock new markets, and move money in seconds across 130+ countries. Trusted by industry leaders like Corpay, Worldpay, Deel and Flywire and processing billions annually.

About Marqeta, Inc

Marqeta makes it possible for companies to build and embed financial services into their branded experience—and unlock new ways to grow their business and delight users. The Marqeta platform puts businesses in control of building financial solutions, enabling them to turn real-time data into personalized, optimized solutions for everything from consumer loyalty to capital efficiency. With compliance and security built-in, Marqeta’s platform has been proven at scale, processing nearly $400 billion in annual payments volume in 2025. Marqeta is certified to operate in more than 40 countries worldwide and counting.

  • Blockchain & Crypto

Author

Nick Heather

Published

1 September 2026

Estimated Read time

5Mins

Nick Heather, Head of Trading at ONE.io Why Stablecoins are the quiet infrastructure behind modern finance 

Stablecoins aren’t having a breakthrough moment so much as a practical one. After years of being tied to retail speculation and crypto market noise, they’re now showing up in places where they make day‑to‑day operations easier. Such as cross‑border payouts, supplier payments, and treasury transfers. Where traditional rails can be slow and sometimes unreliable. The shift is coming from businesses that need fast, cheap, always‑on settlement and struggle to get it from traditional rails.

What’s emerging is a more grounded phase of adoption. High‑velocity sectors – such as igaming and gambling sectors and digital exchanges and trading platforms – are using stablecoins. Why? Because they can solve real problems, and institutions are starting to pay attention for the same reason. Last November, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the stablecoin supply could reach $3 trillion by 2030.

As the infrastructure matures, with faster settlement, unified fiat‑to‑digital workflows, and clearer regulatory frameworks, stablecoins are shifting. They are moving from niche experiment to arguably a functional building block in modern financial operations. 

So, what are its detractors missing?

Speculation to real-world utility 

What detractors of stablecoins and other digital assets overlook is that their primary use case has already shifted from trading to real-world settlement. Including, tokenised assets and other blockchain‑based settlement instruments designed for institutional workflows. And that use case is growing exponentially. Stablecoins reportedly having an annual transaction volume of up to $35 trillion. Research from McKinsey shows a growing share of this activity reflects real payments. These include vendor payments, payroll, remittances and capital markets settlement, now reaching approximately $390 billion annually.

Adoption is being driven by businesses addressing the limitations of existing financial infrastructure, particularly in cross-border and time-sensitive environments. This is most evident in transaction-intensive sectors such as global e-commerce and remittances. Here, delays in settlement translate directly into potential operational friction and lost revenue.

While critics focus on volatility in the broader digital asset market, operators are prioritising stability, speed, and control in settlement. Stablecoins, by design, support this need, while other digital assets can enable more transparent and programmable financial workflows. The advantages are clear: near-instant settlement, reduced counterparty risk, and greater control over liquidity. By contrast, correspondent banking remains constrained by ‘business hour’ cut-off times and multi-day clearing cycles.

As a result, transaction-intensive sectors are leading this shift. They are using stablecoins to move capital efficiently, manage liquidity, and reduce reliance on intermediary banking layers.

Building institutional-grade infrastructure

What is also often missing in this debate is how quickly the infrastructure around stablecoins and other digital assets is maturing to meet institutional expectations. The market is moving towards a more unified financial architecture. One where fiat currencies and digital assets can coexist within the same operational environment. This makes it easier to move between them without the fragmentation that has historically slowed adoption.

At the same time, compliance and risk frameworks are becoming more robust. As usage grows, the supporting infrastructure is becoming more aligned with regulatory expectations. It is developing stronger controls, greater transparency, and clearer supervision. That matters because mainstream adoption will not be driven by speed alone, but by whether institutions can use these rails within credible governance and risk parameters. And we are already seeing a huge appetite with large traditional institutions, such as J.P. Morgan, Citigroup and Mastercard, suggesting the industry is addressing these issues wholesale. 

The emergence of ‘always-on’ payment rails reinforces that shift. Instant USD settlement and other blockchain-based payment models are showing that financial operations no longer need to be constrained by banking hours, cut-off times, or multi-day clearing cycles. For businesses operating across borders and time zones, this has clear operational value.

This is becoming especially relevant in sectors and markets where traditional banking access has become more limited. As some banks continue to de-risk more complex client segments and corridors, regulated digital-asset platforms are increasingly providing continuity, stability, and more flexible access to settlement infrastructure for businesses that have historically been underserved.

The next phase of adoption

The next phase of stablecoin and digital asset adoption is likely to be defined by integration rather than experimentation, as institutions begin to incorporate these instruments into treasury and payment workflows where they offer clear operational advantages.

As this adoption deepens, demand is moving towards infrastructure that can support higher-value, institutional-grade transactions, with the reliability, governance, and liquidity depth required for large-scale financial operations.

At the same time, the challenge is evolving from proving utility to enabling scale. Interoperability remains a key constraint, as fragmented ecosystems, disconnected liquidity pools, and inconsistent standards continue to limit seamless movement across networks. Addressing this will be critical to ensuring that the infrastructure can support growing transaction volumes without introducing new forms of friction.

Alongside this, the role of platforms is also becoming more defined, with institutions increasingly seeking partners that can support implementation, navigate compliance requirements, and provide operational expertise in complex or high-growth environments. This is particularly relevant where businesses require both access to digital asset infrastructure and the assurance that it can be deployed within appropriate risk and regulatory frameworks.

As a result, expectations of the market are becoming more exacting. With access alone no longer sufficient, and greater emphasis being placed on platforms that can combine infrastructure, compliance, and execution into a cohesive, institution-ready offering.

Gathering momentum

What this ultimately points to is a shift in how financial infrastructure is being defined.

Stablecoins and other digital assets are not emerging as a parallel system to traditional finance, but as a complementary layer that addresses long-standing inefficiencies in how capital moves. The question is no longer whether they have a role to play, but how quickly existing systems and institutions adapt to their presence.

For businesses operating in time-sensitive, cross-border, and increasingly complex environments, the advantages are already tangible. Faster settlement, greater liquidity control, and more flexible access to financial rails are no longer theoretical benefits, but operational requirements.

As the infrastructure continues to mature and institutional adoption deepens, stablecoins are likely to become less visible as a distinct innovation and more embedded as part of the underlying fabric of financial operations. In that sense, their role is not to disrupt finance, but to quietly help modernise it.

And it is precisely this shift, from visibility to utility, that many detractors continue to underestimate. Stablecoins become infrastructure when they stop being noticed, like cloud computing or payment processors.

  • Blockchain & Crypto
  • Neobanking

Author

Dan Brightmore

Published

14 August 2026

Estimated Read time

2Mins

Standard Bank reported a 10% increase in first-half headline earnings to $1.62 billion, supported by stronger fee and trading income and a decline in credit impairment charges

Africa’s largest bank by assets reports that headline earnings for the six months ended June 30 rose to $1.62 billion, equivalent to 26.1 billion South African rand, from the same period a year earlier. The result reflected stronger activity across its corporate and investment banking operations and moderate growth in lending.

Net interest income increased 4% to about $3.32 billion, as stronger deal activity and loan growth supported revenue. However, net interest margins narrowed to 4.72% as lower interest rates and increased pricing competition put pressure on lending profitability.

Fee and commission revenue rose 7% to approximately $1.14 billion, driven by higher corporate debt financing activity and increased banking transactions. Trading revenue also increased 8% as market activity provided an additional boost to the bank’s non-interest income.

Credit impairment charges fell 12% to about $439 million, improving the group’s credit loss ratio to 73 basis points from 93 basis points a year earlier. The lower impairment charge provided a significant contribution to earnings growth as credit conditions improved across its markets.

Strong Performance

The bank’s performance came despite a more challenging interest-rate environment. Lower rates can reduce the amount banks earn from the difference between lending and deposit rates, making growth in fees, trading and other non-interest revenue increasingly important.

Standard Bank’s return on equity remained strong at 19.8%, reflecting its ability to generate substantial earnings relative to shareholders’ capital. The group has continued to focus on expanding its digital banking, payments and corporate banking operations across Africa.

The lender also increased its interim dividend by 10% to $0.56 per share, equivalent to 9.02 South African rand, signalling confidence in its earnings and capital position.

The results come as South Africa’s banking sector benefits from improving economic conditions and lower credit stress, although weaker interest margins are creating pressure on traditional lending income.

Standard Bank has maintained its full-year outlook as it seeks to build on the momentum from the first half. The group expects continued growth across its banking businesses while remaining focused on controlling costs and managing credit risks.

The earnings performance reinforces Standard Bank’s position among Africa’s largest financial institutions, with its diversified operations across South Africa and other African markets helping offset pressure from weaker margins in traditional banking.

Learn more at standardbank.co.za

  • Digital Payments
  • Neobanking

Author

Dan Brightmore

Published

4 August 2026

Estimated Read time

4Mins

Graeme Donnelly, Founder & CEO of 1st Formations, on how small businesses can master cash flow and target growth

As British small businesses navigate a landscape of rising digital subscriptions and fluctuating utility costs, many are overlooking thousands of pounds in potential savings. While large corporations chase complex R&D credits, many limited companies are often leaving money on the table through sheer habit. 

In partnership with leading company formation agent, 1st Formations, we have identified 10 of the most effective, yet frequently ignored, financial hacks specifically tailored for UK SMEs. 

As Graeme Donnelly, founder and CEO of 1st Formations, puts it: “In 2026, operational efficiency is the new profitability. Many directors are so focused on top-line growth that they ignore the ‘silent drain’ of legacy bank fees, incorrect VAT categories, and dormant software subscriptions. Saving £200 a month through smarter digital choices is the equivalent of adding thousands to your annual turnover without the cost of acquisition. It’s about being as lean as you are ambitious.” 

1. The power of the ‘sector group’ 

Many directors believe the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) or local Chambers of Commerce are only for established firms. In reality, the membership fee is often offset by the discounts they provide on business insurance, legal HR support, and software packages like Xero or Microsoft. 

2. The voluntary VAT advantage 

If your turnover is under the £90,000 threshold, you aren’t required to register for VAT, but doing so voluntarily allows you to reclaim VAT on everything from stock and web hosting to digital ads. While it does introduce an extra layer of administration, the ability to reclaim input VAT often far outweighs the effort involved. It also levels the playing field when pitching to larger corporate clients. 

3. Stress-test your small businesses VAT flat rate 

The VAT Flat Rate Scheme can significantly reduce your administrative burden, but many businesses are stuck in the wrong sector category. Reviewing your percentage, for instance 14.5% for IT consultancy vs. 7.5% for certain retail, could instantly boost your margins. 

4. Hunt for ‘hyper-local’ micro-grants 

While national grants get the headlines, local Growth Hubs and Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) often have pots of £500–£5,000 earmarked for digital upgrades or energy efficiency. These are often poorly advertised but easier to secure than larger funds. 

5. Kill the manual spreadsheet 

Directors often miss out on tax deductions by forgetting small receipts. Using real-time scanning apps like Dext (for receipts), Pleo (for spending rules), or Expensify (for reimbursements) ensures every deductible expense is captured. Connecting these directly to your bank feed via QuickBooks or Xero turns a year-end headache into a streamlined process and makes bookkeeping easier. 

6. Look beyond the “big four” banks for funding 

Traditional loans are increasingly difficult for micro-companies to secure. Modern alternatives like Tide’s Funding Options, Uncapped (for revenue-based growth), or invoice finance platforms like Kriya offer the flexibility SMEs actually need without the long-term fixed commitments many traditional loans carry. 

7. Ditch the merchant account legacy 

If you’re still paying monthly rental fees for a card machine, you’re overpaying. Switching to fintech providers, such as Square, Zettle, or SumUp, eliminates fixed monthly costs and integrates sales data directly with your bookkeeping. 

8. Master the ‘work from home’ deduction 

If you run your limited company from home, you can charge relevant costs back to the business. These are essential business costs, such as a portion of your broadband bills, mobile phone contracts, and mileage or petrol costs. 

Whether using the flat-rate method (£6/week) or a formal rental agreement to claim a portion of mortgage interest and utilities, ensure you are documenting this correctly to stay HMRC-compliant. 

9. The quarterly subscription audit 

The ‘SaaS drain’ is real. Using tools like Cledara to flag duplicate project management tools or unused licences can shave hundreds off your monthly outgoings. To ensure this doesn’t slip through the cracks, set a recurring calendar reminder to audit your tools every quarter. Always negotiate at renewal; most providers have “retention rates” they don’t advertise.  

10. Stop paying for basic banking 

Many small firms are still paying monthly fees for basic banking, something digital-first providers have all but eliminated. Digital-first banks, such as Starling or Monzo Business, offer fee-free banking with superior app integration, saving both money and administrative hours. 

Learn more at 1stformations.co.uk

  • Digital Payments
  • Digital Strategy
  • Fintech & Insurtech
  • Neobanking

Author

Dan Brightmore

Published

19 June 2026

Estimated Read time

6Mins

Craig Gravina, CTO at Semarchy, on why successful AI at scale requites the transparency and trust only proper governance foundations can deliver

Across the globe, organisations are aggressively approving AI budgets, hiring teams, and deploying models, yet the promised returns remain elusive for many. AI investments continue to grow, but measurable business value is not keeping pace with the level of spend.

The numbers tell a striking story. Semarchy’s 2026 research of C-suite executives reveals that 99% of UK organisations claim AI readiness – with 69% saying they’re completely ready. Yet 56% making significant investments cite data management as their top challenge, while only 33% are prioritizing it for investment. This 23-point gap reveals the fundamental issue: organisations are building AI applications whilst underfunding the data infrastructure those applications require.

Globally, fewer than 2% of enterprises successfully avoid data quality problems, even though 74% planned to increase AI spending in 2025.

This isn’t a failure of technology talent or algorithms; it’s a governance breakdown. The path to faster AI ROI doesn’t run through better models, but through better governance and transparency, embedded at the center of every AI initiative from the outset.

The Hidden Cost of Ungoverned AI

When AI operates without governance, the primary risk shifts from technical to reputational. Whereas technical failures are recoverable, reputational damage is far harder to restore. Consider consequential AI decisions: credit denials, medical recommendations, hiring shortlists. When these go wrong publicly, the fallout extends far beyond the technical team. When regulators or customers ask how they make their decisions, organisations without governance have no credible answers.

The regulatory pressure only amplifies this risk. Global frameworks such as the EU AI Act, emerging UK regulations, and sector-specific rules increasingly require explainability and traceability. Companies that cannot show how AI reached its conclusions risk fines, restrictions, and forced remediation.

Public misfires, such as biased outputs or visible system breakdowns like Grok AI’s high-profile failure on X last year, can rapidly erode customer trust and brand equity. For consumer tech brands especially, reputational cost can exceed technical cost exponentially. Internally, unexplained or unreliable AI outputs erode confidence, resulting in disengaged business users, stalled initiatives, and data leaders losing credibility.

These aren’t exceptional cases. They’re the predictable result of deploying AI without governance infrastructure.

The Governance Misconception

Many organisations still treat AI governance as a compliance checkpoint, bolted on just before deployment to satisfy legal or risk requirements. This narrow interpretation is exactly what makes governance feel like an obstacle. Organisations feel forced into a false choice: move fast and bypass governance or be compliant and accept delays.

In this scenario, projects slow to a crawl. Data teams spend months preparing ‘clean’ datasets specifically for AI, only to sit in approval queues. By the time governance clears, business conditions have changed or stakeholders have moved on to new priorities.

The answer isn’t less governance; it’s different governance. Governance should be intrinsic to how data is defined, managed, and delivered. When governance “travels with the data,” models consume information that already carries quality checks, lineage, access controls, and semantic context already present. AI initiatives don’t wait for approval gates – they consume governed data from the start. There’s nothing to retrofit or remediate later, because the controls were in place from day one.

This shift from governance-as-gate to governance-as-infrastructure is the key divide between organisations that struggle to realise AI ROI and those that achieve it.

Transparency as a Strategic Asset

Leadership often frames transparency as a compliance requirement, but in AI, it’s just as critical for development speed. When data lineage is clear, AI teams don’t have to spend weeks figuring out where data came from, how it was transformed, or whether they can trust it. They can focus on building and refining models instead of investigating data provenance, shifting effort from detective work to value creation.

Transparency also removes technical friction. With explicit semantic context, models interpret data correctly without layers of custom preprocessing or extensive feature engineering. Consistent access controls across data sources prevent last minute security reviews from stalling projects at critical milestones.

Transparency enables continuous improvement cycles. When you can see exactly which data influenced a decision, you can diagnose errors with precision rather than guesswork. You can identify which specific data sources introduce noise or bias into model outputs, and measure whether data quality improvements affect AI performance in production, creating feedback loops.

Organisations that try to reconstruct this visibility only during audits pay for it repeatedly in delays, extended debugging, and failed deployments. By contrast, those that build transparency from the start move faster through development, testing, deployment, monitoring, and iteration. Transparency then becomes a competitive advantage rather than compliance burden.

What Real AI Success Looks Like

Real AI success isn’t a single breakthrough model. It’s the ability to deliver value repeatedly and at scale. Successful organisations move from proof of concept to production without major rework or last-minute governance scrambles.

In these organisations, AI consumes the same governed data as everyone else. Agents and models access data through shared interfaces and policies, alongside business users and operational systems. There’s no special ‘AI data prep’ phase, no separate pipelines to maintain, and no governance gap to close before go‑live. AI is simply another consumer of trusted data.

Explainability comes by default. Because lineage, transformations, and quality metrics are already present in the data, teams can trace any decision without forensic effort. When governance is built into data flows, AI teams can retrain on fresh data without re-running compliance reviews, keeping models current as business conditions change. Iteration cycles shorten from months to weeks or days.

This foundation also enables decentralised experimentation with centralised trust. Teams can launch AI initiatives against shared, governed data products without creating shadow pipelines.

Getting There: Three Practical Shifts

Reaching this future state doesn’t require a multi-year overhaul or new tech stack. It needs a focused effort in how data is delivered to every consumer, including AI, with governance built in rather than added later.

First, stop treating AI data preparation as a separate workstream. If AI teams need specially cleaned and packaged data, you’ve created handoffs that introduce delay and governance risk. Instead, provide data that all consumers can trust and use immediately.

Second, embed semantic context with the data. AI needs business context and meaning, not just schemas. What does ‘customer’ mean in this specific context – prospect, active user, former customer? What business rules apply, and what relationships matter for decision making? This semantic layer enables AI to interpret data correctly without custom workarounds.

Third, make lineage and quality observable by default. When lineage, quality scores, and transformation history are always available, debugging, compliance, and continuous improvement happen without emergency efforts.

Yet our research reveals the challenge: whilst 56% of UK organisations cite data as their top AI challenge, only 33% are prioritising investment in it. This misalignment between stated priorities and actual investment is precisely why AI initiatives continue to struggle, regardless of confidence levels.

The ROI Equation

The companies that achieve AI ROI faster aren’t the ones with the biggest budgets or the most sophisticated models – they’re the ones that eliminated the friction between data and AI consumption through proper governance infrastructure.

When governance is intrinsic, projects don’t wait for approval gates. With built-in transparency, debugging is fast, and audits are painless. The result? Shorter time to value, lower risk of public failure, reduced regulatory exposure, and AI investments that deliver measurable impact. These aren’t abstract benefits – they show up in project timelines, deployment success rates, and business KPIs.

The technology is ready. The question is whether your data governance is ready to support AI at scale. Success requires the transparency and trust that only proper governance foundations can provide.

Learn more at semarchy.com

  • Data & AI
  • Digital Strategy

Author

Nell Walker

Published

7 May 2026

Estimated Read time

5Mins

How Sonata Software is driving CPL Aromas’s technology transformation

When CPL Aromas needed a software partner with deep technical expertise to guide its transformation, it chose Sonata Software. Theirs is a relationship that’s been going strong for eight years and counting – since Alfred Muthunathan, CIO at CPL, joined the team. “He was looking to transform the IT landscape,” says Uttam Hazari, Head of UKI & Europe at Sonata Software. “But before he could embark on that journey, it was important to ensure that the foundation was stable first.”

The goal was very simple: to ensure CPL could continually strengthen its system performance and improve reliability across its global operations. “It was growing at a rapid pace,” says Hazari. “However, the systems and data weren’t well integrated. It was important for us to work collaboratively with CPL to not only analyse the processes, but also stabilise the systems and the applications, and allow the company to regain its confidence.”

This early engagement reflects Sonata’s Frontier Firm approach – combining deep engineering expertise with business-aligned transformation to create resilient digital foundations.

A transformational relationship

Alongside the ERP support, Sonata partnered with CPL Aromas to develop its first B2B customer portal, enabling users to securely access orders and shipment information, thereby improving transparency and reducing manual interactions. “The early successes formed the foundation for a long-term digital transformation partnership built on trust, responsiveness, and delivery excellence,” Hazari adds.

This momentum reflects Sonata’s broader approach to building long-term, value-driven digital partnerships. 

“Sonata Software is committed to building strategic partnerships that help organisations accelerate their digital transformation journeys. Today, our clients are looking for initiatives that move faster, reduce risk, and deliver clear, measurable business impact. As a Microsoft Frontier Partner, we bring deep expertise in translating advanced Cloud and AI capabilities into tangible outcomes. Our expansion across the UK and Europe marks an exciting phase of growth for Sonata, and our transformation journey with CPL Aromas is a key pillar of that strategy. We are privileged to have CPL Aromas as both a valued customer and a trusted partner.” – Anthony Lange, Chief Revenue Officer at Sonata Software

What began as a simple collaboration has evolved into a multi-phase, enterprise-wide transformation journey over the past eight years. A couple of years in, Sonata’s role expanded. “As part of that, we helped CPL rebuild and transform their core infrastructure,” says Hazari. “We also helped to implement Azure Site Recovery, stabilise IMS operations, strengthen identity and endpoint security, and establish modern monitoring with Azure Sentinel. And this is just the beginning.”

From ERP to infrastructure management to full enterprise modernisation, Sonata has been with CPL every step of the way, including the end-to-end global migration from the legacy ERP platform to Microsoft Dynamics 365 across multiple legal entities. “As we speak, the engagement has matured into a data-driven, AI-first innovation spanning across Dynamics 365 and the customer engagement platform, RPA automation, and agentic development,” says Hazari. 

AI-first

Developing an AI-first approach is at the core of CPL’s current and ongoing focus, and it’s an area where Sonata has played a major role. “Sonata has been working very closely with CPL Aromas in its AI-first evolution – not just technically, but strategically as well,” says Hazari. 

One of the key contributions to this has been building a modern digital core through the Dynamics 365 ERP program, enabling real-time visibility, standardised processes, and scalable operations. “These things are a prerequisite for effective AI deployment,” says Hazari. “Without that, you can’t just bring in AI to do the magic. Data is the most important ingredient. If the data isn’t right, the AI won’t be either. Then came automation at scale through RPA initiatives, which reduced the manual workload and increased process efficiency.”

More recently, Sonata has been working with CPL to pioneer its agentic AI adoption. “One of the recently deployed agents is a custom planner agent, which is designed to automate one of CPL’s most complex manufacturing processes,” Hazari explains. “This represents a major leap towards AI-driven decision intelligence across operations. Together, these initiatives have established the technology, data, and automation foundation for CPL Aromas’ AI-first strategy.”

These capabilities exemplify how Frontier Firms operationalise AI – embedding intelligence into core processes to drive real-time, autonomous decision-making.

The four pillars

Sonata is now helping CPL deliver value across four strategic dimensions. These consist of:

  • Operational resilience and security
  • Standardisation of global processes and transparency
  • Enterprise-wide data platform
  • Agentic AI-driven decision-making

“Bringing these initiatives together is transforming CPL into a digitally agile and AI-ready enterprise,” says Hazari. “That’s the value we’ve been able to deliver.”

The goal is for this relationship to continue for many more years. Sonata will continue to contribute towards CPL’s incredible growth, and as this collaboration progresses, it will be centred on CPL’s AI-first operating model.

“Scaling agentic AI beyond the initial successes is very important,” says Hazari. “That’s across all business functions, whether it’s finance, quality control, demand forecasting, supply chain optimisation, and even customer engagement. The idea is to help CPL in democratising AI across business functions, to reach a state where they’re able to create their own workflows and generate their own agents.”

As well as this, it’s about continuous automation and expansion to further reduce manual effort wherever possible from current processes. “Lastly, we’re working on enhancing digital sustainability,” says Hazari. “This includes ensuring that systems remain scalable, secure, and ready for emerging AI technologies. Technology is changing; AI is changing very rapidly. It’s extremely important for Sonata, as the strategic partner, to make sure we’re able to keep CPL Aromas one step ahead in this journey.”

Author

Dan Brightmore

Published

Estimated Read time

7Mins

Snowflake’s UK research reveals that while many continue to invest in artificial intelligence (AI), the country’s businesses are in the early stages of finding productivity gains at scale

UK productivity remains a longstanding economic challenge, with policymakers consistently positioning AI as a key lever for growth and competitiveness.

Snowflake’s findings show AI investment and experimentation amongst businesses though impact so far is varied. 45% of UK organisations say AI is delivering early gains or in specific use cases, though 23% are already seeing it delivering productivity improvements at scale. Buoyed by this thought, most organisations expect AI investment to increase over the next 12 to 24 months, with just 1% planning to decrease spend. Businesses continue to back thetechnology as a strategic priority, demonstrating confidence that productivity breakthroughs will come.

The UK AI Report

Conducted by YouGov on behalf of Snowflake, the report surveyed 500 senior decision-makers including CEOs & CFOs from large UK organisations, spanning key industries including public sector, manufacturing and financial services. These industries are seen as being vital to the Government’s AI and productivity ambitions. Its 2025 AI Opportunities Action Plan aims to boost the UK economy by £47 billion annually, estimating that widespread AI adoption could increase national productivity by up to 1.5% each year.

Dr Fabian Stephany, Economist & Departmental Research Lecturer at the Oxford Internet Institute (OII), University of Oxford commented: “I am encouraged to see early evidence that AI is beginning to generate measurable productivity gains for UK firms. Since the introduction of generative AI, many observers have been asking when these gains would materialise, and the findings suggest that this moment may now be arriving. This is consistent with what research would predict: technological breakthroughs rarely translate immediately into productivity improvements, as organisations need time to adapt their workflows, governance structures and capabilities.“

From AI Promise to Productivity Reality

The data suggests that while belief in AI’s potential is strong, execution at scale is proving more complex. Findings indicate that the primary obstacles to AI-led productivity are not technological. Instead, organisations point to structural and operational barriers as factors slowing the move from pilots to enterprise-wide transformation.

Top barriers include a lack of skilled workforce, poor data quality, organisational silos and unclear leadership or strategic direction. Technology itself ranks below many of these internal challenges, cited by just 19% of respondents. Responsibility for AI governance is also often fragmented across executive, technology, data and business leaders. While executive leadership typically holds responsibility for investment, there is no clear governance owner, limiting accountability and slowing decision-making.

This suggests that many UK organisations are pursuing AI at a measured pace, building progress through smaller, targeted use cases while strengthening internal structures, with broader productivity gains likely to follow as foundations mature.

In debates about national productivity, AI is positioned as a growth engine. For business leaders, these gains will manifest themselves at both their top and bottom line with cost reduction as a clear goal. Nearly half (44%) say that cost reduction matters most as a key measure of success, while 26% say the same of revenue growth.

The Executive Confidence Gap

The research also reveals cautious confidence on AI deployments among senior leaders. Only 24% of organisations say AI initiatives are identified and prioritised using a rigorous framework aligned to business objectives. Meanwhile, 40% expect AI to take two years or more to materially improve productivity.

Around 60% say ethics and safety concerns influence their decisions to adopt and scale AI. This reflects a responsible approach to deployment, particularly in regulated and risk-sensitive sectors.

Jennifer Belissent, Principal Data Strategist, Snowflake, said: “UK organisations clearly believe in AI’s long-term potential, and continued investment runs parallel to this belief. This research shows, however, that belief alone is not enough. Productivity gains require clear ownership, strong data foundations and alignment between AI initiatives and measurable business objectives. AI has the potential to be a real driver of UK productivity and economic growth. But unlocking that potential depends on getting the fundamentals right – governance, data and clear accountability.”

A Varied Industry Picture

The research highlights clear differences in AI maturity and confidence across key UK industries, although productivity gains remain uneven.

  • Financial services is more advanced on governance and strategic alignment, but regulatory and reputational concerns are slowing the move from structure to scale.
  • Manufacturing shows strong belief in AI’s long-term productivity potential, yet expects slower returns due to skills gaps and integration challenges.
  • Retail lags on confidence and delivery, with AI often confined to isolated use cases amid persistent data quality issues and fragmented ownership.

In the public sector, organisations are the most risk-aware and governance-led, but also anticipate longer timelines before productivity gains are realised.

  • 53% cite safety & reliability of AI outputs as the top concern affecting confidence in AI.
  • Two thirds (66%) say ethics and safety significantly shape adoption decisions.
  • 52% say AI will not materially improve productivity for at least two years.

While this cautious approach prioritises trust and accountability, it may mean productivity gains take longer to come to fruition.

Turning Point for UK Enterprise AI

Across industries, many are still realising how best to drive AI productivity at scale and the skills needed to make this a reality. While levels of governance maturity and risk appetite differ, the journey to broader productivity gains is shared.

Dr Stephany added: “The report’s finding that skills shortages are a key barrier to adoption strongly resonates with findings from my research group (SkillScale) at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford. AI systems are only as powerful as the people who develop, maintain, apply and govern them. In SkillScale’s research, we find that workers with AI-related skills command a wage premium of around 23% in the UK, have higher chances of finding a job, and are more likely to receive additional job benefits. These patterns reflect the strong and growing demand for talent capable of working with artificial intelligence. Expanding access to AI skills and training will therefore be critical if organisations want to sustain and scale these productivity gains and ensure that the benefits of AI are broadly shared.”

Jennifer Belissent concluded: “The research paints a clear picture. The foundations for AI success in the UK are in place. Organisations are investing, experimenting and strengthening governance frameworks. However, to close the gap between ambition and measurable productivity gains, businesses need stronger alignment, clearer ownership and more robust data foundations. If AI is to play the transformative role policymakers and business leaders expect, the focus must now shift from experimentation to disciplined execution.”

Methodology

The research was conducted by YouGov on behalf of Snowflake among 500 senior decision-makers from large UK organisations with 250 or more employees across manufacturing, financial services, retail, the public sector and other industries. Fieldwork was conducted in January 2026.

Snowflake is the platform for the AI era, making it easy for enterprises to innovate faster and get more value from data. More than 13,300 customers around the globe, including hundreds of the world’s largest companies, use Snowflake’s AI Data Cloud to build, use and share data, applications and AI. With Snowflake, data and AI are transformative for everyone.

Read the full report here

  • Data & AI
  • Digital Strategy

Author

Ian Franklyn

Published

26 March 2026

Estimated Read time

5Mins

Ian Franklyn, Chief Revenue Officer at Mainstreaming, on why delivering exceptional streaming experiences won’t require just technology, but also collaboration and synergy

Streaming video has firmly established itself as the dominant force shaping global internet traffic. From premium live sports and breaking news to on-demand entertainment libraries, audiences now expect seamless, high-quality viewing experiences on any device, at any time. For leaders across media, telecoms, and technology, the challenge is no longer about enabling streaming. It is about sustaining it at scale preserving reliability, efficiency and profitability.

Yet, despite the central role video plays in today’s digital economy, the underlying delivery model remains fundamentally fragmented.

Many broadcasters and OTT platforms still rely heavily on centralised, third-party content delivery networks (CDNs). These operate largely outside internet service provider (ISP) infrastructures. This model has supported the growth of streaming over the past decade. However, it is increasingly misaligned with current demand patterns, especially during large-scale live events.

The result is a structural inefficiency that affects every stakeholder in the ecosystem. And the industry can no longer ignore it.

The Growing Cost of Disconnection

When millions of viewers tune in simultaneously, vast volumes of video data must travel across multiple interconnected networks before reaching end users. This often means duplicating the same streams across long-haul routes, placing unnecessary strain on transit links and core infrastructure.

For ISPs, this translates into rising traffic volumes without proportional financial return. Networks become congested, costs increase, and visibility into traffic flows remains limited.

Broadcasters and OTT platforms face a different but equally critical challenge. With limited control over last-mile delivery, performance becomes unpredictable at precisely the moments that matter most. Buffering, latency, and degraded video quality directly impact user experience, driving churn and damaging brand reputation.

Ultimately, the end user bears all the consequences. Even minor disruptions during peak events can cause frustration and dissatisfaction. This consequently erodes trust, impacting both service providers and content owners in an increasingly competitive market.

Rethinking Delivery: Moving Closer to the Edge

Addressing these challenges requires a fundamental rethink of where and how video is delivered.

Rather than relying solely on centralised infrastructure, delivery capacity can be deployed directly within ISP networks, closer to the end user. This edge-based approach localises traffic, reducing the distance data must travel and fundamentally improving efficiency.

The benefits are immediate. By placing content within ISP networks, duplicated traffic across transit routes is minimised, congestion in core networks decreases, and latency is reduced. At the same time, both ISPs and content providers gain greater visibility and control over performance.

This model is particularly valuable for live streaming, where demand is highly concentrated and unpredictable. Traditional CDN architectures, designed for distributed but relatively predictable traffic patterns, are simply not built to handle sudden spikes in concurrent viewership.

Edge delivery networks purpose-built for video, by contrast, enable capacity to be positioned dynamically where it is needed most. This ensures that even the largest live events can be delivered with consistency, reliability, and low latency.

From Delivery Burden to Shared Value Creation

The evolution toward edge-based video delivery represents a fundamental shift for both ISPs, and broadcasters and OTT platforms.

For ISPs, streaming has long been treated as a cost centre. A growing source of bandwidth consumption that drives infrastructure investment without directly contributing to revenue. As traffic volumes continue to rise, this model becomes increasingly unsustainable both economically and operationally.

At the same time, broadcasters face a different challenge. How can they efficiently manage highly variable demand? Particularly during large-scale live events where audience peaks are both massive and unpredictable. And where failure is not an option.

Embedding video delivery capabilities within ISP networks changes this dynamic for both sides.

For ISPs, localising traffic reduces reliance on upstream transit. This alleviates pressure on core infrastructure, enabling more efficient use of existing capacity. It also opens new monetisation opportunities, allowing them to move beyond being passive carriers and play an active role in delivering premium streaming experiences.

For broadcasters and OTT platforms, the benefits are equally strategic. Edge-based delivery enables them to scale live events more efficiently. Activating capacity where and when it is needed rather than overprovisioning for peak demand. This results in more predictable performance, consistent quality of experience, and improved cost efficiency.

In this shared model, video delivery is no longer a burden for one side or a risk for the other. It becomes a coordinated effort, aligning incentives and generating value for all the stakeholders involved.

An Ecosystem that Works in Synergy

Realising this opportunity requires more than technology. It demands a shift toward a more collaborative operating model: a true ‘Better Together’ approach.

This means deeper alignment across the ecosystem, bringing together ISPs, broadcasters, OTT platforms, and technology providers around shared objectives. Instead of operating in silos, each stakeholder contributes to a unified delivery framework designed to meet the demands of modern streaming.

In practical terms, this approach increases transparency, improves performance, and aligns both technical and commercial incentives. Integrating delivery capacity within ISP networks creates a stronger foundation for long-term growth, enabling more efficient scaling as demand continues to rise.

The result is a more resilient and adaptable ecosystem. One capable of supporting increasingly complex and large-scale streaming experiences, and responding dynamically to future demand.

Building the Next Generation of Streaming Infrastructure

The misalignment between how video is consumed and how it is delivered is no longer sustainable, and delaying a change will only amplify the problem

As streaming evolves, new formats such as ultra-high-definition video and low-latency interactive services will place even greater demands on network infrastructure. At the same time, audience expectations will continue to rise, leaving little tolerance for disruption.

Meeting these challenges requires a shift toward integrated, edge-driven architectures supported by strong ecosystem partnerships.

By bringing video delivery closer to the viewer, the industry has an opportunity to redefine both the economics and performance of streaming. More importantly, it can move beyond the limitations of fragmented models toward a more efficient and scalable future. Ultimately, delivering exceptional streaming experiences won’t require just technology, but also collaboration and synergy, aligning the entire ecosystem to operate as one.

Learn more at mainstreaming.com

  • Data & AI
  • Digital Strategy
  • Infrastructure & Cloud

Author

Andrew Woods

Published

24 March 2026

Estimated Read time

2Mins

Surgere CEO William Wappler explains how precise, verified data is becoming the foundation of automation, resilience, and enterprise-wide decision-making

At this year’s Manifest conference in Las Vegas, the conversation around supply chain technology repeatedly returns to one foundational theme: data accuracy. For William Wappler, CEO of Surgere, that foundation is not simply an operational advantage. It is the essential prerequisite for modern supply chain performance.

Surgere specialises in capturing, verifying and operationalising highly accurate supply chain data, using a combination of IoT, engineering-led deployment, and AI-driven analytics. The company focuses on knowing precisely what assets exist, where they are located, and how they move across complex industrial environments. That data is then fed into enterprise systems to drive automation, planning and decision making.

Accurate data

The company’s central mission is straightforward. “We only do one thing: to make sure that within that transformation, everybody has highly accurate data that they’re working on to ensure that all of the tactics and strategies they’re working on actually work.”

For decades, Wappler argues, supply chains have operated on what he calls an “assumptive model”. Organisations believed they knew what was in a shipment, where inventory sat, or whether materials had arrived, but verification was often manual and reactive. “Supply chain practitioners have existed on heroics for a long time,” he explains from Surgere’s spot in the Expo Hall of the Venetian Hotel. “We think we know what’s on that truck. We think we know where it is in the warehouse.”

Surgere’s technology is designed to remove that uncertainty. By validating shipments, tracking assets in real time and providing precise location data, the company allows organisations to operate on verified information rather than guesswork.

The scale is significant. “Today we’re doing about 15 billion transactions a month,” Wappler says, noting that the primary audience for this data is no longer people but enterprise systems themselves.

Read the full story here!

Author

Dan Brightmore

Published

19 January 2026

Estimated Read time

5Mins

Michael Ault, Country Manager at integrated payments specialists myPOS, offers strategic advice for SMEs looking to scale through digital transformation and diversification

Scaling a small business is one of the most rewarding, yet complex journeys for any entrepreneur. While growth brings opportunities for greater reach, higher revenue, and stronger market presence, it also demands foresight, discipline, and the ability to manage risk strategically. Securely integrating new technology is the main obstacle for 47% of SME’s, even though 76% of these businesses intend to expand their IT investment. This underscores a key point of tension, as many businesses want to grow through digital transformation but struggle to do so securely and sustainably.

The business landscape continues to evolve with changing customer expectations, technology, and economic conditions. For UK SMEs, the key to long-term success lies in achieving growth but also in building resilience. Sustainable scaling comes down to three principles: embracing technology pragmatically, diversifying intelligently, and investing in people and partnerships that strengthen resilience.

Leveraging Digital Transformation

Digital transformation is the foundation of business growth, especially for small business. Cloud-based solutions, automation, and data analytics help to streamline operations, reduce inefficiencies, and create better customer experiences. However, transformation must be purposeful, not performative.

The smartest approach is to scale technology investment incrementally, integrating flexible, modular systems that evolve with business needs. This approach not only lowers risk but also helps ensure digital maturity evolve over time. When SMEs use modular, cloud-based technology, operations run more smoothly and changes can be effectively analysed. Ultimately, resilience is not built through one-time upgrades but through a culture of continuous digital evolution.

Diversifying Revenue Streams

Depending on a single product, service, or market leaves a business vulnerable to sudden changes in demand. Diversification, when guided by customer insight and data can turn volatility into opportunity. Expanding into online sales, introducing subscription models, or targeting fresh customer segments can make income streams much more stable and sustainable.

At myPOS, we know that even simple changes based on data, such as adding additional payment options or tapping into cross-border e-commerce, can help cash flow and protect against market shocks. The goal of technology is to mitigate specific challenges without adding layers of complexity.

Investing in Employee Development

Your people are pivotal to your ability to grow as a business; empowered teams are the engine of sustainable scale. A team that feels supported and motivated will bring fresh ideas, adapt to challenges, and push the business forward. Investing in training, mentoring, and development opportunities builds skills that pay back in the form of innovation and improved performance.

In fast-changing industries, having employees who are confident in learning and adapting can make the difference between struggling through disruption and taking advantage of it. Equally, strong partnerships extend this resilience beyond the organisation. Building resilience at the team level creates resilience for the whole business, so fostering a culture of continuous learning and celebrating employee contributions is key to maintaining motivation.

Focusing on Financial Health and Flexibility

Financial resilience underpins sustainable growth. Scaling often requires upfront investment, and without healthy cash flow or reserves, opportunities can be lost. Monitoring income and expenses closely, cutting unnecessary costs, and preparing for seasonal fluctuations gives businesses more control.

Having flexible financing options, like credit lines, small business loans, or even crowdfunding, provides a level of agility. Instead of being caught off guard by unexpected challenges, businesses with financial flexibility are positioned to respond quickly and strategically.

Financial management software can make it easier to track performance, spot issues early, and forecast future needs. When you can see your finances in real time, you can make proactive, data-driven decisions instead of waiting for problems to happen. In markets that change quickly, this kind of financial management helps small firms plan with confidence, stay flexible, and establish a stronger base for long-term growth.

Prioritising Customer Relationships and Feedback

Your customers are not just buyers; they are advocates, sources of insight, and the foundation of repeat business and brand loyalty. Businesses that scale successfully often place customer relationships at the heart of their strategy by actively gathering feedback, responding quickly to issues, and personalising interactions, which shows customers they are valued.

This loyalty becomes a form of resilience. In periods of uncertainty, a base of satisfied, returning customers provides more stability than constantly chasing new ones. Successful businesses use CRM tools to track customer preferences and automate follow-ups so no opportunity to strengthen a relationship is missed.

Building Strategic Partnerships

Partnerships can accelerate growth while also spreading risk. Working with other businesses, organisations, or influencers can provide access to new audiences, shared expertise, or additional resources. Collaboration can also create opportunities for joint marketing, co-branded initiatives, or innovative product and service offerings.

In times of uncertainty, strong partnerships act as a support network. By aligning with others who share your values and vision, you create opportunities that are mutually beneficial and more resilient than going it alone. It is important to find partners whose goals and audiences complement your own for the best long-term impact.

The next stage of small business success will be defined by resilience rather than speed, the ability to adapt, recover, and continue to create value in the fact of uncertainty. For SMEs, this means developing adaptable growth plans that include flexible technology, diverse models and empowered employees.

Learn more at mypos.com

  • Data & AI
  • Digital Payments
  • Digital Strategy
  • Fintech & Insurtech

Author

Nell Walker

Published

16 January 2026

Estimated Read time

6Mins

We talk to Kimberley Duarte, Strategic Programs and Operations at the Circular Supply Chain Network, about her experiences in supply chain

It’s common for procurement professionals to just fall into supply chain. How did it happen for you?

I guess I fall into the same camp. I came into supply chain through engineering. I started as an electrochemical engineer, working on energy systems. My master’s is in hydrogen economy, fuel cells, batteries, things like that.

However, I’ve always been in operations. My co-op during my bachelor’s degree was in operations engineering in a chemical coating company. My dad was a plant manager, so I was always walking the floor and looking at machines and thinking they were really cool in a manufacturing sense.

I didn’t really understand much about it until my first role coming out of my master’s program. I was heavily involved with the supply chain team. I worked with quality and sourcing for scaling up production of a component that we had. I had this realisation where that bottleneck in innovation isn’t necessarily the technology itself. You can make the technology work with all of the engineers and the scientists working hard together, but it’s the systems and the relationships that move materials, products, and ideas from prototype to production. Technology can only succeed when the supply chains are ready to carry that into production and scale that. And I found that very interesting. That’s when I felt I was way more interested in the nuances of supply chain than engineering. I liked being a part of the system that made something successful.

Tell me a bit about the Circular Supply Chain Network and what it does. 

The Circular Supply Chain Network was started a few years ago by Deborah Dull. She is a thought leader and world renowned speaker on circular supply chains. I really admire her. She’s written a couple of books and she works with the ASCM (Association for Supply Chain Management). She’s wonderful and brilliant, and her idea was to create a global community that’s dedicated to re-imagining supply chains as circular systems. 

We bring together practitioners, innovators, leaders, and we share tools, frameworks, and stories for making circularity practical and actionable. We do that through education, peer exchange, thought leadership, speaking events, pilot projects, and so on. We work on grants when appropriate as well, and we’ll go to events and host workshops. We hold and share toolkits and training information, and we participate in accelerator type initiatives.

Can you tell me about the sessions you led at CHAINge North America earlier this year?

That was great. I really loved my time at CHAINge this year. I did a couple of things. On the first day, I worked with Deborah and she brought in some members of the Circular Supply Chain Network for us to co-facilitate her workshop. Her workshop was really fun. It was called Reboot, Repair, Reimagine the Circular Supply Chain. We were talking in this workshop about the companies that are actually implementing advanced circular supply chain solutions, to show that it’s not science fiction. They are truly who’s leading the way right now, and we discussed the steps you can take in your own company to benchmark against them or to lead yourself to these types of success. It was really fun being a part of that and working with Deborah side-by-side.

I also co-presented with Samer AlMadhoon, Managing Partner at Muhakat Institute. He had a sustainability talk and I had a circularity talk, and we worked together in our presentation. It was called Sustainability in Action: Bringing Circularity and Best Practices to Life in Your Supply Chain. I led the audience through what a circular supply chain is, and a roundtable the next day to follow up on that, and find out people’s struggles.

That brought up some really hard conversations and a lot of pain that I think supply chain professionals understand. Maybe they feel that sometimes they’re not listened to, or there’s still companies where the supply chain is supposed to manage costs and they don’t necessarily have a seat at the table. 

How do sustainability and circularity differ, and how can we shine more of a spotlight on circularity?

That’s definitely challenging. If you look at sustainability, it’s the goal. It’s the big picture; it’s people, planet, profit, and circularity is a tool. Circularity is purely about material flows. It’s about how we keep the raw materials, the products, the energy that’s used in these processes in play for as long as possible. Circularity doesn’t cover water use, labour conditions, equity; it’s very focused on the materials themselves. However, circularity is also one way of getting to the sustainability boundaries, essentially. And that’s the interesting thing. 

Circularity itself is huge for economic value because it is value retention, it’s material flow, and keeping those materials in play with as little effort and waste as possible. If we think of lean manufacturing and waste in that aspect of wanting as minimal waste as possible, that’s true in circularity as well. But then how do you take these waste streams and extract more value out of them? How do you protect the value of the materials and the products that you’re working with? How do you keep as much of the shell of your product going for as long as possible with minimal effort? Those are the aspects of circularity that I think need more attention and understanding.

Besides a lack of conversation around the topic, what are the biggest challenges in circularity?

I think part of it is there are very large companies that are implementing circular practices. A lot of the heavy duty equipment companies have figured out how to make their very large, very expensive machines have new life, so they have whole remanufacturing plants. And that’s great, but these large companies have something a small company doesn’t: a huge supply chain ecosystem.

Circularity isn’t really a single company solution – it takes that ecosystem. You need your suppliers, you need your customers, you need to be able to get back to your material. It needs policy makers. It needs communities working together, reverse logistics, and local infrastructure – our big missing links in circular supply chains. Without them, it doesn’t matter. The loop stays broken if you’re not able to get back your material and do something meaningful with it. 

And the thing is, it’s also really hard for companies to understand the value in making those short loops, even though it’s less risky and more resilient to have share and reuse remanufacturing processes that are close and local, so you can keep those materials in circulation longer. That is a huge shift where companies are so much more used to obsolescence, like you want your product to fall apart so that somebody will come and buy a new one. So it is that business model of getting into the mindset of there actually being revenue to be had. Mindset is key.

Author

Robert Kraal

Published

6 November 2025

Estimated Read time

6Mins

Robert Kraal, Co-founder of Silverflow – a cloud-native payments platform designed to reduce cost and complexity while enabling innovation – examines the future for merchants and digital payments

There are dozens of examples of companies, and even whole industries, that have failed because they simply weren’t aligned to what people wanted. Nobody in 1985 was desperate for Coke to taste different. In 2001 no one needed a self-balancing electric scooter. And nobody in 2021 needed to have their ownership of JPEG images recorded on the blockchain. The history of business contains many instances of ideas that seemed to emerge fully formed from the minds of their creators rather than as responses to genuine needs.

The payments industry might not make as many headlines. However, it is just as full of companies that don’t seem to address any real need on the part of merchants. Too many providers build technology in search of a market, rather than starting with a clear understanding of the challenges merchants face.

As payments evolve, that misalignment becomes more visible. Merchants today operate in an environment defined by thin margins, rising costs, and fast-changing customer expectations. Payment Service Providers (PSPs), PayFacs, acquirers, and processors that fail to adapt risk losing touch with what truly matters. Enabling merchants to grow their business efficiently, securely, and globally.

So, what do merchants really want from their payments technology – and how can the industry close the gap between expectation and delivery?

Beyond ‘Just Getting Paid‘

At first glance, payments can appear to be a simple utility. Money goes in, money goes out. Merchants want to get paid quickly and cheaply – and nothing more. But that view misses the larger strategic role payments play in business operations.

Cost certainly matters. With corporate bankruptcies at a fourteen-year high and economic uncertainty still weighing heavily, cashflow is critical. Even a small reduction in processing fees can make a difference over time. But “low cost” doesn’t automatically equal ‘good value’.

Think of it like buying cheap shoes: they may save money upfront, but if they wear out quickly, the total cost of ownership is higher. The same principle applies to payments infrastructure. The right technology can reduce friction, improve customer experience, and unlock new revenue streams. Far outweighing a slightly higher transaction fee.

For many merchants, payments are not just a back-office function but a strategic lever. The ability to expand into new markets, optimise acceptance rates, or adapt quickly to new consumer payment preferences can directly influence growth.

What Merchants Say Frustrates Them Most

Across industries, merchants face a familiar set of pain points when dealing with payments providers. These often include:

Lack of transparency and control over fees

Slow onboarding and inflexible contracts

Poor technical support and inconsistent service levels

Limited access to useful payment data and analytics

Outdated systems that make innovation difficult

In short, merchants feel constrained by legacy processes and opaque systems that fail to match the agility of their wider digital operations.

What Merchants Want Now

To move beyond seeing payments as a commodity, providers must understand the specific outcomes merchants are trying to achieve. In practice, that means focusing on five key areas:

Higher Acceptance Rates and Fewer False Declines

Every false decline represents lost revenue and potential long-term damage to customer loyalty. According to Aite-Novarica, merchants lose billions each year to legitimate transactions mistakenly flagged as fraudulent.

Often, these issues arise from outdated or overly rigid risk rules, or from poor visibility into the transaction lifecycle. Merchants need access to data and tools that help identify patterns, adjust rules dynamically, and balance security with customer experience. Smarter fraud management – not just stricter – is key to protecting revenue.

Faster Access to New Payment Methods

The payments landscape is diversifying rapidly. Account-to-account (A2A) transfers, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), mobile wallets, and super-apps are reshaping how consumers pay.

For merchants, staying relevant means supporting the methods their customers actually use – without long integration times or complex vendor dependencies. Providers that can onboard new payment types quickly and seamlessly give merchants a crucial competitive advantage.

Simplified Cross-Border Payments

Global expansion is a natural ambition for digital-first businesses, but cross-border payments remain a major operational headache. Local regulations, currency management, and consumer habits vary dramatically between markets.

Merchants want simplified access to local payment methods, along with dynamic currency conversion and compliance tools that minimize friction when operating internationally. A provider that can simplify this complexity – through unified access to multiple schemes and currencies – creates tangible value beyond simple processing.

Intelligent Payment Orchestration

Many large merchants now work with multiple acquirers and payment processors to optimise cost, performance, and redundancy. But without an orchestration layer to intelligently route transactions, they risk inefficiency and downtime.

Modern payment orchestration platforms can automatically send each transaction through the most cost-effective or reliable channel in real time. That capability depends on robust infrastructure – not a tangle of APIs and patches. Merchants increasingly expect their providers to offer orchestration as a native feature, not an afterthought.

Modern, Cloud-Native Infrastructure

This is where the real bottleneck lies. Many PSPs and acquirers still operate on systems designed decades ago – architectures built for a different era of commerce. They’ve been maintained with patches, middleware, and manual workarounds that make innovation slow and integration difficult.

Merchants now expect cloud-native systems that are modular, scalable, and API-driven. Platforms that deliver real-time data visibility, analytics, and adaptability – allowing merchants to build and evolve without being constrained by legacy code.

Providers that cling to old systems risk not just technical debt, but strategic irrelevance. Payments infrastructure should be an enabler of innovation, not an obstacle.

Rethinking the Infrastructure Layer

The issue isn’t that modern payment solutions don’t exist – they do. The problem is that too many are bolted onto outdated foundations. Layering new features onto old systems is like fitting a Formula 1 engine into a 1970s chassis: technically possible, but structurally unsound.

The future of payments lies in rethinking the infrastructure layer entirely. That means building platforms that are natively cloud-based, flexible by design, and ready to integrate with tomorrow’s technologies.

Modern infrastructure enables:

  • Faster onboarding and deployment
  • Greater transparency into transaction data and fees
  • Easier compliance with evolving regulations
  • Continuous innovation without system downtime

This shift isn’t just technical – it’s strategic. It’s about giving merchants the confidence that their payment systems can scale with them, wherever their business goes next.

A New Standard for Payments

The payments industry has reached an inflection point. Merchants no longer see payments as a commodity or cost centre – they see them as a growth driver. Providers that continue to build products in isolation from merchant needs will fall behind.

Success will come to those who build with a merchant-first mindset: reducing barriers, improving performance, and enabling future growth.

The question for every PSP, PayFac, and acquirer is no longer “What features can we add?” but “Are we ready to deliver what merchants actually need?”

About Silverflow

Silverflow is a new kind of payment processing platform designed for today’s payment needs and fit for the future. A cloud-native solution with a single API to the card networks. One platform with one connection. Reducing cost and complexity, easy to use, data-rich, Silverflow frees you to innovate. Find out more at silverflow.com

Co-founder Robert Kraal is one of the few people in the world with over 20 years of experience in online payments.

After completing his degree in Geophysics, he started his career at Bibit, the first global Payment Service Provider (PSP) which was acquired by RBS/Worldpay. At RBS/Worldpay he went on to lead account management, before moving on to Google Netherlands. He joined Adyen in 2010 in the role of COO, where he was responsible for building and running the global acquiring and processing service.

As the Business Development lead at Silverflow, Robert is responsible for maintaining relationships with the card schemes, acquirers, PSPs and regulators.  

  • Digital Payments
  • Neobanking

Author

Dan Brightmore

Published

26 September 2025

Estimated Read time

2Mins

Join 3,000+ industry decision makers and influencers at Smart Retail Tech Show for your opportunity to gain the tools to stay ahead in a competitive market

If you’re in retail and looking to stay ahead in a fast-changing market, the Smart Retail Tech Expo is a must-attend event. With thousands of industry professionals, the show is a hub for innovation, showcasing the latest technologies to enhance the customer journey, streamline operations, and drive growth. Whether it’s improving operations, enhancing safety, enabling contactless payments, or elevating the customer experience, it’s all on the show floor.

Regardless if you’re an independent retailer or part of a global chain, this is your chance to explore cutting-edge solutions!

Why Attend Smart Retail Tech Expo?

With only pre-qualified decision-makers and key influencers in attendance, it’s the perfect place to network, learn, and invest in the future of retail.

Visitors include Key Decision-Makers: CTO | Director of Retail Experience | Digital Transformation Director | Director of Innovation | Head of Customer Experience | Head of Digital & E-commerce

  • 3,200 visitors in attendance
  • 86% have purchasing authority
  • 76% are looking to source new products & services
  • 95% are senior management or above

Smart Retail Tech Expo is where retail innovation happens! Small business or global, discover cutting-edge solutions and in one place and shape retail’s future.

“Thanks @smartretailexpo! Packed with innovation, connected with lots of great problem solving startups doing amazing work in the space!”

Daniel Himsworth, Marks & Spencer

Keynote speakers include experts from e-commerce, retail, and tech backgrounds, alongside many more. They will be sharing insights from their personal journey and future-proofed strategies on customer engagement, globalising your business, social media commerce, and lots more. Come and hear from the industry’s biggest voices and learn about how to keep ahead in the white and private-label sector. Keynote speakers include expert insights from Pinterest, Tik Tok, Uber Eats, Alibaba and many more…

Register now for free tickets and gain insider knowledge… Beyond networking, Smart Retail Tech Expo offers expert-led sessions and insights into emerging trends, sourcing strategies, and retail technology—giving you the tools to stay ahead in a competitive market.

  • Event Newsroom
  • Events

Author

Dan Brightmore

Published

15 September 2025

Estimated Read time

6Mins

Enterprise-wide AI platform security protects sensitive data and governs integrations to help organisations scale Agentic AI with confidence

ServiceNow the AI platform for business transformation, has unveiled its new Zurich platform release. It delivers breakthrough innovations with faster multi-agentic AI development, enterprise-wide AI platform security capabilities, and reimagined workflows. New intelligent developer tools enable secure vibe coding with natural language. This helps turn employees into high-velocity builders and creators and lower the barrier to app creation. Built-in security capabilities, including ServiceNow Vault Console and Machine Identity Console, natively secure sensitive data across workflows. This governs integrations to help organisations scale Agentic AI and innovations with confidence. The introduction of autonomous workflows turns data into action through agentic playbooks. Uniquely offering the flexibility to apply AI and human input in workflows where and when it’s needed for greater control and efficiency. 

AI Transformation with ServiceNow

Enterprise leaders are racing to move beyond table-stakes AI implementations to unlock transformative, tangible results.  According to Gartner, “By 2029, over 60% of enterprises will adopt AI agent development platforms to automate complex workflows previously requiring human coordination.” The ServiceNow AI Platform delivers this transformational promise across the enterprise. It underpins a new era of highly efficient human-AI collaboration. 

“Zurich marks a turning point for enterprise AI. ServiceNow is delivering multi-agentic AI systems in production that are not just powerful, but governable, secure, and built for scale,” said Amit Zavery, president, COO, and chief product officer at ServiceNow. “We are transforming the enterprise tech stack to be AI-native. From autonomous workflows that act on data with precision, to developer tools that democratise high-velocity innovation. With built-in controls for security, risk, and compliance, we’re helping organisations move beyond experimentation. And into a new era of intelligent execution.” 

Vibe Coding Meets Enterprise Scale 

According to Gartner, “Agentic AI features will be near ubiquitous, embedded in software, platforms and applications, transforming user experiences and workflows.” The introduction of ServiceNow Build Agent and Developer Sandbox provides resources for employees to work with AI more efficiently. They can now do this conversationally, and at scale, to solve real problems in every corner of the business. 

  • Build Agent is a breakthrough for enterprise app creation—bringing vibe coding to the rigor of the ServiceNow AI Platform. In seconds, employees can turn an idea into a production-ready application by asking in natural language. Say, “Create an onboarding app that assigns tasks to HR, IT, and Facilities,” and Build Agent handles the rest. Design, build, logic, integrations, testing, and industry-leading governance included. What sets it apart is enterprise discipline: every app comes with audit trails, security, and compliance built in. Developers and citizen creators alike get the speed of AI with the confidence of enterprise-grade control, in a streamlined interface. 
  • Developer Sandbox empowers developers to build better applications, faster, while maintaining the highest standards of quality. Sandboxes provide isolated environments within a single instance, so multiple teams can collaborate, build, and test new features without conflicts, and rapid scale doesn’t come at the cost of control. Teams can version, iterate, and deliver without waiting in line for developer resources. Developers can safely experiment with vibe coding, test AI-powered workflows, and resolve version control issues before changes go live. This reduces rework, shortens feedback loops, and helps teams ship higher-quality applications rapidly with lower risk. 

Security That Enables AI Strategy 

As enterprises adopt autonomous workflows powered by agentic AI, securing how these systems access data and communicate across environments is essential. Zurich introduces new built-in AI platform security capabilities to make it easier to protect sensitive information. It can also govern integrations and manage growing AI footprints. 

  • The newServiceNow Vault Console provides a guided experience to discover, classify, and protect sensitive data across workflows. For example, an admin managing customer service operations can now identify personal data across tickets, apply different types of protection policies, and track compliance activity. The console also offers recommendations for protecting newly discovered sensitive data, along with customizable dashboards to monitor key metrics. What used to require manual configuration across multiple tools can now be managed in one place, with intelligent insights and a streamlined experience. 
  • Machine Identity Console addresses the need for integration security with enterprise-grade authentication and authorization, delivering control over bots and APIs head on. As the ServiceNow AI Platform scales, every API connection, including those from AI agents, introduces another identity to manage and determine what it can access. This console gives platform teams visibility into all inbound API integrations using machine identities such as service accounts and keys, flags outdated or weak authentication methods, and provides clear steps to strengthen security. If an integration is using basic authentication or hasn’t been active in 100 days, the console spots it and helps resolve it. 

Digital Transformation

“At Kanton Zürich, digital transformation is central to how we deliver secure and efficient public services. Since 2018, ServiceNow has enabled us to centralize and standardize our processes with data security as a top priority,” said Jürg Kasper, head of business solutions, Kanton Zürich. “Zurich’s latest advancements in both security and AI will allow us to automate more complex workflows, unlocking new efficiencies that enhance how we serve our citizens—with greater speed, clarity, and assurance.”  

Without built-in security and trust, scaling AI comes with risk. These new security features in Zurich build upon ServiceNow’s AI Control Tower, announced in May 2025, which provides enterprise-wide visibility, embedded compliance, and end-to-end lifecycle governance for Agentic AI systems. By centralising oversight of every AI agent, model, and workflow, native or third-party, the AI Control Tower ensures organisations can scale AI with confidence, aligning innovation with enterprise-grade security and trust. 

Turn Data Into Outcomes With Autonomous Workflows 

As organisations rapidly scale AI, they face the added challenge of delivering solutions consistently, reliably, and responsibly. Enterprises need the right guardrails, full visibility, and strong governance to achieve service delivery. Or they risk eroding trust and slowing results. ServiceNow’s AI Platform does all this in a single platform. It sets a new standard for how organisations can create autonomous workflows to turn data into action and AI into measurable business impact. 

  • Agentic playbooks from ServiceNow bring people, automation, and AI together seamlessly, powering autonomous workflows. A traditional playbook is a structured sequence of automated steps. These are based on predefined business rules and processes—ideal for ensuring consistency, efficiency, and trust. Agentic playbooks amplify this model by embedding AI into the trusted framework. AI agents eliminate manual effort, completing tasks in seconds and accelerating execution. This frees employees to focus on higher-value work where human judgment matters most. For example, in a credit card support situation, an agentic playbook can guide an AI agent to verify someone’s identity. It can freeze a card, send a replacement and notify the customer while allowing a human agent to step in. The result: governed, efficient, and trusted work—supercharged by AI to deliver faster, smarter outcomes. 
  • The ServiceNow Zurich platform release also seamlessly combines Process and Task Mining insights within a unified platform. These new capabilities give organisations an end-to-end understanding of how work gets done. Revealing where human expertise is essential, and where AI agents can deliver the greatest impact. With process intelligence built directly into the platform, customers can move seamlessly from insight to action. Streamlining operations, applying AI where it matters most. And accelerating real business outcomes without the complexity of disconnected legacy tools. 

All features announced as part of the ServiceNow AI Platform Zurich release are generally available and can be found in the ServiceNow Store

  • Data & AI
  • Digital Strategy

Author

Dan Brightmore

Published

4 August 2025

Estimated Read time

8Mins

Read in brochure format

FinTech Strategy met with Standard Chartered’s Head of Digital Assets – Financing & Securities Services, Waqar Chaudry, at Money20/20 Europe to discuss how the bank is connecting traditional with digital, collaborating with FinTechs directly and via SC Ventures, and taking a measured approach to entering the crypto market

Money20/20 Europe Exclusive

There is a buzz in the air at Money20/20 Europe. Waqar Chaudry, Head of Digital Assets – Financing & Securities Services at Standard Chartered, has just spoken on Mastercard’s Horizon Stage about the great digital assets opportunity. We meet up with him at his bank’s stand in the heart of the action at the Amsterdam RAI Arena.

Waqar works in custody to secure digital assets at Standard Chartered. It also has a fund accounting business and offers transfer agent services. “The financing in the Financing & Securities Services elements are in our FX Prime offering,” he explains. “At the moment my sole focus is on crypto custody, tokenisation and building an ecosystem around those products.”

The Rise of Digital Assets

It’s an exciting time for Standard Chartered with crypto custody and the rise of stablecoins and tokenisation… Whether the asset is Bitcoin, a tokenised money market, or anything tokenisable, there have been a lot of conversations with the bank’s partners in terms of the technology quest.

“Most of the conversations historically have been led by the fact that technology does give you the capability to do 24/7 trading and settlement. Risk management from the technology side is much better. The blockchain dream is sold to everyone, which remains true,” notes Waqar. “The issue has been that on the business side, tackling the areas that actually can work with this technology. You have your near instant settlement availability on blockchains. On the other side you have a T+1 or T+3 cash settlement time – that doesn’t gel very well.

“Entrenched in the day-to-day business of these really large institutions is to be able to inject a new piece of technology. And then suddenly say, hey, all these things are solved. For all the inefficiencies in the system it doesn’t work that quickly. We’re actually taking one step at a time. That’s why it’s exciting that we can see in five or ten years from now what the world will look like. Basically, in our vernacular that means we have near instant settlements and near instant international transfer of value. So, that’s the kind of stuff that we are really interested in for the future.”

Meeting the Blockchain Challenge

Waqar explains that when something like a blockchain comes into a traditional bank, and especially blockchains like the ones that support an asset like Bitcoin, you don’t know who the counterparties are (which are clear on the SWIFT network).

“You have to build capability from a technology side, operations side, risk management side,” he continues. “You need to develop the governance of all those functions to be able to get the value of the asset in the ecosystem. And then be able to add value to that to transact on it. We don’t yet have those ingredients, so it becomes very challenging for us to accept the assets. A lot of the work that the bank has done over the past five years has been around embedding those elements into our day-to-day operations. It’s about understanding the risk profile of the coins and understanding the risk profile of the blockchains.”

Waqar’s team works on how to protect the ecosystem from risks from both an AML and KYC point of view. “We’re also making sure that by doing that we don’t create such a burden to the client that the service becomes useless,” he adds. “We’re trying to balance that out and that’s where the challenges lie at the moment. The next stage is to also be able to integrate all of our traditional cash and assets rails into this. And that’s where the next level of risks will come in… Where people are not used to seeing things on the blockchain… They are used to seeing things on the SWIFT network or a CSD. But when the blockchains come in, profiles will change and that’s where we have to meet the challenges.”

Traditional Meets Digital

For an asset manager with a variety of equities and bonds, but keen to start in crypto and other digital assets, the rails are very different… “The liquidity venues and the way you settle the instrument are very different. And they don’t naturally talk to each other,” confirms Waqar. “It’s a big challenge. But to be able to go with the provider that has all the capabilities, which includes the cash side, the asset side, the crypto side and the blockchain side, is something people are looking for now. Without having the end-to-end picture, it would be very difficult for our clients to have an equitable strategy for their clients. We need to be able to service them appropriately based on the rails they operate in.”

For Standard Chartered’s clients it’s increasingly important for payments to facilitate activity on-chain regardless of the use case of digital assets. “There is a key challenge with payments at the moment. If you do transfer value across geographies or between B2B and B2C, what do you do with that value afterwards?” asks Waqar.

“Are you going to keep it on the books for your treasury or account purposes or are you going to find a way to liquidate the position to pay your employees or pay your service provider? Without the capability to store the asset appropriately and then convert it into a usable form, you can’t do much with it. The only thing you can do is actually transfer value. So, for us what’s important in payments is that we get the transfer value happening immediately. Or as quickly as possible. And then also connect our payment infrastructure and the banking behind. We aim to support the transfer of value from a digital asset into an actual cash asset.”

Building on Success

Standard Chartered’s work with OKX in Dubai has spurred demand the bank didn’t expect. “The key ingredient is that a really large crypto exchange has come together with a really large bank,” reasons Waqar. “When you combine the product features of a large bank like ours with the liquidity of OKX it creates a unique proposition in the market. The traditional players have started to show interest in that because now they can buy diverse assets, pledge them as collateral and start trading while the assets remain safe in a genuine large institutional bank. And at the same time, they also have access to a highly regarded institutional exchange. That story is for us quite important and we’re fostering these relationships more and more…”

It’s been a real success story for Standard Chartered on the money market fund side which is also connected to what the bank is doing on the collateral side. “Money market funds are used to gain value and have an asset that does generate yield on the one side, but also the capability to use the asset as collateral is important,” adds Waqar.

“The money market fund that we launched for China Asset Management in Hong Kong, albeit it’s a retail use case for a start, but then the ambitions are big. The next thing is how do we start using that same asset for pledging for trading purposes and then how do we inject that into a portfolio basket of assets that people buy? At Standard Chartered, we aim to create a supermarket of tokens in a centralised ecosystem. So, our collateral story and the tokenised money market funds is connected, and we want to continue building around it. We’re thinking about other assets now too… We’re looking at equities, bonds and enabling more cryptocurrencies in the same ecosystem as well. It’s just the start of all the things we need to build in the future.”

Why Money20/20?

“This is my first time coming to Money20/20 Europe. Digital asset companies are here alongside financial services and related FinTechs. It’s great that they’re able to talk to each other and it’s quite evident there are lots of great meetings happening. There are many companies here we are either supporting or we’re working with. We’ve also had meetings with UK government representatives geared to attracting talent into the country. They’re trying to make sure that their FinTech ecosystem grows quite significantly for us in the UK and for other footprint markets in Asia; Middle East and Africa are also quite important in how we do that and continue to grow.”

The Evolution of Collaboration between Banks and FinTechs

Standard Chartered is also working in harmony with its ventures partner SC Ventures. The bank is working closely with Libeara for tokenisation and with Zodia Custody as Saas. “Our core institutional bank and our Ventures business are quite tightly coupled from that point of view,” says Waqar. “And it’s quite obvious that the reason for that is how we’ve made significant investments into them. We’ve given part of our DNA into this ecosystem and now, at the bank, they’re building the ecosystem around these capabilities, so we’re keen to bring them in and use their solutions for our services as well.”

Standard Chartered may be a traditional bank but it is a seasoned collaborator with innovative FinTechs. “They need traditional services too,” reasons Waqar. “Once they get to a critical mass, a FinTech may not have the bandwidth to manage certain client sizes. By partnering with some of the FinTechs, we’re seeing that once a certain size of a client comes in, they prefer to work with a large institution like ours. So, that partnership is proactively managed as well from our side. From our ventures side, bringing their innovative approach to product development and technology into the bank, building the ecosystem around risk management and governance from the bank side and then connecting into the FinTechs outside of that ecosystem is something I think is quite an interesting proposition for us. We’re going to keep building on top of that.”

Standard Chartered – Financing & Securities Services

Promoting your future in global securities

We’re ready to help you flourish in emerging and frontier securities services markets

In today’s fast-moving markets, especially  across Asia, Africa and Middle East, success isn’t just about the solutions you choose – it’s about the partnerships you build.

Standard Chartered has been committed to these regions for decades. We understand both the promise and challenges. That’s why we go beyond delivering end-to-end custody, fund, and fiduciary  solutions – we actively help shape the markets themselves.

By working with local governments and industry associations, we bring you early insights and access to new opportunities. Partnering with leading asset managers, fintechs, and infrastructure providers, we connect you to the best of the industry, via a single partner. Because in a world of complexity, collaboration is your greatest advantage.

Learn more at sc.com/en/corporate-investment-banking/financial-markets/financing-and-securities-services/

Author

Dan Brightmore

Published

9 July 2025

Estimated Read time

3Mins

Solidarités International goes live with FinScan to strengthen AML compliance in global humanitarian operations

Solidarités International, a French-based humanitarian aid organisation, has gone live with FinScan. The Innovative Systems solution comes from a leading provider of advanced anti-money laundering (AML) compliance solutions. This will enhance screening processes across its global operations in a cloud-based environment.

As a nonprofit committed to providing life-saving assistance in areas affected by conflict and natural disasters, Solidarités International faces increasing regulatory expectations from public donors. These include the United Nations, the US Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), and European funding bodies. These expectations include rigorous AML screening of suppliers, staff, and local partners to ensure accountability and transparency.

FinScan for AML

Solidarités International’s decision to adopt FinScan followed a thorough selection process involving external advisors and peer recommendations from within the NGO community. Criteria such as workflow flexibility, user delegation, audit history, and alignment with data privacy standards were central to the evaluation. FinScan is now fully operational at Solidarités International’s headquarters.

“With FinScan, we’re able to delegate screening responsibilities across field missions while maintaining centralised oversight and data privacy. The responsiveness of the FinScan team and the tool’s intuitiveness and configurability have been key positives,” said Pierre DeSoil, IT Project Lead at Solidarités International. “Our users picked up the system quickly and are more confident with the process.”

Designed to support complex compliance needs, FinScan helps organisations like Solidarités International meet donor due diligence requirements. It does this through customisable workflows, robust matching algorithms, and scalable deployment.

“We’re proud to support the mission of Solidarités International with a powerful, cloud-based AML solution that helps protect humanitarian aid from financial crime risk,” said Steve Maul, Chief Customer Officer at Innovative Systems. “Their dedication to both compliance and the communities they serve exemplifies how technology and purpose can align.”

About Solidarités International

Founded in 1980 and headquartered in Clichy, France, Solidarités International provides urgent humanitarian aid in conflict zones and disaster-stricken areas. Its core mission is to meet the vital needs of vulnerable populations—providing water, food, and shelter in life-threatening conditions. Learn more at https://www.solidarites.org/en/.

About FinScan

Trusted by hundreds of organisations worldwide, Innovative Systems, Inc.’s FinScan® offers advanced Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance technology and consulting solutions. Built on decades of experience in data management and proprietary matching technologies, FinScan provides a data-first, risk-based approach to ensure unparalleled accuracy and efficiency in identifying and reducing risk, accelerating AML compliance workflows, and optimising team productivity. FinScan’s comprehensive, integrated platform includes Know Your Customer (KYC), unparalleled sanctions screening, risk scoring, data quality, and advisory services for implementing a holistic compliance program. FinScan offers flexible deployment including SaaS, on-premise, and hybrid options. FinScan’s SaaS clients are screening more than 300 billion names a year. Learn more at www.finscan.com and follow us on LinkedIn.  

  • Cybersecurity in FinTech

Author

Dan Brightmore

Published

16 May 2025

Estimated Read time

2Mins

Join 25,000 attendees for Seamless FinTech, the Middle East’s biggest FinTech event, at the Dubai World Trade Centre May 20-22

FinTech Strategy is proud to be a media partner for Seamless FinTech 2025.

Register for your free event pass here.

Why attend Seamless FinTech?

Welcome to the Middle East’s biggest fintech event for 25 years. Seamless Fintech brings together big tech, government, banks, financial institutions, fintechs, investors, and media. Perfect for anyone passionate about the Middle East’s fintech and payments landscape. This event allows you to explore the fast-evolving ecosystem and engage with top industry players and innovators. And visit the Identity Showcase to discover cutting-edge solutions.

“If I wanted to take a pulse of the vibrancy of the region, then look around at Seamless. The amount of interest and intent people are showing in us and FinTech in the region is very visible at Seamless Middle East.”

Managing Director, Amazon Payments Service

Furthermore, whether you’re presenting your latest payment innovations or showcasing impactful demos, this is your opportunity to foster connections and accelerate business growth. Join 25,000 attendees and 800 exhibitors gaining insights from a stellar line up of 750+ expert speakers from the likes of Revolut, J.P. Morgan, Monzo, Citi and more.

Seamless Digital Commerce

Seamless Fintech will be co-located with Seamless Digital Commerce. This event caters to payments companies seeking to connect with merchants, SMEs, retailers, and e-commerce platforms. The event offers valuable insights into revolutionising in-store experiences, optimising e-commerce strategies, and mastering digital marketing techniques. It provides unmatched opportunities for growth and collaboration in the digital commerce space.

This event is perfect for those looking to forge new partnerships, gain valuable insights from industry trailblazers and drive innovation to stay ahead in the ever-evolving digital landscape. Moreover, whether you’re a startup, an established player, or an SME, Seamless Digital Commerce is designed to push the industry forward.

Register for your free event pass here.

  • Artificial Intelligence in FinTech
  • Digital Payments
  • Event Newsroom
  • Neobanking

Author

Dan Brightmore

Published

7 May 2025

Estimated Read time

3Mins

Sprout, the creator of a smarter mortgage payment platform to drive financial freedom, has been named the winner of of…

Sprout, the creator of a smarter mortgage payment platform to drive financial freedom, has been named the winner of of Pitch360 at Level39 during UK FinTech Week.

Sprout’s Co-Founder, Asis Tewari, thanked the judges and organisers for running an inspiring session and offered praise for fellow finalists. “It was a privilege to pitch alongside such passionate and innovative founders. We learned a lot… Thank you also to London Business School and Jeff Skinner for helping validate our journey, and to Sir Andrew Likierman for giving us the confidence to kick off. And for introducing us to Professor Joao F. Cocco and his white paper on Portfolio Choice in the Presence of Housing.”

Sprout

Sprout empowers homeowners to build lasting wealth by making smarter mortgage decisions. With AI-driven insights, smart automation, and a user-friendly interface, it can simplify homeownership – aligning your mortgage with long-term financial goals and future flexibility.

Tewari was inspired to launch Sprout after a dinner with Anil Agarwal, billionaire industrialist and Chairman of Vedanta… “He told me: The only way to build real wealth is through investing in markets — and every generation needs to start as early as possible.”

Why Use Sprout?

  • Do you know the true return of your property? Sprout tracks the real costs and value of your property to give an accurate return.
  • Are your mortgage repayments really building wealth? Sprout makes it simple to allocate your payment wisely, giving you the ability to pay down your mortgage smarter.
  • Is your money working hard for you? Sprout gives you exclusive access to best-in-class funds.

Pitch360

Innovate Finance’s flagship pitching competition, Pitch360, is taking place across the UK in 2025. There are six regional pitch events across a 12-month campaign, featuring live events in the North, South West, Midlands, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Pitch360 shines a spotlight on the best FinTech talent and emerging technologies the UK has to offer. It’s aim is to showcase how FinTech innovation can help drive the growth agenda and transform financial services.

Find out about future events, and apply to pitch, here.

About Innovate Finance

Innovate Finance is the independent industry body for UK FinTech. It’s mission is to accelerate the UK’s leading role in the financial services sector. It does this by directly supporting the next generation of technology-led innovators to create a more inclusive, more democratic and more effective financial services sector that works better for everyone.

  • Embedded Finance
  • Neobanking

Author

Husnain Bajwa

Published

30 April 2025

Estimated Read time

5Mins

Husnain Bajwa, SVP Product – Risk Solutions at SEON, on KYC detection and verification to combat fraud in financial services

Many fraudsters today are no longer just criminals – they’re technologists wielding powerful artificial intelligence (AI) as their primary weapon. As fraud techniques evolve, businesses are becoming increasingly vulnerable to sophisticated adversaries. With the rising wave of AI-powered fraud, traditional fraud prevention methods, which heavily emphasise Know-Your-Customer (KYC) processes, are struggling to keep pace.

Fraudsters have learned to exploit the inherent delays in standard KYC processes. They use AI to generate synthetic identities and automate infiltration techniques at an unprecedented scale. By the time most verification processes kick in, significant resources have already been spent, and potential damage has been incurred. To gain the upper hand, companies must move beyond isolated identity checks and adopt a more integrated approach. This combines pre-KYC detection with advanced KYC verification. A dual-layered defence system that’s both proactive and agile enough to adapt to the evolving threat landscape.

Introducing Pre-KYC fraud detection

Since KYC processes are essential for businesses to meet regulatory requirements and maintain compliance, the solution isn’t to abandon KYC but to transform it. Organisations must adopt a pre-KYC detection layer that detects fraud before it reaches verification processes.

What does this look like in practice? It starts by analysing a user’s digital footprint. This includes key data points, such as the age of an email address, phone number history, IP address patterns and social media activity. These indicators help assess the authenticity of a user’s identity. For example, a newly created email or an IP address associated with a known VPN service can be red flags, signalling possible fraudulent intentions and enabling businesses to proactively intervene before harm occurs.

Device intelligence further strengthens the initial stages of pre-KYC user verification. This technology detects discrepancies in device integrity, such as emulators, proxies or device spoofing techniques. These are common tactics fraudsters employ to conceal their true identities. Advanced device fingerprinting tools are critical in identifying when a device’s profile does not match its user’s provided details or shows unusual behaviour, adding an extra layer of security.

Adding to this framework, behavioural analytics play a pivotal role by monitoring how users interact with platforms. Analysing navigation patterns, session durations and behaviours during account setup can expose irregularities that suggest fraudulent activities. Indicators such as repetitive account creation attempts with varied data points or abnormally quick typing and navigation speeds often point to bot-driven fraud. This provides businesses with opportunities to intervene early in the user engagement process.

Combining Pre-KYC Technology with traditional methods

While pre-KYC tools can identify potential threats early, KYC verification remains essential for ensuring that the users who pass initial screening are legitimate. Once a user reaches this stage, robust identity verification methods must be in place to confirm the authenticity of the individual’s information.

Modern KYC processes must combine several features: document verification, biometric checks and address verification. The first, document verification, involves using optical character recognition (OCR) and machine learning to scan government-issued IDs and detect forgeries in real time. Additional security in this realm can be attained via facial comparisons – matching a user’s selfie with the photo on their ID – to ensure that the person behind the camera is the same as the one in the presented documentation.

Next, advanced liveness detection aids in combating both deepfake technology and image-based fraud – two fraud vectors on the rise. By requiring users to perform specific actions or gestures during verification processes, liveness detection ensures that fraudsters can’t simply upload a static image or video to impersonate someone. Lastly, address verification provides further protection, confirming a user’s address against authoritative databases or recent utility bills. These checks are crucial for businesses in regulated industries, where proof of residency is often a compliance requirement.

The growing threat of AI-powered fraud

Now that fraudsters can access AI tools, the fraud game has entirely changed. Bad actors can generate synthetic identities, manipulate biometric data and even create deepfake videos to pass KYC processes. Additionally, AI enables fraudsters to test security systems at scale, quickly iterating and adapting methods based on system responses.

In light of these new threats, businesses need dynamic solutions that can learn and evolve in real time. Ironically, the same technology serving sophisticated fraud can be our most potent defence. Using AI to enhance both pre-KYC and KYC processes delivers the capability to identify complex fraud patterns, adapting faster than human-driven systems ever could. These AI-powered tools don’t just detect fraud – they predict and prevent it by continuously learning from each attempted breach.

At the pre-KYC stage, machine learning (ML) algorithms can identify patterns and anomalies across vast amounts of user data, providing more accurate and faster risk assessments. As fraudsters evolve, these systems can recognise emerging fraud patterns, preventing bad actors from bypassing security.

Similarly, AI-driven verification methods can detect increasingly sophisticated forgeries and manipulations in the KYC phase. At the same time, adaptive authentication systems can increase or decrease the level of verification required based on the user’s risk profile. This flexibility strengthens security and enhances the user experience by reducing friction for legitimate users.

The stakes are set to climb

The battle against AI-empowered fraud isn’t just about preventing financial losses. It’s about maintaining customer trust in an increasingly sceptical digital marketplace. Every fraudulent transaction erodes confidence, and that’s a cost too high to bear in today’s competitive landscape.

Businesses that take a multi-layered approach, integrating pre-KYC and KYC processes in a unified fraud prevention strategy, can stake one step ahead of fraudsters. The key is ensuring that fraud prevention tools – data-rich, AI-driven and flexible – are as adaptive as the threats they are designed to stop. The future of fraud prevention isn’t about building higher walls; it’s about creating smarter, more adaptive and intelligent systems to anticipate and neutralise threats before they materialise.

  • Cybersecurity in FinTech

Author

Amelia Lowe

Published

18 October 2024

Estimated Read time

5Mins

Amelia Lowe, Vice President of Operations at SquareTrade, on the potential for AI to revolutionise InsurTech

We have all witnessed the growth of AI in the past year. It’s quickly becoming an innate part of how we work. In the UK alone, the number of AI registered companies has increased by over 600% in under a decade. While the size of the AI market is expected to grow to over £800 billion by 2035. AI holds the power to radically reshape the way we live, learn, and conduct business. It can unlock possibilities we once only imagined. In the past two years, we’ve witnessed this transformational potential come to life. It’s driving innovation and redefining industries at an unprecedented pace.

We stand on the brink of a new era. AI is poised to become an integral force that not only enhances our daily lives but also paves the way for a more effective way of doing business and connecting with customers. AI holds the key to supercharging the customer experience, by creating seamless, intelligent customer journeys. So how do we do it?

In today’s highly competitive world, great customer service is essential. Customers do not want to feel like just another number. They want their individual needs to be recognised and addressed with personalised responses.

At SquareTrade, we aim to engage with our customers in ways that feel authentic and personal, even when they are engaging with AI. Our objective is to deliver a level of personalised interaction that was once thought of as unattainable with automated systems. Furthermore, ensuring every customer feels appreciated and understood in each exchange.

Enhancing customer experiences with AI for seamless, intelligent journeys

At the core of any customer relationship is the confidence that issues will be resolved quickly and effectively. Your team, and the people behind your company, play a pivotal role in delivering that trust across all customer touchpoints.

When integrating AI into a business, it is essential to align the technology with the company’s core objectives. For us, the focus has been on driving innovation and streamlining processes while ensuring customer service remains uncompromised. Our goal is to ensure, no matter how AI is implemented, the customer experience feels personal and authentic. Even with automated systems, we want to provide a level of personalised interaction that was once unimaginable. We see AI as an extension of our team. In light of that we apply the same values and principles to those we apply to our team, which focus on trust, transparency and respect.

Have you met Sally?

We now live in a world where AI tools and customer experience must work in harmony. According to Statista, 73% of consumers believe AI can enhance customer experience, with 80% reporting positive interactions with AI so far. Clearly, AI has reached a point where customers can appreciate its benefits during their times of need. It can seamlessly recognise and addresses issues productively.

When businesses explore integrating AI solutions, it’s crucial to align them with their unique standards, customer service approach, and company culture. No two AI solutions are alike. For us, it was vital that any AI implementation seamlessly complemented our existing operations. A key example of how we’ve achieved this is through the introduction of Sally, our AI chatbot. Sally provides one of the quickest and most efficient ways for customers to engage with us when visiting our website. This enhances the user experience while staying true to our service values.

We are already witnessing the benefits of introducing Sally. She consistently achieves high success rates in resolving customer incidents autonomously. By deploying her in a strategic and targeted manner, we can reserve human interactions for more complex queries and claims.

AI Training for Operational Excellence

AI’s potential goes beyond customer interactions. It is increasingly being leveraged for training and education within organisations. In an industry like insurance, where no two claims are the same, InsurTech companies need training systems that prepare team members to adapt to a wide variety of scenarios.

Given that individuals learn in diverse ways and at varying speeds, the ability to create personalised learning experiences is immensely valuable. We see AI training tools as the equivalent of providing each employee with a personal tutor. Moreover, one that can adapt to their unique strengths, challenges, and learning styles.

And the learning doesn’t stop when the training does. AI-powered platforms can now continuously assess performance in real-time. If an employee is struggling in a particular area, the AI can automatically adjust the learning program to address those needs. This ensures ongoing growth and development tailored to each individual.

Fraud Detection

AI is poised to revolutionise fraud detection and prevention. It is becoming an invaluable asset to the teams that monitor for suspicious activity. In the insurance industry, AI can be deployed at multiple levels to enhance fraud detection. For example, through intelligent automation that swiftly analyses large datasets and flags potentially fraudulent claims for further investigation. This can save valuable time and resources.

AI can also enable the creation of predictive models that forecast fraud based on historical data and emerging trends. This helps insurance players to stay one step ahead of evolving threats. These models improve risk assessment accuracy by reducing false positives and allowing us to focus more effectively on genuine risks.

Looking ahead, the potential for AI in fraud detection is immense. AI is breaking new ground in areas where traditional rule-based systems fall short. Its ability to process vast amounts of data in real time, identify patterns and anomalies that would be nearly impossible to detect manually, makes it a game-changer in tackling complex problems.

Embracing AI Advancements

AI has the potential to revolutionise countless industries, but its impact is particularly profound in InsurTech. Given the critical role insurance plays in people’s lives, the opportunities for innovation and improvement are vast.

As an industry, it’s essential we recognise AI’s ability to transform customer experiences. As early adopters, we have witnessed its potential firsthand. We will continue to leverage these advancements to enhance personalised and automated processes. We can bridge language barriers, and create new methods of interaction.

However, our focus must always be on finding the right balance. Identifying where these solutions can deliver the greatest impact in serving customer needs quickly and effectively. Moreover, also ensuring that we retain the opportunity for human connection whenever it is needed. As well as ensuring compliance and security are a core part of how we think about implementing solutions to enhance business operations.

  • InsurTech

Author

Nell Walker

Published

28 August 2024

Estimated Read time

4Mins

We caught up with Shachi Rai Gupta from ORO Labs to discuss the importance of orchestration in procurement.

Simplifying procurement in smart ways is the ultimate goal for ORO Labs. Utilising the best of AI, ORO Labs aims to implement procurement orchestration across sectors, creating an experience that is simultaneously automated, augmented, and humanised.

Shachi Rai Gupta is VP Strategy at ORO Labs, with a wealth of transformation and technology experience behind her. Rai Gupta’s sharp eye on procurement has allowed her to witness the rise and fall of various trends, and understand what the sector needs as it – along with technology – evolves. 

We caught up with Rai Gupta at the DPW NYC Summit back in June, a special North American version of the event. Procurement trends, especially AI and orchestration, were very much the theme of the day, prompting lively conversations amongst some of the world’s most influential procurement leaders.

Procurement as a net positive experience generator

For Rai Gupta, the trends right now are guided by the fact that procurement has more of a  strategic and evolved role than ever, giving the function the opportunity to have a great impact on the enterprise bottom-line and the environment and community at large 

“Procurement is morphing into a function where one of its biggest responsibilities is to be a net positive experience generator,” she explains.

“Procurement really is a service function for the whole business stakeholders. We, as procurement professionals, need to see things through the lens of the business. This includes what issues the business is trying to solve, and meeting the business where it’s at for good collaboration.

“It’s also important to make this experience as easy as possible, rather than cumbersome and time intensive. That needs to be catered and customised to the individual business segments.”

Prioritising the planet

Another area Rai Gupta is seeing talked about a lot is sustainability. This topic has, for some, been sidelined a little in favour of advanced technology. But it’s just as important as it’s always been, and it’s vital to keep the discussion alive – especially in procurement.

“More and more, companies are realising the impact they’re having on the environment,” Rai Gupta explains. “It’s an increasing priority on all our agendas. The technology is still nascent in that space, in the sense that there aren’t good ways to do benchmarking or tracking. That’s going to be an interesting space to watch out for.”

The next generation

Another hot topic of the DPW NYC Summit was the talent shortage. We at CPOstrategy discuss this topic a lot with procurement professionals, and there’s no one answer for fixing the issue.

“There’s a dearth of good digital talent,” Rai Gupta states. “The skillset you need today in procurement is very different from what we’ve had before. To be able to leverage that, to really make use of the procurement teams you have and the operational model you want, it’s a different challenge. The structure of your team is more important than ever. 

“While that shortage is there, when you do have the right people in place in procurement, that’s where the department shines,” Rai Gupta adds. “That’s where procurement becomes a group of trusted advisors for the business, providing proactive opportunities. We wear a lot of hats in procurement, and we’re stepping up to a new level of evolution.”

Advanced tech for good

And, of course, AI and orchestration are terms on everyone’s lips right now – procurement included. AI is, in Rai Gupta’s words, “a solver”. Many of the blockages and challenges procurement is experiencing as it evolves can be solved, or at least aided, by AI and orchestration. “There’s so much tech out there,” Rai Gupta states. “AI is one such possibility. Every segment of procurement comes with its own risks and requires its own expertise and tool sets. 

“To manage that whole ecosystem is where that orchestration comes in. There’s a real beauty in this because it’s collaborative. It makes the whole bigger than its parts.”

Author

Nell Walker

Published

15 August 2024

Estimated Read time

4Mins

We chatted with Johan-Peter Teppala from Sievo about why procurement needs to use technology wisely.

When CPOstrategy attended the DPW NYC Summit back in June, one of the buzzwords of the day was trends. Trends in procurement, trends in technology, and how to combine the two. The event was filled with productive discussions around how procurement can benefit from data and advanced technology. This led to a hopeful vibe throughout the day, despite and because of acknowledgements of procurement’s shortfalls. 

We caught up with Johan-Peter Teppala, Chief Customer Officer of Sievo, at the NYC conference. For Teppala, that hopefulness is something he took away from the event. “It is great to see so many companies out there with keen interest in adopting new securities and technologies,” he says. “Procurement has increasing demand to do more with less, which explains also the need for technology to drive efficiency and to deliver more. I think it’s just inertia that’s slowing us down.”

However, advanced technology is helping shift the inertia that’s so prevalent across procurement. “Developments in GenAI have been exceptionally fast, especially recently,” Teppala adds. “With an increasing amount of practical Gen AI use cases, this has become a topic that touches each and everyone in procurement. At Sievo, we are dedicating R&D budgets to AI innovations. We have quickly been able to ramp up many practical use cases for our clients to deliver business value in this area.”

Using data and technology wisely

Teppala continues: “Sievo strives to withhold our position as the leading Procurement Analytics partner for large enterprises. We are driven by the goal to close the data-to-action gap. We believe analytics alone has zero value, it’s the actions that we take that drive the value.” This was a topic that was repeated several times during the DPW NYC Summit.

“As a result, SIevo’s goal is to ensure our customers can use their time most efficiently. We help them make business-impacting decisions and best use their expertise, whilst Sievo automatically surfaces insights that they can take action on. First and foremost, our work is about carving out insights. And once you have those insights, how do you automate those actions to create opportunities? That’s definitely one thing we’re keen to solve.”

Sievo is also focusing its attention on gen AI – how it can be adopted and what the use cases are. “AI for data cleansing has been around for a while,” says Teppala. “Right now, Gen AI is getting really good traction from a technology point of view. It’s not just insights, but adopting AI into chat interfaces, and reaping the benefits with implementable actions. It’s amazing.”

The changing talent landscape

The increased adoption of AI is going to also change the talent landscape within procurement. Another heavily-discussed topic during DPW NYC was the talent shortage and how it has the potential to slow procurement down. However, advanced technology may be the thing that accelerates it once again.

“The talent you need is changing,” says Teppala. “The procurement mandate has widened  beyond delivering cost savings. Now, it’s also about driving sustainability initiatives, emission reductions, increasing diverse spending, and preventing supply chain risks. Procurement has to be creative and resource-effective for reaching ideal outcomes. This is a big challenge but also a big opportunity and also impacts the talent needed in procurement. 

“You don’t necessarily need to hire superstars who know everything. It’s about teamwork. Building a procurement team out of people who possess all these modern talents, who can support each other. I can’t know whether this is going to solve the talent shortage, but at least we’re shifting towards a different kind of talent as capabilities change. 

Teppala concludes: “We need to be thinking more about what kind of team we actually want to build – not just what kind of really good, talented individual we can find.”

Author

Dan Brightmore

Published

25 July 2024

Estimated Read time

3Mins

Sage, the leader in accounting, financial, HR, and payroll technology for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), has announced an expansion…

Sage, the leader in accounting, financial, HR, and payroll technology for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), has announced an expansion of its partnership with a leading neobank. What’s more, Stripe offers a financial infrastructure platform for businesses, to help improve cashflow management and payment processing for SMBs. The partnership is key to helping businesses to move money easier and faster

Sage partners with neobank Stripe

Stripe is trusted by millions of businesses around the world, ranging from startups to enterprises. The partnership with Stripe provides Sage customers with more options to pay and get paid quickly. Additionally, leveraging Stripe’s financial infrastructure, Sage will offer its customers a trusted solution to help ease cashflow and simplify financial processes. From streamlined checkout and payment processing, to Tap to Pay contactless payments, and auto-reconciling bank transfers.

Also, in partnership with Stripe, Sage intends to expand its payments ecosystem. Therefore, ensuring that a growing number of its customers have access to services that will help them to manage their cashflow.

“This partnership signifies a shared vision between Sage and Stripe. To transform how SMBs pay and get paid, helping our customers to simplify cashflow management,” said Walid Abu-Hadba, Chief Product Officer, Sage. “Furthermore, we are committed to harnessing the power of technology to drive innovation, enhance efficiency, and pave the way for growth.” 

Addressing cashflow problems

Supporting customers globally, Stripe’s integration into Sage is currently available in the UK through Sage Accounting, Sage 50 and Sage 200. Also, Stripe is fully integrated into Sage Network, enabling customers to easily plug into the broader Sage ecosystem. Moreover, they can choose additional applications and features such as Sage Connect, automating AR and AP processes to help manage their cashflow and payments.

The expansion of the partnership will see customers benefits including:

Streamlined checkout and payment processing: SMBs with cash trapped in outstanding invoices can make it easier for customers to review their accounts. They can pay with Sage Connect’s customer account portal and Stripe Checkout.

Multiple payment methods: Accept payments from customers through different methods including digital wallets, cards and bank transfers. Additionally, Stripe uses machine learning to surface the most relevant payment methods for customers depending on their location.

Unified payments experience: Collect payments online and in person through Tap-to-Pay, for seamless, in-person, contactless payments No terminal hardware required.

A safe and secure payment experience: Leveraging Stripe’s advanced security protocols and compliance with global financial regulations. Customers can be assured transactions are protected against fraud and data breaches. Providing peace of mind for both businesses and their clients.

Auto-reconciling bank transfers: Saving time with automatic reconciliation. Finally, bank transfers enable customers to pay invoices via bank transfer, streamlining the payment and reconciliation process.

“Sage understands the importance of innovating for its customers. We’re thrilled to be part of its journey,” said Eileen O’Mara, Chief Revenue Officer at Stripe. “Stripe is building a suite of software-defined financial services. Ultimately, we can enable leading platforms like Sage to provide integrated features that make their customers’ lives easier.”

Lastly, this partnership adds to the broad range of payments and banking partners within Sage’s ecosystem.

  • Neobanking

Author

Sean Galea-Pace

Published

8 February 2023

Estimated Read time

4Mins

We look into the supply chain production process of Easter Eggs and the journey to their final destinations in supermarkets

Chocolate is arguably the world’s most popular sweet treat. Depending on who you ask, of course.

After, perhaps Christmas, it is the most common time for people to indulge in chocolate if they don’t do so anyway throughout the year.

And synonymous with Easter are the eggs themselves which are loved by children and adults alike all over the world.

The journey to Easter Eggs

The supply chain process is split into eight stages of production: cultivating, harvesting, splitting, fermentation, drying, winnowing, roasting and grinding. Following production, the supply chain process is extended further with logistics which is the final step to providing customers with their favourite seasonal sweet treat.

The journey actually begins with cocoa tree plantations being established which is done by scattering young cocoa trees amongst new shade trees or by planting the cocoa trees between established trees. These are planted in humid tropical climates, with temperatures between 21 and 23 degrees Celsius. This is consistent rainfall periods and a short dry season because these conditions provide good quality cocoa.

Easter eggs

Each tree produces 20-30 cocoa pods a year which grows straight from the tree’s trunk and main branches. With this tree also yielding fruit, the crop is carefully pruned, and as a result, it is easier to harvest the cocoa pods. The next step is the labour-intensive task of harvesting the crop.

The harvest is a whole community affair on small West African farms. Large knives are then used to detach the pods from the trees and placed in large baskets on workers’ heads. The pods are then manually split open to remove the beans so they are ready for the two-step curing process. Each pod consists of between 20-40 purple cocoa beans.

The curing process consists of fermenting and drying the beans to develop the chocolate flavour. There are several fermentation methods but the most traditional is the heap method. This requires placing mounds of wet cocoa beans in between layers of banana leaves on the ground for between five to six days. Following this, the drying stage begins. This involves the wet bunch of beans being spread out in the sun or using a more advanced method of special dying equipment.

From plant to factory

Often, a lot of large chocolate brands then buy the cocoa through intermediaries. The beans are then packed into sacks ready to be exported to the brands processing facilities in other locations globally.

After arrival, the beans are cleaned and quality inspected before the winnowing stage takes place. The dried beans are cracked to separate the shell from the nib which is where the small chunks are used to produce chocolate. Afterwards, the roasting phase begins in which the nibs are baked at high temperatures reaching 120 degrees Celsius in special ovens. This is where the colour and flavour is acquired.

Subsequently, the next stage is grinding which creates the basis of all chocolate products. The roasted nibs are grounded in stone mills until a thick liquid chocolate consistency is achieved.

Chocolate to egg

The final step is creating the chocolate egg masterpiece by using highly efficient computer-operated technology which has been used since the mid-20th century. The molten chocolate is placed in heated egg molds which are rotated so there is an even thickness. Following this, the eggs are left to cool and then removed from the molds. Once cooled, the eggs are wrapped in coloured foil and packaged into individual boxes before being sent out for retail. The transportation and exportation throughout the various supply chain stages is vital being a seasonal product. This means they are heavily relied upon for their timings to deliver to large supermarkets and independent stores.

Author

Andrew Woods

Published

7 May 2020

Estimated Read time

5Mins

Read in brochure format

Interface Magazine talks to Vladimir Arshinov, IT Director at steel producer SIJ Group regarding the company’s massive digital transformation

Going into 2017, SIJ Group (Slovenian Steel Group) – Slovenia’s biggest steel producer and one of the largest manufacturers of stainless and special steels in Europe had typical IT structure with semi-independent IT departments on each plant. And like many modern enterprises, SIJ was at work drafting a strategy to transform its operations, systems and processes into a more unified structure in a bid to improve productivity, safety and the all-important bottom line.

Vladimir Arshinov is SIJ’s IT Director and his initial focus in 2017 was trained on the digital transformation of SIJ’s IT department to a more transparent organization with a clear workflow. Previously, IT was a department of innovation with each individual plant having its own independent function, none of which connected with each other, often across varying geographies. “This meant that lots of efforts were wasted solving the same issues with different solutions,” Arshinov reveals.

At the end of 2017, SIJ established a Project Management Office. PMBOK was selected as a master methodology and the Head of PMO received PMP certification and developed internal regulation documents, rules and methodology. After finalizing the initial establishment phase, hiring project managers and the organization of the operational work, SIJ came to the conclusion that to raise the scope and complexity of the projects program, they needed a tool. The MS Project Management Server was duly selected and implemented allowing SIJ to simplify observation of the progress of projects and control, while ultimately reducing duration. Project team meetings were almost eliminated, and the distribution, control and execution of project tasks, were assigned to the project team members who managed and controlled projects including budget consumption. Each project member would then be measured for effectiveness.

Turning the IT department into a leaner function was a massive first step for SIJ as it needed a firm foundation upon which all future innovation could sit. And so, the next step in SIJ’s internal IT transformation was aimed at the most sensitive and critical area: software development. As with many metallurgical companies SIJ had a bulk of different IT systems, which were supplied or developed in the past and had to be either permanently supported, or, due to the business requirements, changed. One concern with the legacy system was the reliance on locally based productive software developer engineers developing new solutions and then, after, supporting them, resulting in a massive drop in development speed, as development and the subsequent support increased. This situation was causing overloading, burnout and frustration, triggering a desire to change something; sometimes resulting in employer change. However, SIJ IT considers people as its major asset and were determined to break the vicious circle of “one system – one person – forever”.

“What we did from an organizational point of view was to unify all geographically distributed developers from 4 different companies into the several virtual groups in each department,” Arshinov explains. “Each group has a Team Leader role, who assigns tasks to the group members and controls the execution of each individual task.”

Development at SIJ is now organised according to an agile approach using scrum boards and Microsoft Project Server to control all the time sheets of the people involved in the projects, plus their schedules and budgets. SIJ uses Microsoft Azure DevOps Server for unified storage of inter-company source code and Change Request Scrum board monitoring and control. Process and technical solutions now allow SIJ to involve external software development partners into the development process while controlling their activities, deliverables and costs. Developers can now use the Azure DevOps Server with the scrum board and are now able to register change requests in their system by themselves, where they see the progress of all individual change requests coming through the process with the integration of the IT Director informing the exchange and updating the status of the task development. 

In October 2019 SIJ revamped and migrated its Corporate Business Intelligence system to a new MicroStategy platform. The project took six months and provided SIJ with an extensive corporate Business Intelligence system with more than 180 different dashboards covering production, finance, sales, procurement, HR, Legal and investment functional areas. The overwhelming majority of the data now uploads automatically and the business intelligence tool has created a unified reporting system across the group utilizing the same source of data in order to integrate it. “There was huge involvement of the business customers with Oracle BI and this year, we moved to this new platform,” Arshinov explains. “The front end of the system was changed (from Oracle BI) to MicroStrategy for usability and a unified interface. Now, SIJ has a system that looks the same no matter the device it’s accessed from. This project allows us to organize and develop the team that tests the trial usage and develops the processes of the PMO (Project Management Office) inside the IT function.”

The BI System contains the entire spectrum of corporate data and allows SIJ to move quickly and transparently when taking a management decision, while reducing the number of mistakes, misunderstandings and time-consuming meetings.

The next system to be unified across the group was the Salesforce CRM system, which is now fully integrated. Then, an Oracle supplier portal followed, which opened the possibility of organizing tenders, thus massively simplifying the purchasing process. Oracle Innovation Management is another successful implementation, which, although a relatively small project, has had a big influence on the business transformation and innovation through increased flexibility. “It is also used to motivate people to suggest improvements and new innovative ideas,” he says.

So, what have been the major successes, according to Arshinov, following the ongoing digital transformation at SIJ? “The main difference between now and then was that each individual company was living alone, and I see now that the IT function in this case is unifying the people and allowing them to speak in a single language. It doesn’t matter if it’s a steel center or a big plant,” he explains. Costs have been dramatically reduced too, outsourcing being a prime example. In 2016, SIJ was spending more than 70% annual budget for operational external services. For 2020, that part of budget reduced to 40%. Meanwhile, the capital investments part of the budget has grown from 4% in 2016 to 56% in 2020.

The implementation of a Supply Chain Planning system (from Quintiq) incorporating the Oracle Business Suite, has improved the delivery, safety and performance of SIJ’s plants. “We improved Delivery Performance OTIFF (on time and in full) of a stainless steel plant by 12.8% in six months,” he enthuses. “And we shortened the production cycle by 15,4% from ordering to shipping, which is a brilliant result within six months of going live.”

In SIJ Matal Ravne has replaced the melt shop technology system and entire plant manufacturing execution system to replace the obsolete legacy system – which had zero planning functionality – with PSI Metals. “First of all, we’re increasing the level of understanding and the knowledge of the internal IT team, while dramatically decreasing project cost by involving internal specialists into the supplier team. That allows us to save several hundred thousand Euros of project budget and it’s a win-win situation for the supplier as well. First of all, the supplier is receiving our team, which knows the production and the limitations and has extensive inside knowledge. At the end of the day, the commercial value, in this case, is the cheaper price. Cheaper than anybody else is able to receive.”

Another and no less important project for Sij Metal Ravne is the joint development work with Comtrade Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). Laboratories in metallurgy companies are complicated and highly demanding environments with unique processes required for quality control of all products and this solution covers and improves core laboratory processes and will be highly integrated with the PSI manufacturing execution system from one side and Oracle ERP on the other.

Through this massive digital transformation, SIJ has also managed to increase quality control through sophisticated AI, which has massively impacted its operations. The acquisition of scrap metal, a major influence on SIJ’s bottom line, can now be influenced through advanced detection systems that can detect impurities, thus representing huge savings when it comes to procurement. “The conservative saving is €1.4m,” he says.

The digital transformation at SIJ is touching every aspect of the company’s growth and is certainly an ongoing journey rather than a destination. “We are not an IT company, that’s understood,” Arshinov says. “But we are supporting services inside the business, and of course our main concern will always be supporting the production of steel. But we’re not there yet.”