FStech packed the London Hilton Tower Bridge yesterday for its sixth annual Future of FinTech conference, with financial services leaders, technology innovators and industry experts gathering to explore the forces reshaping the sector.

Opening the programme, Kirsty Rutter, strategic investment director for corporate venture capital at Lloyds Banking Group, delivered a compelling analysis of the rapidly evolving fintech landscape. Rutter highlighted the transformative impact of consumertech, agentic AI and payments innovation, emphasising that strategic partnerships will be crucial for firms navigating the sector's ongoing transformation. She shared insights into how Lloyds Banking Group maintains its competitive edge through targeted investments and collaboration.

Professor Philip Treleaven, director of the UCL and UK Centre for Financial Computing, provided detailed insights into optimising large language models for finance. His session explored the practical applications of ChatGPT, Claude, Llama and DeepSeek, revealing advanced prompt engineering techniques that are proving essential for success in quantitative trading, fund management and investment advice.

The HCLTech-sponsored AI implementation panel proved a conference highlight, featuring candid discussions from industry practitioners. Panellists Teodor Blidarus, founder and chief executive officer of FintechOS; Rajnish Kumar, head of investment technology and AI at Allianz Global Investors; Paris Patel, associate vice president of financial services at HCLTech; and Mauricio Toro, head of AI and data science at Cheddar, shared practical experiences from deploying AI across risk assessment, fraud detection and customer service. The session addressed the complex regulatory landscape and compliance challenges that organisations must navigate during AI implementation.

The operational resilience panel, sponsored by BMC addressed growing concerns about system stability and security. Fox Ahmed, global head of cybersecurity and technology at BNP Paribas; Duncan Ash, banking and financial services industry GTM lead at BMC; and Adam Williams, UK advisory lead for operational resilience at Capgemini, outlined strategies for strengthening operational frameworks. Their discussion covered cloud-based solutions, AI-driven monitoring systems and distributed architectures designed to enhance system resilience against evolving threats.

A fireside chat with Saira Khan, head of innovation and partnerships at First Direct Bank, offered insights into the future of customer experience. Khan explored how financial institutions are developing sophisticated personalisation strategies and inclusive design approaches to meet evolving customer expectations and serve diverse market segments. John Somerville, director of financial services at LIBF, traced the evolution of financial advice technology, examining the journey from early mobile systems to today's sophisticated AI-powered platforms that can anticipate client needs and deliver personalised market intelligence.

The Finastra-sponsored panel on next-generation banking explored the industry's post-digital transformation phase. Hugo Sousa, senior director at OakNorth Bank, and Tim Tyler, head of strategic advisory for universal banking at Finastra, discussed emerging concepts including autonomous finance powered by predictive analytics and ambient banking experiences. They emphasised the importance of preparing for disruptive technologies including quantum computing and decentralised finance.

The conference concluded with Chris Waring, head of digital customer journeys at NatWest, presenting strategies for digital business banking transformation. Waring outlined approaches for applying neo bank methodologies to SME and larger business segments, demonstrating how modern digital approaches can streamline traditionally manual processes in business finance.

Jonathan Easton, editor of FStech and conference chair, praised the event's success: "This year's Future of FinTech conference delivered exceptional insights across every aspect of financial technology innovation. From AI implementation strategies to operational resilience frameworks, our speakers provided practical guidance that will genuinely help financial services leaders navigate the rapidly evolving technological landscape. The quality of discussion and networking was outstanding, reinforcing our position as the industry's premier fintech gathering."

FStech’s next conference – The Future of AI in Financial Services – will take place on October 9 at the Hilton London Tower Bridge. Tickets are available now. Register your interest early to ensure you do not miss out on this major event for the UK financial sector.

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