Increased utilisation of financial technology is setting the stage for further digitisation of the Philippine’s consumer banking industry, which is slowly transitioning into a “cash-lite” economy.
Increased utilisation of financial technology is setting the stage for further digitisation of the Philippine’s consumer banking industry, which is slowly transitioning into a “cash-lite” economy.
Traditional banks in China have begun to utilise cutting-edge technologies by collaborating with technology companies, start-ups or emerging financial institutions. While pushing their way in revolution, the vital point is to strike a balance between the digitisation of services and traditional manual banking services.
The Internet of Things offers potential opportunities in retail and corporate banking and will fuel the rise of new types of clients in the form of smart cities and autonomous artificial intelligence driven market agents.
Fintech, the latest buzzword in the peer-to-peer lending sector, has carved a niche for itself in a short span of time. As banks tighten their seat belts for the new-age disruption, they are showing strong affinity towards collaboration with the marketplace lenders to secure their customer proposition.
While many financial institutions in emerging markets are trying to strike the right balance between their physical footprints and digital presence, leading banks in mature markets are proving that digital transformation can boost profitability and efficiency.
Digitisation in the cross-border money transfer industry might leave fewer opportunities for incumbent banks and operators to grow. How they cultivate alliances and digital innovation to stay ahead of competitive will be critical moving forward.
New proofs of concepts have emerged in blockchain as the industry tackles various impediments to its successful adoption. The technology initiatives would need to be complemented with stronger collaborative efforts and interoperability for future growth.
As the search for efficiency intensifies amid a slowdown in economic growth, banks continue to leverage technology to relieve cost pressures and provide increasingly complex working capital solutions that their clients demand.
The advent of new technologies is driving rapid upgrading of national payment systems around the world that are enabled with rich data and real-time capabilities.
Banks are integrating new technologies into their core businesses to improve their digital banking presence and speed-to-deliver
Australian banks are moving towards increased digitalisation, leveraging technological advancements to ensure seamless customer experience in providing better retail banking products and services.
Growing transaction volumes are pushing Indian banks to rethink technology architecture to integrate cloud and data capabilities to meet growing transaction volumes. Indian fintechs and digital players see consumer growth, but also increased expectations and competition.
Brian Lo is a seasoned risk professional with nearly 30 years of experience across global financial institutions. Based in Hong Kong and Singapore, he has led teams in managing market and liquidity risk, counterparty risk, and asset and liability management. His expertise encompasses quantitative modelling, risk governance, stress testing, and regulatory compliance. Brian has also played a critical role in developing internal risk models, driving strategic initiatives, and advising on cutting-edge risk solutions, including AI and machine learning applications. Throughout his career, he has served on multiple risk committees, providing strategic insights to senior management and boards, and has been instrumental in implementing Basel reforms and risk management innovations. Brian’s approach integrates deep technical knowledge with practical leadership, making him a valuable contributor to banking risk management education and practice.
Urs Bolt is a seasoned professional with over 35 years of expertise in wealth management, investment banking, and technology. He helps individuals achieve financial well-being and advises senior leaders in financial services and technology on refining business strategies, developing markets, and forging impactful partnerships. Recognised as a global thought leader in digital banking, WealthTech, and decentralised finance, Urs is an active speaker, author, and jury member for esteemed awards and panels. A passionate advocate for sustainable progress, he champions energy policies that balance economic growth and ecological preservation through scientific solutions.
Sina is Chief Data Officer at Unique AG – a rising European startup providing a GenAI-driven platform called Unique.AI to better understand customers and build more meaningful client relationships. Unique.AI is a tailored solution for the financial industry that aims to increase productivity by automating manual workload through AI and ChatGPT solutions.
Sina is a proven GenAI and data transformation specialist for financial applications with over 20 years of experience. Before Unique AG, Sina led data strategy projects at Credit Suisse AG and worked as a consultant at Accenture AG. She lectures on GenAI, AI Governance, and Data Protection at top universities like HSG St. Gallen and HEC Paris, inspiring future tech leaders. Sina also mentors startups on GenAI applications and serves on the ISO expert council in Switzerland. She was recently honored with the “Women in Banking and Fintech 2024” award for her Thought Leadership on Data Protection and AI Governance for GenAI applications for Financial Services by Handelsblatt (#1 business newspaper in Germany). Sina holds a PhD in Financial Modeling from the University of St. Gallen (HSG, Switzerland) and a Diploma in Economics from the University of Mannheim (Germany).
John Januszczak is a seasoned fintech leader and the President & CEO of UBX Philippines, the fintech venture studio and fund of Union Bank of the Philippines. He was appointed to this role after joining UnionBank as a Consultant in 2018. Prior to this, he served as the Chief Operating Officer of Manulife Philippines and held leadership roles such as Head of Global Business Process Management at Manulife Financial and Vice President of Product Management at Meta Software Corporation. His extensive experience in operations, technology, and financial services has positioned him as a key driver of digital transformation in the fintech space.
Under John’s leadership, UBX has grown into Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing fintech, building a robust ecosystem that helps startups and fintech founders access expertise, funding, and customers. He has spearheaded the incubation of award-winning ventures such as i2i, SeekCap, and BUX, while also managing a corporate venture fund that successfully invests in and scales fintech startups. By leveraging corporate ecosystems, open finance, and embedded finance, John continues to drive financial inclusion, innovation, and strategic growth in the Philippine fintech landscape.
Jonny Fry led initiatives around blockchain and digital assets within the regulated banking environment at ClearBank. With over three decades of experience in financial services, Jonny is widely recognised as a thought leader in digital innovation. He is currently the CEO of TeamBlockchain, Chairman of Gemini Capital UK, and author of Digital Bytes, a weekly publication analysing blockchain developments. At ClearBank, he focused on integrating digital asset strategies to support institutional-grade infrastructure for next-generation financial services. In 2022, he was named CryptoAM’s “Influencer of the Year.”.
David Parsons is an accomplished technology executive with over 25 years of experience leading digital financial infrastructure initiatives across the US and Europe. As Chief Technology Officer at NiftyOne, he drives innovation, technology strategy, and platform development. His expertise spans go-to-market strategies, business development, and regulatory frameworks, underpinned by a strong track record of working with global technology providers, hardware manufacturers, and software developers. David’s strategic vision and hands-on leadership have consistently enabled the successful deployment of scalable, secure, and compliant digital solutions in the financial sector.