“Like Jean-Pierre, Barb and Will, I’ve spent time listening, really listening, to you,” she said. “You shared your ambition of moving faster, innovating smarter and better serving your customer, but you also voiced concerns on how to balance innovation and risk… and how to make sure your technology partners help you lead with resilience, not just keep up.”
Her session highlighted rising investment in digital transformation and AI: 84 per cent of banking leaders surveyed said they are increasing investment in technology to protect their customers and 81 per cent also said the same for improving operational efficiency.
Voices from the ecosystem
Christian Sarafidis, chief executive, EMEA Financial Services at Microsoft, used his keynote to explore the capabilities of agentic and generative AI. He closed with a reminder that innovation means more than incremental change: “The electric light didn’t come from the continuous improvement of the candle.”
Dr Jonnie Penn of the University of Cambridge offered an enjoyable counterbalance, calling for reflection on AI’s ethical implications and long-term impact.
“Nobody has a textbook on this topic. There’s no 101, no cheat sheet that gives you all the answers,” he said. “You have to work together, like scientists in a lab, to figure it out. But if you can do that, and find value and trust, you’re well positioned to succeed.”
Dan Broten of EQ Bank outlined a data-driven approach to customer personalisation, whileWill Wright of Santander International shared lessons from moving off a legacy core.
We also chatted toTemenos’ product director for financial crime, Adam Gable, who discussed the development of its AI development work.
“It’s not about solving abstract challenges… we’re building solutions in situ, with real institutions, under regulatory scrutiny.”
That’s entertainment
Outside the formal sessions, the forum kept up a celebratory edge. Delegates tested out an AI-powered photo booth (with effects from surrealism to city banker), and gathered for a gala dinner under blue skies at the Castillo de Viñuelas,a 17th-century estate set in a protected natural park.
Temenos remains in a period of change, and much of what’s promised is still in motion. But its leadership appears to be sending a consistent message: transformation is underway and customer co-creation is central to what comes next.
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Claire is an experienced editor and writer with 25 years of experience in the publishing industry.
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