Technology

It’s not been an easy ride for the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) over the past couple of years – economic uncertainty, increased regulation and an ever-pressing need to cut costs and grow revenue has taken its toll. And with innovation continuing to buffet the workplace, upending business models and increasing customer demand, it’s no surprise that CFO turnover is on the up.

Cyber-hackers are using increasingly sophisticated and complex malicious software that can make early detection of fraudulent activity difficult. To protect themselves, financial institutions need not only technological excellence but also effective training mechanisms to promote vigilance among their workforce. While cybersecurity software is extremely useful, cyber-protection must begin at home, with knowledgeable staff who are equipped to recognise and thwart cyber-breaches. This can be accomplished only with constructive staff cyber-training.

Technology is bringing an assortment of benefits to consumers and their banks but also a slew of new or heightened risks. In the UK, regulatory authorities are addressing the looming threats by rolling out proposals related to Operational Resilience (OpRes). UK financial firms will be expected to adhere to new rules during the second half of 2021 and need to start preparing as the journey to compliance will be arduous.

As the world becomes more digitally intertwined, competition between its major economies grows more combative, as evidenced by the US-China trade battles and legal actions. No sector is more impacted than frontline information and communications technology, in which much of today’s warfare between the two heavyweights rages. At the inception of a new year and a new decade, is there reason to hope for cooperation toward shared growth and prosperity?

According to a report commissioned by the UK’s Treasury, Britain’s financial services system is experiencing an existential skills crisis. Why? As digital start-ups have moved quickly to offer desirable working benefits such as flexible hours or learning and development opportunities, financial institutions have been comparably slow to react to new workplace demands.

Banks take security very seriously, for obvious reasons. They pride themselves on their ability to protect against threats, both externally and internally. Without consideration, however, the need to protect can come at a cost to a bank’s customer and employee experience. While many banks have done a great job of balancing their customer experience with their security needs, few have considered the impact this can have on employees.

It’s a fact. The exponential growth of data directly impacts financial institutions’ ability to do business efficiently. And there’s no sign of that growth slowing down, with IDC conservatively predicting a 26% CAGR data growth in financial services companies between 2018-2025.

Do you remember when banking meant wasting time queueing in-branch, or poring over paper statements? Thankfully, the industry has come a long way since then. Today, managing your finances is as easy as logging in to an app; and opening an account is as simple as verifying your identity with a selfie.

Bankers are bullish on digital transformation. According to 2018 research by the Boston Consulting Group, 86% of financial institutions agree that digitization will upend the industry and permanently transform the competitive landscape.

Technology has brought us all closer together but at times, makes it more difficult to know exactly with whom we are dealing. Accurate customer identity verification is crucial for financial services, especially when the potential for criminal activities such as money laundering is factored in. Regulators are joining in the challenge by specifying how customers’ identities should be verified online, with the new 5AMLD in Europe lending guidance to banks.