Emily Steele, President, SavanaHeadlines in the UK and Europe still talk of bank branch closures, However, in the US there are signs of a resurgence in traditional banking, with almost 100 net new branches opening in 2023 and almost double that number in 2024. Despite the digital shift, even in Gen Z, when asked their preference, a majority would opt for personalised advice. There is an opportunity here for banks to re-imagine the in-person experience. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Emily Steele, President of banking tech provider Savana.

Rajesh Pai Fondekar, Group VP & Head of Product Management, Digital Financial Solutions, Comviva TechnologiesConsumers want fast and seamless payments but with frictionless payments comes the potential for increased risk of fraud. Rajesh Pai Fondekar, Group VP & Head of Product Management, Digital Financial Solutions, at Comviva Technologies, speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence about the evolution of payments and the innovations that aim to ensure both security and convenience in payments now and for the future.

Amit Jain, Partner and Head, IBS Intelligence A one-size-fits-all approach won’t succeed in today’s dynamic FinTech market. Achieving market fit requires strategies aligned with customer needs and industry shifts. Product review and roadmap planning must prioritise flexibility and customisation for sustainable growth and competitive advantage. 

Bindesh Pandey, Group VP, Digital Financial Solutions, Comviva TechnologiesBanks have historically viewed FinTechs as disruptors – a view that many FinTechs would themselves take. However, times change, and technology evolves. Now the bank/FinTech relationship is more complex and nuanced. Competition is fierce in some areas while mutually beneficial collaboration is the order of the day elsewhere. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Bindesh Pandey, Group Vice President of Digital Financial Solutions at Comviva about the factors dictating the shape of relations between banks and FinTechs.

Biju Suresh-Babu, Managing Director, Banking & Financial Services, Fiorano SoftwareThe Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) is developing an open finance regime that encompasses both banks and insurers. Biju Suresh-Babu, Managing Director, Banking & Financial Services with Fiorano Software discusses the framework being put in place by the CBUAE with Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence, comparing progress with solutions being implemented elsewhere in the world, and with special emphasis on how financial institutions are responding and what open finance will mean for end-customers.

Steve Britain, CEO, Monument TechnologyMonument Technology’s Banking-Platform-as-a-Service model is a tribute to Monument Bank, which has scaled from £1 billion in assets to £5 billion in the last 12 months. The bank created its tech stack through a combination of best-in-class solutions together with its own tech where the latter could act as a differentiator. Steve Britain, now CEO of Monument Technology was previously COO of the bank. He speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence about the decision to go into the bank-in-a-box business.

Sandeep Katiyar, Co-Founder and Group Chief Financial Officer, Finhaat Bringing insurance and wealth management to semi-urban and rural India requires more than just access—it demands trust, simplicity, and security. Finhaat is tackling this challenge with a tech-driven distribution network that connects underserved communities to essential financial products. By leveraging digital tools, the platform makes insurance and investments easier to understand and adopt. Fraud prevention remains a priority, with robust security measures ensuring safe transactions. Sandeep shares insights with Puja Sharma of IBS Intelligence on how Finhaat is shaping the future of financial services.

Neil Chandler, Chief Executive Officer, Aion BankItaly’s Unicredit finalised the takeover of Aion Bank and sister company, tech provider, Vodeno in early March 2025. The deal was first announced in July 2024. Ahead of the confirmation of the Unicredit deal, Aion Bank CEO Neil Chandler spoke with Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence, discussing the evolution of Banking-as-a-Service and the difference between fully regulated BaaS platforms and BNPL services.

Davis DeRodes, Lead Data Scientist, Fusion Risk ManagementLast year’s CrowdStrike failure firmly put the need for robust scenario testing under the global spotlight. Online and app outages at some of the UK’s biggest banks in early 2025 have only served to underline the need to ensure operational resilience. Davis DeRodes, Lead Data Scientist at Fusion Risk Management speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence about current trends in scenario testing and says 2025 will be the year of the AI agent.

Pat Bermingham, CEO, Adflex The end is in sight for direct debits and card on file payments with the coming of VRPs, allowing flexible, automated payments between bank accounts… also in focus, virtual cards, slower payments (!) tokenisation and embedded payments, including the grow of B2B BNPL. Pat Bermingham, CEO of B2B digital payment processor Adflex, speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence