Serge Bejjani, Co-Founder & CEO of Shootday, on the importance for FinTechs of treating brand indentity as intellectual property
SHARE THIS STORY
It’s a pervasive idea that reproducing the visual language of credible, established institutions lets new FinTech entrants borrow trust by association. It’s also wrong, and the consequences are real.
Familiarity isn’t reassuring anyone
FinTech customers have, over the last decade, run into all manner of low-trust players dressed in the same polished aesthetic. The reassuring visual cues that once signalled FinTech’s credibility have been hijacked by unscrupulous outfits as a cheap disguise.
Where generic branding might once have read as safely conventional, it now reads as deliberately evasive. Sameness has become the hallmark of a company with nothing much to say for itself, a shrug that leaves the customer with nothing to go on when deciding whether it’s worthy of their trust.
Trust in financial services isn’t built through aesthetic conformity but through demonstrable reliability and a coherent identity. That takes time, and for a weak FinTech, time only increases the odds that its shortcomings get exposed.
At a moment when customers have every reason to approach fintech with caution, messaging that whispers “this could be any FinTech” is a red flag. Customers who can’t tell one FinTech from another aren’t reassured by the homogeneity, it just strips them of any basis to form an opinion, good or bad, which is a poor foundation for a relationship built on money.
Similar by accident
No firm decides, one day, to become generic as a strategy. Product, growth and marketing teams independently optimised toward frictionless onboarding, familiar messaging and low-risk visuals. Because those choices tested well, cleared compliance faster and reassured investors used to recognisable patterns. Individuality got lost across a decade of small, rational decisions. What comes next will happen a great deal faster.
Copy and paste
Generative tools now produce marketing copy and design at a pace no internal FinTech team can match, and they’re doing it by training on a body of content that’s already remarkably homogenous.
Ask any AI model to design a “trustworthy landing page” for the sector and, in an afternoon, it will hand back the same blues, the same reassuring sans-serif type and the same promises of ease and control that already define the sector’s digital presence, because that’s what the training data mostly contains.
Every firm using these tools without creative oversight is baking the same clichés into its marketing at scale. The firms moving fastest to fold AI into their marketing stack may, in practice, be moving fastest toward irrelevance. In 18 months, those who let AI construct their identity may wake up to find they don’t really have one.
Trust your people
This isn’t a problem a better font or a wider colour palette will fix. As AI increasingly shapes what FinTech content looks like, the advantage shifts to firms with a genuinely distinctive identity, one AI can’t replicate.
Executive headshots and stock imagery still have their place. They fill a LinkedIn profile or an investor deck. But a templated one, the same backdrop and the same pose every other firm is using, does nothing to separate one FinTech from the next, and an AI-generated stand-in does even less. What actually differentiates is real footage from real moments: a founder in an actual client meeting, a team at an actual product launch, a conference stand that looks like the people running it rather than a template.
That means treating brand identity as intellectual property worth protecting, and giving marketing and product teams room to choose to look different, rather than defaulting to the safest option every time.
Serge Bejjani is co-founder and CEO ofShootday, a global photo and video production partner providing corporate event photography, event videography, and headshot services for businesses in 150+ cities worldwide.
In July, we returned to the Exiger Executive Forum, where industry leaders gathered to discuss the issue of modern slavery across the supply chain
SHARE THIS STORY
In all elements of business, one of the biggest topics of conversation right now is people. Whether it’s keeping humans in the loop with technology, how to care for people via change management, or wellbeing in the workplace, people are a vital topic.
This extends to how people are treated all the way along the supply chain. The latest Exiger Executive Forum, Human rights in the supply chain: From obligation to operational discipline, dug deep into human rights due diligence and how organisations can demonstrate actual defensible action and compliance.
The event returned to the stunning Great Scotland Yard Hotel in London for the occasion, on the 15th of July. During the course of the evening, an expert panel discussed some of the biggest issues regarding human rights in the supply chain right now, and hopes for how those issues will change.
Matthew Heibel from Aspen Institute Central Europe moderated the evening’s panel. He opened the conversation by outlining the discussion and its goals. “Tonight’s theme is very direct,” he said. “It’s called Human rights in the supply chain: From obligation to operational discipline.
“Human rights risk in global supply chains can no longer be treated as an annual disclosure exercise or reputation issue measured at arm’s length,” Heibel continued. “It is becoming a live operational, legal, strategic exposure. It is about customs clearance, market access, investor confidence, customer trust, regulatory scrutiny and executive accountability. This evening’s discussion will take place in three parts.
“The first part explores the why. The second part dives head-first in the real problems businesses face. The final part seeks to offer realistic solutions moving forward.”
Heibel then introduced the panel:
Caroline Haughey OBE KC
Koray Köse, Founder and Chief Analyst, Köse Advisory & Special Advisor at ODI Global, Senior Fellow, GlobSEC Geotech Centre & Board Member, Slave-Free Alliance
Tim Nelson, CEO, Hope for Justice & Slave-Free Alliance
Erika Peters, Head of Strategic Accounts, Exiger
The ‘why’
Heibel kicked off the why by asking Nelson to frame the issue of human costs, and explain what business leaders need to understand that they’ll never learn from a supplier questionnaire. Nelson’s work with the Hope for Justice and Slave-Free Alliance puts him closest to the human element, after all.
“We can identify five main areas that modern slavery falls within,” Nelson said. “The three dominant areas most people will be aware of are sexual exploitation, labour trafficking, and domestic servitude. The other two – organ harvesting and forced marriage – form part of what is modern day slavery. In the last year in this country alone, there were 19,125 victims. The estimates in this country are anywhere from 122,000 individuals that are held against their will at this moment in time. But from a global perspective, we see that nearly 50 million people are estimated to be in some form of modern day slavery, which is more people now than at any time in human history. 27 million people are estimated to be victims of forced labour, with up to 17.3 million of those exploited within the supply chains of major multinational businesses
He continued: “We’re in a day and an era now where there’s more visibility, more understanding of what the issue is, the problem and how we can solve it. And therefore we are in an era where it is possible to imagine across all aspects of modern day slavery how we can see an end to this as an issue. If we get the right strategy, we enact it with the right level of resources, we can start to close gaps where individuals are falling through the cracks and being exploited. The sad reality of where we are at the moment is not every business doing all that they can. And with what we do at Slave-Free Alliance, our aim is to try and come alongside as a trusted friend to make an impact, to help make a difference in the lives of everyday people.”
Following this, Heibel pointed out that Haughey is on the frontline of the fight against modern slavery. She prosecutes cases and shapes laws as part of her role – so what is the human cost of exploitation?
“Tim Nelson’s charity was the reason that we prosecuted Operation Fort, the largest modern slavery in human trafficking case in Europe,” Haughey explained. “We identified 350 victims. Two were women. All of them were people like you and me. One of them was a guy who accepted the job so he could pay for his mother’s chemotherapy in Poland; another accepted the job so that he could pay for his daughter’s heart transplant in Poland. These were people looking for jobs.
“The job that was offered to them was to be paid £350 a week, sorting rubbish. They would be working in Birmingham. They would be given accommodation, food, and transport to and from work. What actually happened was they were picked up and their travel ID and national identity cards were taken off them. You would find 17 of them living in a house for two with no running water, no electricity, no heating, no cooking facilities. These are ordinary people. Educated and informed people who have agreed to take an opportunity and someone has chosen to abuse their desire to work.”
Köse recently wrote a piece for Forbes which discussed the fact that some people believe businesses can’t afford to play nice, and that human rights are only a priority when they’re convenient. Heibel asked him about this article, and what Köse’s response is to that.
“I turn it around and say that playing by the rules only got us into this mess because we made it a checkbox exercise,” he said. “We wanted to meet the minimum requirements and make sure that our businesses run profitably and efficiently, which caused us to only look as far as needed – and no further. When it comes to the legal sovereignty of a country and state stopping at its border, supply chains don’t. And that’s the conundrum that we are facing when we’re trying to fix a problem that’s bigger than the reach of a single legislation of a single country. Not only that, but we are not responsible enough about the people that make products because our primary responsibility lies in outsourcing for cost and quality. With that we outsource the liability. But at the end of the day, it is all part of one supply chain. The value chain is an ecosystem. If we don’t go beyond what we can see at arm’s length and open the doors beyond the legislation that requires us to really be compliant, then we won’t change the system to be more resilient and just.”
Addressing vulnerabilities and legal standards
Heibel: “Where do you see companies getting stuck: data collection, prioritisation, internal accountability, action, or somewhere else?”
Peters: “The customers that I deal with are all so different. All of those are areas they can get stuck in. It is highly dependent on the maturity of their program. Sometimes I’m really in shock with what I see because I buy from some of these companies myself and they’re the largest in the world. And then they say, ‘I actually don’t know who my suppliers are’. Just understanding who you do business with is a question they can’t always answer. We do help them and over time, and as their program matures each of those areas are addressed.”
Heibel: “Where do you see the biggest vulnerability to human rights abuses in the operating model: sourcing strategy, cost pressure, supplier dependency, subcontracting, or lack of visibility?”
Köse: “The answer is all of the above. But the root cause is a single architectural flaw: we designed supply chains to be fast, cheap, and opaque. We optimised for cost discovery and hid everything else. These vulnerabilities aren’t independent failures – they’re symptoms of the same structural decision: the relentless outsourcing of accountability alongside the outsourcing of production. Cost pressure is the ignition source. When a buyer squeezes a Tier 1 supplier’s margins to an unsustainable point, that pressure doesn’t disappear – it travels. It gets passed down to Tier 2, to Tier 3, to informal subcontractors operating in jurisdictions where labour law is either weak or actively unenforced. That is where exploitation lives – not in the factory that passed your audit, but in the one you didn’t know existed. The reality of things is that deniability and plausible deniability does not exist anymore because you’re looking at every tier as a Tier 1.”
Heibel: “What are the legal standards companies need to comply with both to avoid the “we did not know” defense and about conduct sitting below Tier 1 suppliers? How do they make sure to avoid you [Haughey] in the courtroom?”
Haughey: “What I see from my perspective is the landscape is changing. I got asked quite literally yesterday by a very big magic circle law firm, ‘would it be possible to prosecute a company for conspiracy to traffic humans on the basis of actions that they knew were going on, but that they had failed to address?’ My answer was yes, because they are doing an act and furtherance of the criminal behavior by passively knowing it exists, but doing nothing to prevent it, and having the power to do something. The landscape is changing legally in this way as well. We have the EU director that was handed down in April, March 2024, which means that directors have to take responsibility. It’s the director’s problem. Under the company’s act, they have legal and corporate responsibility.”
Promoting hope
With the problems of modern slavery discussed, Heibel directed the panel to offer some light in the darkness. He asked Nelson how organisations like Hope for Justice can be an asset for businesses when tackling the issue of a more transparent supply chain.
“Within what we do at Hope for Justice, we have this division called the Slave-Free Alliance, which is a trusted friend to big businesses and helps them with the requirements that are placed upon them regarding modern day slavery. So we come in and we provide gap analysis to try and help pinpoint where the problems are and what needs to change. Quite often there are teams internally within companies, but we see most companies have very small teams with limited ability to be able to carry heavy weight in core areas of risk. We can also utilise experiences that we’ve had in one sector and bring it into another sector. It is the combination of great strategic advice, very good resourcing and training and understanding.”
With this in mind, Heibel asked Peters how technology – like the 1ExigerAI platform – can be a force multiplier.
“The problem is extremely large, meaning there’s just no other way to do it than using technology,” she replied. “That’s clear. And therefore in itself, it already is a force multiplier. The good news is that there is so much data out there. And I think that was really the thing that surprised a lot of people doing due diligence. There’s just so much information in this global world of the web that even bringing it all together and being able to tell a picture is actually a lot more doable than people thought.”
When asked for what the rosiest picture of the future of modern slavery in the supply chain could be, Haughey said that the best case scenario situation is that she’s out of the job.
“It’s about preventative action and collaboration with others,” she said. “There is a drive and desire to collaborate without defeating competition. If you invest now, you are not looking at your bottom line this year and next year. You’re looking at perpetuity. I want my own company to be a hundred year company and beyond, but I want it to be a good company. I want it to be a company that I am proud of saying ‘we are trying to do right’. That comes down to a use of data and fearlessness about understanding your data, as well as recognising that AI has many benefits. It’s an amazing thing for scraping information.”
Köse added that a lack of collaboration means that when a problem occurs, the spotlight is really on you – and that realisation often comes after the fact. “If ignorance versus knowledge comes in as cost versus benefit, you’re in the wrong room with the wrong mindset,” he explained, also echoing Haughey’s and Peters’ sentiment about utilising technology. “There is plentiful data in existence. It requires scalable analytics to turn these bits and pieces into a narrative that’s cohesive, clear, and actionable. And, in fact, it does run actions for the enterprise directly in a way that prevents, mitigates, and also quickly contains issues in the agentic AI way.”
Peters rounded up the conversation with a positive outlook based on her experiences with Exiger. “When you talk about human rights or ESG, the individuals who have been tasked with that actually are very forthcoming and they’re very collaborative. They actually do want to get in the room and talk about how they are solving the problem and learn from their peers because actually, there aren’t that many. I see a lot of collaboration in large companies coming together with those individuals.”
The evening’s panel made it clear that human rights due diligence can no longer be a box-ticking exercise, or a static obligation. Nor is it possible to plead ignorance anymore. Human beings cannot be seen as numbers, and modern slavery is not an abstract supply chain risk. It’s real, it’s happening right now, and it’s harming people.
Through a greater sense of responsibility, a proactive response, and valuable data, organisations can root out and put an end to modern slavery – protecting people while protecting their reputations. The conversation doesn’t end with the Exiger Executive Forum, but we all gained valuable insights from the evening.
Thank you to the Exiger team for inviting us to be part of the conversation; we look forward to the next forum.
Asia’s FinTech ecosystem reached new heights with breakthrough announcements and industry-defining moments that will reshape the region’s financial landscape
SHARE THIS STORY
Money20/20, the world’s leading FinTech show and the place where money does business, concluded three days of industry‑shaping conversations. High‑impact networking, and packed stages were seen across three days from April 21–23 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok, Thailand.
Money20/20 Asia – 2026
This year’s show welcomed over 4,500 attendees, a 40% increase in its third year. With over 360 speakers delivering over 100 hours of content across four stages. A very busy Money Hall show floor brought together delegates, sponsors and exhibitors from 90 countries. Across the show floor, companies reported a surge in commercial activity, with hundreds of partnership meetings, product demos, and investor conversations driving tangible deal‑flow throughout the three days.
“Money20/20 Asia is where Asia does business. The record attendance we’re seeing, combined with our relentless focus on quality – of audience, conversations, content, and experience – is translating into real partnerships and outcomes for the leaders shaping the future of financial services in the region. It’s why we are firmly established as Asia’s #1 quality FinTech show.” Danny Levy, Money20/20’s Executive Vice President & Managing Director for Money20/20 Asia and Middle East.
Headline Sessions
AI, cross‑border payments, digital banking, and the accelerating rise of digital assets, including stablecoins, tokenisation, and CBDCs shaped the headline sessions at Money20/20 Asia. Leaders from global banks, FinTechs, and regulators unpacked these themes across discussions on trust in banking, invisible finance, intelligent infrastructure, the future of digital banks, and ASEAN’s sustainability transition.
“Our goal is not just to digitise finance, but to humanise it,” said Daranee Saeju, Assistant Governor, Bank of Thailand, reinforcing the event’s focus on people‑centred innovation and trusted digital ecosystems.
These themes came to life across the agenda’s most talked about sessions. On Day 1, Technology, Trust and the Future of Banking in Asia brought together Scarlett Sieber of Money20/20 and Kattiya Indaravijaya of KASIKORNBANK to explore how modern infrastructure and AI‑driven intelligence are redefining trust and resilience in banking. “Uncertainty is a new normal. Banking will exist, but the way banks have to do the business will totally change,” said CEO Indaravijaya, Chief Executive Officer.
Day 2 spotlighted the rapid evolution of digital assets with The Rise of Blockchain and Stablecoin Payment Rails, featuring leaders from Uquid, Pantera Capital, VelaFi, and Trace Finance in a forward looking discussion on next‑generation cross‑border payment rails.
On Day 3, The New Paradigm of Cross‑Border Money Flows and International Expansion saw speakers from Money20/20, TenPay Global (Tencent), Fiserv, and Ant International unpack how Asia’s payment giants are building interoperable, multi‑rail systems to power global expansion.
Three Days of Expert Inisghts
Along with KASIKORNBANK, the programme saw strong participation from leading global and regional banks, with senior executives from Standard Chartered, Deutsche Bank, J.P. Morgan, Citi, and DBS Bank present across the three days.
FXC Intelligence and Money20/20 presented new findings from The New Era of Asia’s Cross‑Border Payments, underscoring Asia’s rapid growth, rising interoperability, and the convergence of key technologies shaping cross‑border finance. The Press Lunch additionally marked the debut of Money20/20’s new book, The New Intersection of Money – Where TradFi and DeFi Converge, exploring how traditional and decentralised finance are now co‑creating the future of financial services.
Money20/20 Asia spotlighted five rising startups Boost Capital, TrustPlus AI, Continuum, Eazy Digital, and zkMe, Money20/20’s Startup pitch winner during its Startup Media Panel. The show also hosted the Startup and Investor Park, where APAC startups met global investors and competed for a Golden Ticket to the 2026 Startupbootcamp Sustainability Singapore Accelerator. The program supports founders with pitching opportunities, investor access, and pathways to scale across Asia’s fast-growing fintech markets.
Policy20at Money20/20 Asia 2026 brought together more than 80 of Asia’s top policymakers, regulators, and industry leaders to address the rise of sovereign intelligence in global finance. In a closed-door Governors’ and Chairs’ Roundtable, participants aligned on three priorities: embedding regional values into global standards, building harmonised but sovereignty‑respecting cross‑border rails, and advancing intelligence‑led governance through AI and real‑time data.
After a highly successful third year in Bangkok, Money20/20 Asia has confirmed its return to the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center next year from 27-29 April 2027.
The Innovate Finance Global Summit (IFGS) once again set the tone for London FinTech Week, transforming the historic Guildhall into…
SHARE THIS STORY
The Innovate Finance Global Summit (IFGS) once again set the tone for London FinTech Week, transforming the historic Guildhall into the beating heart of global financial innovation on Tuesday April 21st 2026. As the flagship event of the week-long programme, IFGS brought together more than 1,500 senior leaders from over 70 countries. Cementing its reputation as one of the most influential gatherings in the FinTech calendar.
A mix of founders, regulators, policymakers, investors and financial institutions filled the venue’s grand halls, all drawn by a shared ambition: to shape the future of financial services. IFGS has long positioned itself as “where decision-makers meet,” and in 2026 that promise felt particularly tangible.
A Global Stage for a Rapidly Evolving Industry
The summit’s scale and structure reflected the complexity of today’s FinTech ecosystem. Across four stages and more than 100 sessions, attendees were immersed in a dense programme of keynote speeches, panel discussions and live demonstrations.
What distinguishes IFGS from many industry events is its ability to convene not just innovators, but the entire value chain. Fom early-stage startups to global banks, Big Tech firms and regulators. Companies such as Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft were prominent throughout the programme, reflecting the growing convergence of financial services and cloud infrastructure. Where policy meets practice and innovation meets implementation.
The agenda in 2026 was firmly aligned with the industry’s most pressing challenges and opportunities. Themes ranged from AI in financial services and open finance to stablecoins, fraud prevention and financial inclusion. Not juts abstract talking points, but the battlegrounds on which the future of finance will be decided.
Opening Momentum: Optimism with a Call for Action
The day began with a keynote from Innovate Finance CEO Janine Hirt, who set a confident yet pragmatic tone.
“We have built one of the most dynamic fintech ecosystems in the world here in the UK,” she said. “But leadership is not guaranteed. It requires constant innovation, investment and collaboration.”
Hirt highlighted the UK’s continued strength in areas such as open banking, while stressing the need to accelerate progress in digital assets, fraud prevention and global competitiveness.
A recorded address from Chancellor Rachel Reeves reinforced this narrative, positioning fintech as a cornerstone of the UK economy.
“Fintech is not just a success story—it is a strategic priority,” Reeves noted. “We will continue to back innovation, support digital assets development and ensure the UK remains a global hub for financial services.”
The political backing on display underlined fintech’s growing importance—not just as a sector, but as a driver of national economic growth.
AI, Data and the Next Wave of Innovation
Unsurprisingly, artificial intelligence dominated much of the conversation. Across multiple sessions, speakers from firms including NVIDIA, IBM and Accenture explored how AI is reshaping everything from customer onboarding to fraud detection and credit decisioning.
What stood out was the shift in tone. The discussion has moved beyond hype to implementation.
“We’re past the experimentation phase,” said a senior executive from Mastercard during a panel on AI in payments. “The focus now is on scaling responsibly. Embedding AI into core systems while maintaining trust and transparency.”
Similarly, Revolut’s leadership team pointed to AI-driven personalisation as a key differentiator in the next generation of digital banking. “Customers increasingly expect financial services to anticipate their needs. AI enables us to deliver that, but only if it’s built on strong data foundations.”
Closely linked to AI was the continued evolution of open banking into open finance and ‘smart data’. Speakers from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and firms such as Plaid and TrueLayer emphasised the importance of interoperability and regulatory clarity.
“Open finance is the natural next step,” said an FCA representative. “The challenge is ensuring it delivers real value to consumers while maintaining robust safeguards.”
Meanwhile, stablecoins and tokenisation emerged as key themes in the context of global competition. Circle, Ripple and several UK-based digital asset firms contributed to discussions around the future of programmable money.
“The question is no longer if tokenisation will reshape markets, but how quickly,” said a Ripple executive during a digital assets panel.
The Exhibition Floor: Innovation in Action
Beyond the stages, the expo hall offered a tangible view of FinTech’s evolution. Established players such as Lloyds Banking Group, NatWest and Santander UK showcased innovation initiatives alongside emerging startups presenting solutions in regtech, embedded finance and payments.
Fintech scale-ups including Checkout.com and Adyen demonstrated new capabilities in cross-border payments and merchant services, while regtech firms, such as Entrust, highlighted advances in compliance automation and fraud detection.
This blend of established and emerging companies is one of IFGS’s defining strengths. It creates an environment where partnerships can form organically. Whether between a startup seeking scale or an incumbent looking to innovate.
The presence of regulators, notably the FCA, added another layer of value. Initiatives such as onsite ‘office hours’ enabled direct engagement between FinTech firms and regulators.
“Dialogue is essential,” one FCA official commented. “Events like IFGS give us the opportunity to hear directly from industry and shape regulation that supports innovation.”
Networking: Where Deals and Ideas Converge
If content is the backbone of IFGS, networking is its lifeblood. The summit’s design – from curated meetings to informal discussions in the Guildhall’s historic spaces – encouraged meaningful interaction.
With thousands of attendees and a high concentration of C-level executives, the event offered unparalleled access to decision-makers. Conversations between banks, FinTechs and investors were constant, with many attendees citing partnership discussions as a key outcome.
Even external challenges—such as a London Tube strike on the day—did little to dampen participation. If anything, it reinforced the determination of attendees to be part of the conversation.
“Nothing was going to keep people away,” remarked one venture investor. “IFGS is where the industry sets its agenda for the year.”
Key Takeaways: Collaboration, Competition and Confidence
Several clear themes emerged from IFGS 2026.
First, collaboration remains critical. The UK’s fintech success is built on strong relationships between startups, incumbents and regulators.
Second, global competition is intensifying. Whether in AI, digital assets or open finance, the race to lead the next phase of financial innovation is well underway.
Third, there is a growing sense of confidence in fintech’s role as an economic driver.
“Fintech is no longer a disruptor, it is the foundation of modern financial services,” said a senior executive from HSBC during a closing session.
Conclusion: A Catalyst for the Year Ahead
IFGS 2026 delivered on its promise as the centrepiece of London FinTech Week. By bringing together the full spectrum of the FinTech ecosystem in a single venue, it created a powerful platform for dialogue, collaboration and innovation.
More than just a conference, IFGS serves as a barometer for the industry’s direction. The conversations held within the Guildhall’s walls will shape strategies, partnerships and policies in the months and years ahead.
As FinTech continues to evolve at pace, events like IFGS are not just important; they are essential. They provide the space for ideas to collide, for relationships to form and for the future of financial services to be defined.
In 2026, IFGS once again proved why London remains at the forefront of global FinTech. And why the world continues to look to the UK for leadership in shaping what comes next.
Report reveals shift from experimentation to scale as AI and digital assets drive regional leadership
SHARE THIS STORY
Money20/20, the world’s leading FinTech show, has unveiled its annual Future of Fintech in APAC report. Money20/20 Asia takes place in Bangkok on April 21-23 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC). The whitepaper reveals that APAC’s FinTech ecosystem has reached a pivotal inflection point. The region is shifting from experimentation to scaled deployment. Across AI, digital payments, and digital assets, marking a decisive move toward production‑grade innovation.
The comprehensive report is based on surveys and interviews with more than 130 senior FinTech leaders across Asia. It reveals an industry moving beyond pilot programs toward enterprise-scale solutions. These prioritise collaboration, digital trust, and financial inclusion as core business imperatives for 2026.
Key FinTech Findings
Southeast Asia dominates expansion plans: 22.9% of respondents identify the region as their primary growth target. Despite a decline from 31.4% last year — underscoring its continued dominance as the region’s growth engine.
Financial inclusion becomes strategic priority: 90.6% of executives say social good initiatives are now embedded in corporate strategy. Confirming that impact has become a commercial imperative, not a CSR exercise.
AI adoption accelerates: 61.2% of organisations have already adopted AI or machine learning. Only 3.5% are yet to begin exploring it.
Regulatory momentum accelerates: New frameworks in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan are driving institutional adoption of stablecoins and tokenised assets
Cyber-resilience emerges as top operational concern: 63.5% of leaders cite fraud prevention as their highest operational priority.
“APAC is no longer experimenting, it’s executing. The region is building financial infrastructure that is faster, safer, and more inclusive than ever before. What happens here will influence the future of money globally.” Ian Fong, VP of Content at Money20/20 Asia.
Digital Trust Becomes the New Currency
As digital adoption accelerates, cyber-resilience has emerged as the region’s most urgent priority for 2026. 63.5% of leaders identifying fraud prevention as their top operational priority. Regulators and industry players are investing heavily in real-time risk intelligence and AI-driven security measures.
The speed of digital adoption in APAC has outpaced traditional fraud models,” said Justin Lie, Founder & CEO of SHIELD. “What we’re seeing now is a shift toward real-time, device-level intelligence that operates silently in the background. Trust is the new currency of digital finance. Furthermore, the companies that embed it in every interaction while delivering a frictionless experience will define the future of the industry.”
Stablecoins Move into Mainstream Financial Infrastructure
Institutional engagement with stablecoins and tokenised financial instruments has grown significantly over the past year. It is supported by clearer regulatory frameworks emerging across Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan. Blockchain and DLT were ranked by 17.9% of respondents as the most impactful emerging technology after AI. These developments are enabling faster cross-border settlements, improved liquidity management, and new treasury optimisation strategies for enterprises.
“Across Asia, stablecoins are already embedded in real economic activity. From payments and cross-border settlements to treasury optimisation,” said Yam Ki Chan, Vice President, Asia Pacific at Circle. “The region is demonstrating how digital assets can scale within financial systems. And the next phase is about interoperability and the development of an economic operating system (OS) for the internet”.
Digital Lending Expands Financial Access
2.1 billion adults globally are still underbanked or unbanked. Thus, digital lenders across South and Southeast Asia are leveraging alternative data, mobile-first onboarding, and embedded finance to reach previously excluded communities. The report also highlights that 72.9% of respondents believe FinTech solutions tailored to SMEs are key to driving economic growth across APAC. Signalling a widening opportunity for inclusive financial innovation.
“Financial inclusion isn’t achieved by simply putting products online. It requires building for the realities of everyday consumers,” said Moritz Gastl, General Manager of Tala Philippines. “In markets like the Philippines, trust, transparency, and flexibility matter just as much as credit scoring. Digital lending works when it empowers people, not when it replicates old systems with new interfaces.”
Looking Ahead: Collaboration Will Define the Next Decade
Together, the findings of this report point to a region no longer just testing FinTech concepts. It is actively building production-grade financial infrastructure. As AI scales, payment rails interconnect, and digital assets enter regulated markets. APAC is emerging as a blueprint for how financial systems will be built and governed globally.
“The next wave of FinTech innovation will be defined by how well we balance technological advancement with social impact,” added Fong. “APAC markets are proving that financial innovation and inclusion can advance together.”
The Future of Fintech in APAC report can be downloaded HERE.
Join thousands of attendees at FIBE Berlin for two days of groundbreaking inquiry into the future of financial services and the tech that will drive it
SHARE THIS STORY
Berlin’s importance in the finance and tech services industry is characterised by a combination of a vibrant startup scene, abundant capital, a supportive innovation environment and a broad network of events and collaborations. All these factors make Berlin a leading centre for financial technology in Europe. And this is where FIBE Berlin comes in – Germany’s first international international finance & tech festival.
FIBE Berlin showcases the latest trends and developments acros the industry. FIBE Berlin bridges traditional banking with the disruptive FinTech sector and offers curated networking formats to ensure you get the most out of your attendance.
Why Attend?
Your benefits in a nutshell: Engage with the European finance and tech scene over two days. Listen to international expert speakers, participate in curated networking sessions, and attend the FIBE Recovery Breakfast.
Whether you are a finance expert, a FinTech visionary or a tech investor, don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to be a part of the FIBE Berlin community and create a new form of convention and exhibition. From Berlin for the world.
In just two days, FIBE Berlin will delve into the most groundbreaking topics that are reshaping the financial landscape. With Handelsblatt, Germany’s business and financial daily, the conference has an expert partner responsible for curating the stage programme.
In addition to dealing with the newest content, FIBE Berlin creates interactive formats and an exchange at eye level between the audience and speakers delivering expert insights. No matter whether it’s a debate, a live feed to correspondents around the world or a meet and greet with international speakers. You can count on FIBE Berlin’s conference program to be bang up-to-date, controversial and interactive.
To help you navigate FIBE Berlin’s vast array of offerings, the festival program is divided across three different stages:
The Festival Stage, delves into the big questions and connections within the industry, if not the world, through panel discussions and one-on-one interviews. There’s plenty of space around this big stage to listen, ask questions, and join the discussion.
As the name Club Stage suggests, things are a bit more intimate here. Speakers and moderators take a behind-the-scenes look at companies (be it a unicorn or an early-stage startup), collaborations, investments, and more. Again, your questions and experiences are more than welcome here.
Experience Fintech Berlin style at the ever so popular Späti Stage. For many, a Späti (Berlin’s corner shops), replaces the living room or kitchen table and so does the Späti Stage. Completely informal and unconventional it features quick presentations, out of the box impulses, and meet and greet sessions. Grab an ice cream, a beer, or some crisps and join the Späti crowd!
From Infrastructure to Impact – Where Technology Meets Humanity
SHARE THIS STORY
From Infrastructure to Impact – Where Technology Meets Humanity
Money20/20, the world’s leading FinTech show, and the place where money does business, has revealed the agenda for Money20/20 Asia. Set for April 21-23 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok. Asia’s most influential FinTech event will bring together thousands of leaders, innovators, regulators, and investors. From across the region and around the world delegates will explore how financial technology can deliver real human impact – not just technical innovation.
From Infrastructure to Impact – Where Technology Meets Humanity
Under the theme “From Infrastructure to Impact – Where Technology Meets Humanity,” the agenda reflects the industry’s evolution from celebrating capability to driving measurable outcomes that matter to people and communities. The program will spotlight key priorities. These include intelligent infrastructure for inclusive systems, SME empowerment, hyper-local ecosystem orchestration across diverse markets, last-mile solutions for underserved users, and the convergence of traditional and decentralised finance.
The keynote roster features top voices shaping the future of finance across Asia and beyond. Including Peng Ooi Goh, Founder & Executive Chairman of Silverlake Group; Sridhar Narayanan, Distinguished Engineer & CTO, IBM Payments Center; Kelvin Tan, CEO of audax Singapore; Fozia Amanulla, CEO of Boost Bank Malaysia; Rob Schimek, Group CEO of Bolttech; Anu Phanse, Chief Compliance Officer at Coinbase Singapore; Raymond Ng, CEO for Singapore & SEA at Revolut; and Rahul Advani, Global Co-Head of Policy at Ripple – along with an expanding roster of sector leaders across banking, FinTech, and technology.
A Defining Moment for the FinTech Industry
“Money20/20 Asia 2026 is a defining moment for our industry,” says Danny Levy, EVP & MD, APAC & Middle East. “This year’s agenda has been designed not just to showcase what technology can do, but to deepen conversations about what technology should do. Solve real challenges, unlock economic potential for small businesses, and ensure inclusive access for communities across Asia. We’re thrilled to bring together a lineup of visionary leaders who share that commitment.”
“Tokenisation is quickly moving from concept to real‑world use across Asia. Industries today are leveraging cutting edge technology to unlock liquidity and value through secure, compliant frameworks. HashKey is building the foundational infrastructure that makes it possible, and I’m looking forward to joining Money20/20 Asia to drive this shift from experimentation to real impact.”
Anna Liu, Chief Executive Officer of HashKey Tokenisation
Across three days of keynotes, panels, and interactive sessions, attendees will explore the critical trends shaping the future of money. From payments, banking, and digital assets to AI, regulatory innovation, and human-centred design. All with a focus on turning ideas into impact.
Launched by industry insiders in 2012, Money20/20 has rapidly become the heartbeat of the global fintech ecosystem. Over the last decade, the most innovative, fast-moving ideas and companies have driven their growth on our platform. Mastercard, Airwallex, J.P. Morgan, SHIELD, GCash, Stripe, Google, VISA, Adyen, and more make transformational deals and raise their global profile with us. Money20/20 attracts leaders from the world’s greatest banks, payments companies, VC firms, regulators, and media platforms: convening to cut industry-shaping deals, build world-changing partnerships, and unlock future-defining opportunities in Las Vegas (October 18-21, 2026), Amsterdam (June 2-4, 2026), Riyadh (September 14-16, 2026), and Bangkok (April 21-23, 2026). Money20/20 is where the world’s fintech leaders convene to grow their brands.
FinTech Connect was a crossroads for strategy and execution. Global banks, FinTech challengers, regulators and investors gathered to define 2026 priorities, debate operational challenges and benchmark technology roadmaps.
SHARE THIS STORY
A Decade of Fintech Innovation
FinTech Connect marked its 10th anniversary at ExCeL London. Drawing 5,000+ industry professionals, 140+ speakers and 100+ exhibitors to explore banking, payments, compliance, digital transformation and blockchain innovation. The co-location with Tokenize: LDN brought deeper coverage of tokenisation and digital-asset infrastructure alongside core FinTech topics.
AI in Fintech: From Vision to Practice
A theme threaded through almost every theatre was AI adoption in financial services. But unlike earlier years’ speculative hype, this edition focused on practical deployment and risk management.
One standout panel, “GenAI That Customers Can Trust: The One Zero Digital Banker Story,” shared how One Zero built responsible generative AI features tailored for banking workflows, emphasising transparency and user trust. Industry leaders underscored that explainability, governance and compliance are no longer optional in enterprise AI.
A direct follow-on session, “How Do We Make AI Responsible in Practice?”, featured Rajeev Chakraborty from the Home Office discussing model governance and ethical safeguards for operational AI—an area rapidly becoming central to CIO and risk officer agendas.
Across both days, panels also explored how AI can reduce backlog in financial institutions, with Santander UK’s Head of AI demonstrating measurable impact on operational efficiency, and tackling tech debt at scale—a perennial challenge heightened by the influx of automation projects.
Key takeaway: AI’s role has shifted from emerging trend to core enterprise infrastructure, but success now hinges on responsible implementation, observable outcomes, and regulatory alignment.
Digital Transformation & Core Banking Strategies
Transforming legacy systems was another anchor topic. The Digital Transformation stage hosted robust discussions around neobanks and challenger strategies, with executives from TSB Bank and HSBC highlighting how incumbents are adopting agile ways of working while balancing risk and customer expectations.
The session “All In on Legacy? Driving Time to Market Without Big-Bang Migrations” resonated with many practitioners: incremental modernisation beats wholesale lift-outs when prioritising stability and customer continuity.
Another practical highlight, “Engineering Productivity Measurement: Traditional Bank to UK’s Largest Fintech,” narrated the journey of building measurable engineering benchmarks to align business goals and product delivery.
Key takeaway: Attendees left with a reinforced understanding that successful transformation blends cultural shift, incremental modernization, and strategic tech investment—not hurried replacement of core systems.
RegTech & Ethical Compliance: Balancing Innovation with Governance
RegTech, Compliance & Security sessions tackled the tension between rapid innovation and tightening regulatory guardrails—a debate central to fintech scaling.
A standout session titled “Ethical AI in Regulatory Technology: Balancing Innovation & Compliance” featured voices from governance, compliance and data-ethics functions. Panelists discussed strategies for embedding fairness, bias mitigation and traceability into machine-assisted workflows—a crucial step for institutions deploying automated decisioning.
Another forward-looking talk, “How Quantum Innovation Will Redefine Regulatory Operations,” examined how future computing paradigms could reshape compliance tooling and data verification—but also stressed the need to prepare today’s infrastructure for tomorrow’s disruptions.
Key takeaway: Compliance isn’t just a cost centre; speakers argued that robust RegTech can be a competitive advantage, reducing risk while enabling faster scaling.
PayTech & eCommerce: Securing the Digital Commerce Era
The PayTech & eCommerce stage delivered insights on securing payment flows and shaping the next wave of commerce innovation.
In “Emerging Global Tech Trends in Payments & Cash Management,” HSBC’s payment leaders unpacked how real-time rails and open APIs are influencing cross-border flows. Fintech Connect 2025
The panel “Transforming Payment Security with AI” brought together payment experts and academics to examine fraud detection innovations—AI-enabled risk scoring, adaptive authentication and cooperative intelligence sharing—as a defence against evolving threats. Fintech Connect 2025
A later session on “Tackling Cyber Threats in a New Era of Digital Payments,” addressed real-time threat detection, third-party risk and securing complex ecosystems, underscoring cybersecurity’s front-and-centre role for digital commerce. Fintech Connect 2025
Key takeaway: Payments remain fertile ground for innovation, but trust and security are foundational determinants of user adoption and ecosystem resilience.
The Tokenize: LDN co-located stage brought in robust debate around real-world asset (RWA) tokenization and Web3 infrastructure—not as fringe buzzwords, but as emerging institutional tools.
Panels like “Bridging the RWA Infrastructure Gap” unpacked regulatory friction points and scaling challenges, highlighting custody risk, compliance complexity and standardisation needs—critical prerequisites to institutional adoption.
Another session on “Expanding Investment Opportunities With Fractional Ownership” featured cross-sector thought leaders, including Dr Lisa Cameron (MP & Crypto APPG Chair), exploring how tokenised assets can democratise access to traditionally illiquid markets.
Web3 panels examined trust, privacy and compliance in blockchain ecosystems and navigated the practicalities of smart contracts and decentralised identities—topics that are rapidly gaining traction with enterprise adopters.
A key session, titled Blockchain and CBDCs: At the Heart of Public Transformation? featured NatWest’s Head of Group Payment Strategy Lee McNabb, EY’s Emerging Tech & Innovation Leader Igor Mikhalev and Joy Adams, COO for Digital Assets at Deutsche Bank. A lively debate chaired by CommerzBank’s Poonam Ahuja examined the pros and cons of digital currencies and the rise of stablecoins.
Key takeaway: Tokenisation is still nascent, but panels stressed it’s transitioning into a practical institutional infrastructure conversation, with regulatory clarity and integration tooling cited as catalysts for broader uptake.
Startup Innovation & Demo Highlights
The Innovation & Start Up stage and Start-Up LaunchPad provided rapid-fire exposure to emerging companies pushing the frontier.
These sessions were among the most interactive parts of the show, with founders directly answering questions on integration, compliance and product-market fit.
Key takeaway: Startups revealed solutions that dovetail with enterprise needs—especially around AML automation, customer engagement and data orchestration—making them compelling partners for larger financial services buyers.
Networking, Community & Celebration
FinTech Connect didn’t just deliver talks; it facilitated dense networking across peer groups, investors, regulators and tech leads. The AI-powered networking app helped attendees pre-book conversations and tailor agendas, turning serendipity into structured discovery.
The 10th anniversary celebration—complete with drinks, a Christmas Market theme and live entertainment—reinforced the community aspect and capped the event on a high note.
Conclusion: A Hard-Working Fintech Forum
FinTech Connect 2025 proved to be more than a conference—it was a strategic inflection point. While technology and vendor showcases were abundant, it was the panel debates and operational talks that delivered the most actionable insight. Attendees departed with:
A clearer view of AI adoption roadmaps;
Practical frameworks for RegTech and compliance transformation;
Nuanced understanding of payments security and real-time rails;
Emerging tokenisation playbooks suitable for institutional pilots.
As FinTech leaders prepare 2026 budgets and technology plans, FinTech Connect has reaffirmed itself as a must-attend forum where strategy, innovation and regulation intersect—and where the next decade of financial services will continue to take shape.
Use our exclusive discount to get $200 off your Manifest 2026 tickets
SHARE THIS STORY
Manifest returns to Las Vegas in February 2026, to bring the future of supply chain and logistics to over 7,200 attendees from across the globe. Between the 9th and the 11th of February 2026, Manifest will host thousands of experts in supply chain and logistics, innovators, executives, and investors to learn, share, and connect – and as a media partner, SupplyChain Strategy is proud to offer a discount to our readers.
Hosted at The Venetian, Manifest is set to feature over 400 thought leaders and pioneers, who will be sharing their wisdom and experience to help attendees future-proof their businesses.
Manifest Vegas is the largest global supply chain & logistics tech event in the world, bringing together global supply chain executives, logistics service providers, cutting edge startups, venture investors and technology leaders. Join supply chain innovators to foster new strategies and relationships.
Meet up with industry peers from 60+ countries to explore commercial relationships and share knowledge.
Discover innovative technologies that help streamline the entire supply chain.
Engage with your industry’s top decision-makers.
Learn where investors want to put their money.
Gain visibility into how other businesses are strategising.
Develop a better understanding of the competitive landscape.
Leave with a deeper insight of the supply chain landscape, ready to apply new ideas to your business.
From cutting-edge strategies to actionable insights, Manifest delivers unmatched opportunities to learn from and connect with the best of the best in supply chain and logistics. Join us at Manifest Vegas 2026, February 9th-11th, and save an additional $200 off the current price to attend!
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
SHARE THIS STORY
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.
Join over 25,000 entrepreneurs, SME owners, and senior professionals at Excel London for The Business Show London 2025
SHARE THIS STORY
The world’s largest award-winning business event, The Business Show London 2025, is returning to Excel London on the 12th and 13th of November 2025. Join over 25,000 SMEs and startups at this premier London business expo, designed to provide the support and resources you need to start, grow, or scale your business.
As always, the event offers free expert advice and insights from some of the biggest names in the industry. Building on last year’s impactful keynotes, this year’s business conference features fresh faces—business leaders who have thrived in recent years. In today’s digital landscape, this is a rare opportunity to gain face-to-face experience, advice, and inspiration from those who have been in your position and succeeded.
Whether you’re looking to network at one of the best business networking events in London or seeking new business partnerships, this event is your gateway to unlocking growth. For enquiries, registration, or to book a stand, contact the team today and secure your place at the UK’s leading SME business event.
Why Attend The Business Show London?
This flagship London business expo offers unparalleled opportunities to connect with industry leaders, discover cutting-edge solutions, and gain practical insights to accelerate your business.
“Vibrant, electric and inclusive ….the atmosphere I felt today at The Business Show, London excel as a keynote speaker representing Google. Such an incredible turn out, engaged listeners and wonderful to also have 121’s with many entrepreneurs on business growth utilising AI!”
Harmony Murphy, Google
With thousands of exhibitors, inspiring keynote speakers, and interactive show features, the show caters to startups, established businesses, and everyone in between. Whether you’re looking to connect with startups, explore small business exhibitions, or attend the UK’s leading business growth conference, this event will equip you with fresh ideas and practical strategies to help your business succeed.
500+ exhibitors
86% attendee satisfaction rate
75% attendees plan to return
6 show features
Don’t miss your chance to participate in one of the top business networking events in London.
Register now for free tickets and join the UK’s most ambitious business minds to gain new partnerships, expert advice, and business development opportunities.
The deadline for entries for the National DevOps Awards is September 19th. Finalist will be announced September 26th. Don’t miss out – book your place before the October 14th deadline.
SHARE THIS STORY
For nearly a decade, the DevOps Awards have celebrated innovation and excellence in DevOps, recognising the hard work and achievements driving the community forward. As an independent awards program, it highlights leaders who are shaping the future of DevOps.
Being shortlisted is a significant achievement, marking you as a key player in the industry. The awards are open to businesses of all sizes, as well as teams and individuals worldwide. With 16 diverse categories, entries are judged against a clear set of criteria, ensuring fairness and prestige.
The awards offer a unique platform to showcase your expertise, gain visibility, and connect with top professionalsin DevOps and quality engineering.
Join us in London this year and share your insights with some of the brightest minds in the field.
The DevOps Awards ensures fair and unbiased judging through an anonymous evaluation process. All judges -led by Dávid Jámbor Senior Director – Technology and Secure Infrastructure BCG – are seasoned senior professionals and they assess award entries purely on merit, with all identifying information removed. This guarantees that every winner is recognised solely for their exceptional achievements, regardless of company size, budget, or market influence.
Auto Supply Chain Leaders 2025 brings together the best of the best in the industry for two days of mutual learning and inspirational content.
SHARE THIS STORY
Join the best of the best automotive supply chain leads this October (8th -9th) at the Hilton Munich Airport, Germany, to learn, network, and be inspired. The event exists to help attendees focus on their individual needs, address challenges within their business, and discover new opportunities.
Over the course of two days, you can participate in interactive sessions, benchmark with peers, and absorb the benefits of being part of such the vibrant automotive supply chain community. It’s an event that’s custom-built for top industry leaders, and allows you to:
Connect with 150+ other leaders, all of whom have strategic responsibility for their own end-to-end supply chains.
Learn how to navigate disruptions within the industry, digitise your supply chain, and meet environmental goals.
Talk to your peers to gain collective knowledge and hear about real use cases.
With rising demands across the industry, especially regarding sustainability, keeping up-to-date with the latest knowledge, trends, and solutions is a necessity. Get in on the action at Auto Supply Chain Leaders 2025 to make sure you maintain that competitive edge.Get your tickets and find out more here
Security, AI, and Digital Resilience: A look inside Visions CIO + CISO
SHARE THIS STORY
The cybersecurity landscape has never been so fast-moving or complex. The stakes have never been higher. A worsening geopolitical reality and increasingly sophisticated cyber threats mean that the role of security leaders is more pivotal than ever as devastating cyber breaches become a matter of “when,” not “if.” It’s a time for information and skill sharing, networking, and collective action in an industry facing a more challenging future than ever.
Visions CIO + CISO Summit brings together executive security and technology leaders and experts from the largest organisations in multiple industries to network and learn from the people driving innovation in the IT and cyber spaces. This year’s event took place between April 28-30, and featured 8 tentpole sessions, over 30 presentations from key industry figures, and more than 30 speakers across the various panels, fire-side chats and peer-to-peer round tables that comprise the rest of the event. Speakers and solutions providers at this year’s event included Illumio, Threatlocker, LastPass, Claranet, Okta, Covertswarm, Intruder, and Ripjar RPC Services. Also in attendance were IT and security professionals from large scale enterprises, including Currys, Astley Digital, 24/7 Home Rescue, H&M Group, IBM, MUFG (Mitsubishi Financial Group), Federated Hermes, Deliveroo, Experian, Saint-Gobain, and Nordea GSK.
At the event, and afterwards, we were lucky enough to catch up with some of the leaders speaking at Visions and get their perspectives on key trends affecting the IT space — from the ever-relevant issue of security to AI and digital resilience.
1. What’s the general outlook for the IT and fintech sectors right now? Is this a scary time? An exciting one?
“It’s an exciting time, particularly within the UK banking sector, where we’re seeing a real shift toward customer-centric innovation. Financial institutions are working hard to deliver seamless, secure, and personalised experiences—often by leveraging cloud, AI, and advanced analytics.”
“There’s a strong emphasis on modernising legacy systems, improving digital onboarding, and enhancing fraud prevention without compromising user experience. This push for technology-driven customer satisfaction is creating space for smarter, faster, and more agile solutions—making it a great time to be contributing to the evolution of digital trust and transformation in financial services.”
2. What are some of the challenges organisations are facing that you can help them with? What problems are they asking you to solve?
“Many organisations are grappling with how to secure cloud environments at scale without slowing down innovation. Key challenges include visibility across hybrid or multi-cloud setups, managing identity and access with precision, and operationalising zero trust.”
“There’s also a strong demand for integrating security earlier in the development lifecycle—what we often refer to as shifting security left. People are asking how to reduce complexity, automate controls, and move away from reactive postures to proactive, real-time risk mitigation.”
1. What kind of outlook does an organisation like Federated Hermes have right now towards the industry? Is this a scary time? An exciting one?
2025 is shaping up to be a very dynamic year for the markets at large. There are rapid developments, from geopolitics to booming technology innovation with AI, that are impacting how the markets move as well changing the environment we operate in as a business. As a global asset manager, Federated Hermes is staying abreast of these changes to ensure we can be where the markets are, whilst maintaining efficiency in our operations for strong profitability.
2. What problems are people asking you to solve right now?
The ever changing world of cyber has historically been difficult for businesses to decipher. In the last few years, it has become even more difficult to keep up, with the advent of AI and how it is changing the technology landscape. Whilst businesses are trying to understand this new technology and embed it into their products and operations, cyber-criminal enterprises are leaping ahead in innovation and starting to leverage it in novel ways. The challenge this brings is two-fold.”
“On one hand, businesses are trying to find the right use cases for AI to get their return on investment at every level. This applies to core business functions, as well as Technology departments and the Security organisations. As cyber strategists we are now being forced to be innovators ourselves and not just passive consumers of the latest products and market trends. This brings a new perspective to how we design controls, build our roadmaps and prioritize our budget items. Boards and executive teams are looking for Security teams who are embracing AI and maximizing the effectiveness and efficiency of their programmes.”
“The second challenge is on the defensive side. The average person, as well as the average corporate employee, is lagging behind in understanding what the latest AI models are capable of, let alone understanding how they can be used to conduct cybercrime. Working in security, we find ourselves in a situation where we both need to find ways to keep up with cyber criminals to defend our enterprises, as well as keep educating our staff and management teams so that we can bring them on this journey.”
1. Would you say this is an exciting time for Astley Digital?
“Astley Digital is at a pivotal point in its journey, experiencing remarkable growth and expanding our service offerings. We’re actively exploring partnerships with innovative cybersecurity companies like ThreatLocker, enabling us to provide even more robust endpoint security solutions for our clients.”
“Additionally, the evolving landscape of cybersecurity is presenting us with unique opportunities to leverage AI for predictive threat analysis, streamline incident response, and enhance our managed security services. This moment is particularly exciting as we are positioning ourselves not just as a service provider but as a thought leader in cybersecurity strategy, risk management, and digital transformation for businesses across various sectors.”
2. What are some of the key challenges organisations are facing that you can help them with? What problems are they asking you to solve?
“Organisations today are grappling with a rapidly changing threat landscape, and one of the most significant challenges is maintaining a strong cybersecurity posture amidst evolving threats. At Astley Digital, we address critical issues such as:
“Endpoint Security: Many organisations struggle with managing endpoint security across remote and hybrid workforces. We provide comprehensive solutions that restrict unauthorised software and applications, preventing potential breaches and maintaining data integrity.”
“Third-Party Risk Management: Ensuring third-party vendors maintain security standards is another pressing concern. We work closely with our clients to assess, monitor, and mitigate third-party risks to prevent supply chain attacks.”
“Incident Response and Recovery: Companies are seeking rapid and effective incident response strategies. We offer real-time monitoring, response planning, and post-incident analysis to minimise business disruptions.”
“Regulatory Compliance: Compliance is a growing concern, especially in highly regulated industries. Our team assists with implementing frameworks that align with industry standards, ensuring data protection and reducing legal risks.”
“We are really fortunate to have reach and presence with clients across different sectors. We have professional service specialisms that respond to many of the trickiest and most important strategy and skill challenges that clients face; technology, cyber security, AI, data, and digital regulations to name a few. Not only is it a great time to be helping clients with those issues and helping them make their businesses more capable, effective, successful and resilient, from a selfish perspective it’s an incredible privilege for our people to be trusted by clients to help with these super interesting initiatives.”
2. What are some of the key challenges organisations are facing that you can help them with? What problems are they asking you to solve?
“We help clients with everything from assessing and improving their resilience positions, to complying with the intersections of a range of existing regulations, frameworks and standards, through to future gazing and thinking about what’s possible through challenging the status-quo.”
“Lately that has included a lot of work on things like AI readiness, development of use cases, working on AI explainability and the human element of potential resistance to the kinds of change that AI and other emerging tech are delivering.”
“Of course an evergreen core of our work is digital resilience, including cyber security, so we do a lot on ensuring that new technology adoptions including those with AI sprinkled throughout them, are digitally and operationally resilient by design.”
“We’re at a turning point where AI is no longer a side conversation—it’s embedded in the way Deliveroo operates. That shift brings real momentum and urgency to the work we do in securing AI adoption and protecting digital environments.”
2. What are some of the key challenges organisations are facing that you can help them with? What problems are they asking you to solve?
“The main concern is how to adopt AI without opening the door to unmanaged risk. Businesses know they can’t sit this one out, but they’re looking for help building the right guardrails to manage risk; especially with evolving regulation and the rise of AI-powered threats like deepfake vishing and advanced phishing.”
1. What are you here at Visions to discuss with your peers in the cybersecurity and IT space?
“The first panel I was part of was the Threat Detection & AI Panel Discussion. We were looking at establishing trust, mitigating risks, and safeguarding security in the age of AI. I focused on how to balance the benefits of AI with the challenges of building trust, managing risks, and ensuring security.”
“Then, I had a deep dive into looking at an age where individuals don’t verify, they just take information, no longer researching to see if the information is correct.”
“I always remain sceptical, whilst understanding the value of efficiency. AI is now embedded in so many tools, but now the main concern is the people within the organisation. Monitoring and education are essential. People will often try to find a shortcut and the easy way to go about things. Until training, governance and understanding is at a level where there can be trust, I suggest turning it off.”
1. These are challenging times for cybersecurity teams. How has 2025 been going for you and Ripjar?
“Ripjar utilises new and emerging technology to solve customer problems in cyber threat investigations and anti-financial crime compliance. We’ve been able to help organisations achieve record results – identifying connections, anomalies and potential risks, while reducing false positives and increasing true positives – leading to best-in-class results in many industries. We’re excited to be sharing that technology, alongside further innovations, with other organisations as we expand our global coverage.”
“The advent of generative AI creates vast risks and opportunities. It also shifts perspectives on existing machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies. It has been exciting to see how the newest AI can be combined with non-generative AI and other technologies to create new solutions to the problems that keep our customers awake at night.”
2. What are some of the challenges organisations are facing that you can help them with?
“Ripjar serves customers in several areas. Our anti-financial crime customers are trying to make sense of the ever-expanding business risks presented by their customers and counterparties in a tumultuous world. We’re able to help them in that journey, whether it’s responding to changing Russian or Middle East sanctions or aligning with the massive political changes that have impacted PEP (politically exposed persons) regimes all around the world.”
“Using foundational AI, we find broad risks in the media – which is often referred to as negative news or adverse media. That means reading through millions of daily news articles to identify risk signals which are important to those handling the world’s global payments or trading internationally. Agility is a key requirement for our customers, and machine learning and AI make it possible to make sense of huge quantities of structured and unstructured data quickly and accurately.”
“Our cyber customers are sophisticated threat investigators working in complex environments, including a number of MSSPs. They rely on our data fusion and investigations software to identify potential threats to their data and ultimately their businesses.”
Looking at the future
The shadows of GenAI, looming threats, and a shifting regulatory landscape loom over the global cybersecurity and IT communities, but the tone is also optimistic. While every leader we spoke to at Visions CIO + CISO acknowledged the threat posed by emerging technologies, many were also excited by the potential of GenAI tools to detect threats and help strengthen cybersecurity defenses.
Given how quickly the circumstances surrounding cybersecurity have changed in just a few short years, it’s almost impossible to predict where we’ll be by the end of the decade. However, the experts we spoke to at Visions are approaching the future with both eyes open — watchful for new risks, and determined to capitalise on new opportunities.
The next Visions CIO + CISO Summit (Autumn, UK) is taking place at the Allianz Stadium in London on 13 – 15 October, 2025. Learn more and register to attend here.
FinTech Connect shapes the future of financial services with the UK’s only full FinTech ecosystem event at London’s Excel December 4-5
SHARE THIS STORY
Join us as FinTech Connect welcomes world leading Fintechs, Financial Institutions, Challenger Banks, Merchants, Scale-Ups and StartUps, Investors, Accelerators and Media to The ExceL, London.
FinTech Connect
Each year we welcome visionaries from the UK, Europe and beyond all looking to innovate within the market, expand their footprint and drive businesses forward. The event brings all this under one roof, over two insight-packed days, sparking ideas, forging partnerships and accelerating change.
Tackling the hottest topics and biggest challenges in the fintech market. Including: embedded finance, Web3, cross-border payments, investment, scaling, Gen AI, crypto, regulation, digital innovation and customer experience (CX).
Our mission is to connect the global thought leaders across the FinTech ecosystem in an event like no other. Set yourself up for a strong 2025 by signing up for the UK’s only full FinTech ecosystem event and join 2,000+ fintech leaders in London.
Insights from FinTech’s biggest names
We’ll be asking the big questions… What AI elements do financial institutions need to follow? Build, buy or partner? What opportunity works best in the modern ecosystem? How are banks advancing their digital transformations in 2024? Who owns the CX?
Gain insights on these topics and more from some of the biggest names in financial services. Speakers include Victoria Cleland, Executive Director – Payments, Bank of England; Rory Tanner, Head of UK Government Affairs at Revolut and Nick Kerrigan, Managing Director, Swift. Thought leaders will also be taking to the stage from HSBC, DZ Bank, Lloyds Banking Group, BT and a host of other leading institutions.
Keep up to date with the latest speakers, discussions and more. Download the full agenda here.
Here are five of the biggest procurement events happening during 2023 that chief procurement officers won’t want to miss.
SHARE THIS STORY
Procurement Futures
London, UK | 1-2 February 2023
Held at the QEII Centre in central London, Procurement Futures is a new conference, launching in 2023. It promises delegates the chance to find out how to make supply chains more resilient, with thought-provoking and presentations and discussions designed to inform and inspire.
There is a flexible programme of content that can be tailored to attendees’ preferences, with networking opportunities throughout and a huge variety of sessions to attend and take part in.
This CIPS event has three streams of content: Insights, Ignite and Interact. Insights will showcase presentations and panel discussions from leaders, Ignite will consist of hands-on workshops to help delegates optimise their procurement strategies and Interact will be smaller groups taking part in interactive roundtables and debates.
Speakers across the two days will include Ross Grierson, Director of Procurement, Primark; Patrick Dunne, Director of Group Property, FM & Procurement (CPO), Sainsburys Plc; Rebecca Simpson, Procurement and Supply Chain Director, Balfour Beatty; and Nick Jenkinson, Chief Procurement Officer, Santander. In addition, delegates are ablew to book a one-to-one career workshop, where they’ll get advice on professional development from coaches covering a variety of specialisms.
Tickets are £795 for CIPS member, £995 for a non-member and £2240 for a supplier/solution provider, and there is a discount of 30% for tickets purchased before 30 November 2022.
The third World Digital Procurement Summit is aimed at procurement directors, VPs, managers and other industry specialists. The two-day event will focus on accelerating procurement processes, adopting emerging technologies, finding the right talent, overcoming the barriers to progress and embarking on a journey of transformation. It’s a hybrid event, bringing together procurement experts from various industries, which will maximise knowledge exchange opportunities. The event organisers list five key learning points for delegates:
Exploring the latest advances in data and cognitive technologies to gain greater insights and improve procurement processes
Overhauling the procurement ecosystem with new technologies and strategies to drive business value
Sharing the best practices of monitoring and managing a range of risks to hedge against future disruptions
Developing capabilities and skillset required for the digital transformation of procurement
Defining ESG metrics of the procurement strategy to ensure business continuity
Speakers will include Paul Harlington, Group Procurement Director at TUI Group and Patrick Foelck, Head of Strategy and Transformation Procurement at Roche.
Click here to check out a video from a previous event. Tickets cost €1495.
Returning for its 8th annual event, Women in Procurement & Supply Chain will deliver two days dedicated to leadership and the future of procurement. The event will feature a series of exclusive panel discussions and keynote addresses examining career development, overcoming imposter syndrome, working with confidence, developing an unbeatable talent pool, mentoring, diversity and inclusivity.
It will also address risk mitigation, digital disruption, ESG, sustainability, economic development, ethical sourcing, category management, cultural diversity, strategic sourcing, supplier relationships, procurement with purpose, and supply chain resilience. There are two pre-conference masterclass options on 6 March – that can be booked separately – covering either contract law or leadership skills.
Some of the reasons to attend include:
Discover the path to taking your procurement career to a new level while elevating your organisation with dedicated days on leadership and the future of procurement
Learn best practice strategies to facedown supply chain vulnerabilities and reduce risk exposure
Get ahead of the game with insights into the future of procurement and the impact of globalisation on modern supply chains
Put yourself at the cutting edge of ESG and procurement with the latest updates and trends in procurement with purpose
Speakers for the main two-day conference include Michelle Richard, Director of Procurement, Thales; Karina Davies, Chief Procurement Officer, icare NSW; and Kylie McKinlay, Procurement Partner – Property and Business, Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Tickets start at $3,495 with discounts available until 25 November 2022.
The Americas Procurement Congress will feature the region’s most progressive CPOs sharing their expertise
With a focus on what makes CPOs tick, the Americas Procurement Congress will feature the region’s most progressive CPOs sharing their expertise in keynote presentations and working groups.
Giving delegates the tools to stay on the cutting edge of procurement developments, there are also sessions aimed at those with responsibilities over governance, procurement capabilities and quantifying data. Unsurprisingly, sustainability will also be a key theme in 2023, and attendees will hear from a diverse range of sustainability leaders about how to transition from traditional metrics to a purpose-driven function.
The agenda for Americas Procurement Congress 2023 will include:
Sustainability of the future
How to transition from traditional metrics to a purpose-driven function
Harnessing the power of digital transformation
Utilizing data as a driver of sustainable value, supply continuity and transparency Agile procurement
New approaches and skills that facilitate speed and agility
Frictionless procurement
Removing friction from the procurement process to support high-velocity sourcing
Beyond Just in Time
Designing future-fit supply networks for an age of chaos and conflict
Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo 2022 addressed the most significant challenges that chief supply chain officers and supply chain leaders face as they mitigate risk and navigate uncertainty in an increasingly dynamic and challenging environment.
At the conference, the top 5 sessions that CSCOs and supply chain leaders met on included:
Signature Series: The Future of Supply Chain
What the Pivot to Sustainable Profit Means for Procurement Leaders
The Art of the New Age One Page Dashboard: Why Your Current Perfor-mance Measures May Be Doing More Harm Than Good
Manage Supplier Risk With Technology
Procurement Role Redesign: Stop Fitting Square Pegs Into Round Holes
we.CONECT offer a virtual and hybrid approach to live events planning delivering tomorrow’s business engineering today
SHARE THIS STORY
we.CONECT was founded in 2011 by two self-confessed “passionate event industry geeks” with an entrepreneurial spirit. Henry Fuchs and Daniel Wolter saw an opportunity to meet the need for change within the event industry with a new approach to b2b-conferences within the innovation, enterprise and tech sectors.
Henry Fuchs
“We have grown by more than 50% yearly ever since,” reveals Henry. “Today, we serve engineering and manufacturing, automotive, digital transformation and the IT sectors across DACH, Europe and the US market. Our focus has always been on interactions and creating forums and platforms for meetings and connections. This allows decision-makers to interact and network with their peers and get the latest ideas and industry trends. In our environment, they will be given opportunities to grow their businesses and skill sets.”
A diverse network
we.CONECT boasts a 50,000+ strong network, taking pride in having companies as clients rather than simply defining their attendees as the audience. “Our ambition is to fuel them with new ideas, new connections and new inspiration,” pledges Daniel. “We attract everyone from specialists and strategists to management newbies, geniuses and visionaries to help the world’s biggest brands, most innovative companies, and the most promising start-ups, shape tomorrow´s business.”
Daniel Wolter
The rollcall of clients is impressive… Adidas, Adobe, Amazon, BASF, BMW, Coca-Cola, Daimler, Google, Paypal, Nasa, Tesla, Apple are all part of we.CONECT’s network of business partners enjoying unique event experiences alongside the likes of Bosch, Cisco, IBM, Microsoft, Nvidia, Samsung, Siemens and SAP.
The 1.5 million business users in we.CONECT’s ecosystem demand excellent networking and learning opportunities. “Our events are packed with more than 30 session formats covering different interactivity levels – strongly geared to our customers’ needs,” says Henry. “The problem solving and discussion focused world café-sessions and our ‘Live Tech Take’ are two great examples of formats our clients greatly appreciate.”
Digital ‘managed’ events
we.CONECT’s Digital Managed Event (DME) offering is for exhibitors that don’t want to share their leads with others. “They bring the content and the crowd; we assist with the hosting, event infrastructure and marketing of the event,” explains Daniel. “With a DME, exhibitors have an opportunity to tailor-make an event relevant to their product and solution; it’s a chance to invest in your own exclusive and customised format.”
Hybrid connections
we.CONECT’s hybrid business event portfolio offers business leaders from all over the world exclusive content, leads and an opportunity to be a part of evolving business communities to gather information, share knowledge, network with peers and find solutions for business-critical challenges. “We believe it’s imperative to be part of a new world of networking with other global players and niche businesses both live and fully digital in an ever-changing world,” asserts Henry. “The hybrid format delivers in that regard. It offers total flexibility, is COVID-compliant and enables both the audience and the exhibitors a chance to make the most of their experience.”
hubs101
Daniel and Henry began innovating with the digital transformation of events back in 2016 through the development of their own event app platform and in 2018 with their own first digital events – long before Covid became an issue.
“When the pandemic hit, we were able to react with agility and digitalise our entire event portfolio in 2020,” recalls Daniel. “One of the key enablers was our own virtual event platform, hubs101. It’s a complete platform, built on our event insights and know-how with the latest technology in focus. We’ve gradually developed it over the years, like the company itself, with constant tweaks and improvements. hubs101 has now been road-tested by more than 10,000 customers and hosted over 500 events, which is just the beginning…”
The we.CONECT team continually add new functions to improve usability based on the feedback received from each event. These invaluable insights contribute to the continued innovation of 30 different session formats that inspire attendees to interact and learn from each other’s experiences.
The timing of the public release of hubs101 with the pandemic was a coincidence but the team felt the platform had reached a stage where it could be beneficial for others. “Before Covid, we’d launched the platform to host 12 online events,” remember Henry. “When the lockdowns started, we identified the potential for virtual events and were able to scale up the platform to host most of the used-to-be on-premises events, working on over a hundred in 2020.”
AI matchmaking
hubs101 users can enter their event interests, business goals, and expectations on the platform; that data is sorted and matched with other participants’ entries. The AI matchmaking function enables hubs101 attendees to find the business partners they’re looking for and connect with them immediately. This saves time and avoids the uncertainty to connect with the right person on an on-premises event, and thus helps businesses reach their ROI more quickly.
Germany, Berlin, 18.09.2019 – Industry Of Things conference in Berlin 2019.
Marcel Wogram for WeConect.
“Our goal is to provide event attendees with the best event experience,” adds Daniel. “Therefore, we’re constantly searching for ways to take the current online event experience on hubs101 to the next level. Right now, users can attend a virtual event smoothly and find the right business partners with an AI matchmaking function. And we aim to expand that function to include not only attendee matching but also interest matching. In the future, hubs101 users can expect to meet the right person and get suggestions for the right event, based on their own goals and expectations they provide to the platform.”
The pandemic has accelerated the process of event digitalisation. Henry and Daniel have embraced the challenge and are determined to continuously help define the future of the event industry, and to transform as many events as possible to a full-scale hybrid experience. “In these times when marketers worldwide rank virtual events as a top three method to generate leads, boost revenue and improve brand impact, we.CONECT and hubs101 can help shape and improve any company’s future strategy and tactics for events and meetings.”
Learn more about emerging trends across the tech panorama in the latest issue of Interface
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced on Monday that it has set up a US$2 billion green investments programme…
SHARE THIS STORY
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced on Monday that it has set up a US$2 billion green investments programme (GIP) to invest in public market investment strategies that have a strong green focus.
This will help to support the Singapore financial centre in promoting environmentally sustainable projects and mitigating climate change risks in Singapore and the region.
The GIP is a major prong of the
green finance action plan announced by Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister of Education,
and Board Member, MAS at the 2019 Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) x Singapore
Week of Innovation and TeCHnology (SWITCH). The GIP aims to foster the growth
of a strong and diverse ecosystem of green financing capabilities in Singapore.
MAS will place funds with asset managers who are committed to drive regional green efforts out of Singapore and contribute to MAS’ other green finance initiatives including developing green markets and managing environmental risks.
Selected managers will be those who have demonstrated a firm commitment to deepening their green investment capabilities across functions such as research, stewardship, policy and portfolio management, accelerate local capability transfers, and increase the management of green-focused funds in Singapore.
The green capabilities and experience of the team managing the strategies will be a key part of the evaluation. The deep engagement with these asset managers will help to further the development of Singapore’s green financing ecosystem, as well as strengthen MAS’ understanding of climate change risks and to better position MAS’ own investment portfolio for long-term sustainable returns.
MAS’ first
investment under the GIP will be a US$100m placement in the Bank for
International Settlements (BIS)’ Green Bond Investment Pool (GBIP). Together
with other participating central banks, MAS hopes that this initiative will
help catalyse further deepening of the green bond market.
The Digital Insight talks exclusively to Jay Weintraub, CEO & Founder of InsureTech Connect, all about digital transformation in the…
SHARE THIS STORY
The Digital Insight talks exclusively to Jay Weintraub, CEO & Founder of InsureTech Connect, all about digital transformation in the insurance industry.
Weintraub, currently at InsureTech Connect 2019 in Las Vegas, explains the challenges and opportunities currently in the insuretech sphere, whilst also noting the “groundswell of activity by entrepreneurs” who are looking at the world and wanting to make a change.
In the podcast, Weintraub also discusses buzzwords, the power of relationships and what lies on the horizon for businesses.
CPOstrategy met with procurement leaders from banking, utilities, consulting, solutions providers and financial services. Taking the temperature on the latest…
SHARE THIS STORY
CPOstrategy met with procurement leaders from banking, utilities, consulting, solutions providers and financial services. Taking the temperature on the latest trends and predictions for the future we spoke with Barclaycard, Enel, Bain, Coupa and Legal & General.
Barclaycard
Rob
Tuckwell, Director of Partnerships & B2B
Barclaycard is building an ecosystem of
P2P software providers (including Coupa and Amadeus) with the aim of bringing
payments and procurement closer together for B2B. “We’ve got to make sure that
our payment products are embedded within those ecosystems,” says Tuckwell who
is keen for Barclaycard to tackle “horrendous inefficiencies” for its customers…
“Digital payment products work in the consumer space. Why is that not filtering
through to business? Our strategy is to go from Procure-to-Pay to
‘Procure-and-Pay’. It’s a really key difference that they’re not separate
processes anymore and the future for payments and procurement is going to be
the convergence of these areas.”
Enel
Salvatore
Bernabei, Head of Global Procurement
Enel is among the world’s leading
integrated private utilities with a presence in over 40 countries and more than
70 million retail customers. Bernabei is focused on developing relationships to
enhance flexibility, minimise time to market and add value. “We welcome
innovation by vendors,” he says. “We
say: I have a challenge here, I am not capable, with my knowledge, to solve it.
It’s a very precise case study. I invite suppliers, offer a case with one month
to provide a solution before I select the best idea. We offer the possibility
to experiment, on our plans and assets before a contract is awarded.” To
support this approach Enel has an agreement with crowdsourcing platform
Innocentive.
Consulting firm Bain & Company’s Performance Improvement
Practice advocates targeted solutions for immediate impact combined with broad
transformation programmes to redefine how work gets done. “Once we have helped
implement technology to optimise tactical processes in procurement, such as
invoicing and purchase orders, we have to address the broader digital struggles
of an organisation,” explains Mattios. “Procurement tends to be a back-office
activity linked to savings,” agrees Tramazaygues. “There’s a big opportunity
for procurement to be a real part of the business; it can play a big role in
rebuilding the supply chain to make it more agile, opening the best markets and
bringing innovation through from suppliers.” Tramazaygues and Mattios believe
new approaches are vital in the current inflationary environment.
Coupa
Rajiv
Ramachandran, Product Strategy Management
Coupa offers an all-in-one, end to end, business spend management
platform. “Coupa provides users the richness
of insights, based not just on their own data but truly normalised, and
anonymised data across all the buyer, supplier relationship that exist on our
cloud-based platform,” says Ramachandran who cites the need to be able to use
consolidated data to chart the efficiencies and risks of suppliers. It’s a
“game changer” he sees customers greatly benefiting from when analysing B2B
data on a platform holding approximately one trillion dollars of spend. Coupa
believe the ability to match your progress against the community of the
platform, and take efficiencies from it, points to the future for agile
procurement as part of an ecosystem.
Legal
& General
Maarten
Ectors, Chief Innovation Officer
Legal & General is focused on disrupting
procurement from the inside out. Ectors stresses the importance of allowing
ecosystems to generate innovative solutions for its customers. “You need to get
everybody at your organisation excited about innovation,” he advises. “You
can’t innovate on your own and if you don’t collaborate with the challengers in
the market they can only disrupt you, but not in a positive way.” Ectors
highlights an important trend, the need to optimise the cost of failure: “Our
Beta programme runs four-week trials with new companies to assess potential new
partners,” he explains of a process which allows L&G to remain agile in its
approach to innovations that can speed up claims handling from days to minutes.
