On-demand webinar

Virtual panel: The future of work in financial services

Join The Economist Events and Tableau for The future of work in financial services, a new virtual discussion, to predict the future of work in finance. Hear from finance leaders from across the sector as they discuss:

  • Is remote work—at least in some form—here to stay?
  • Are staff productive, and do they have the right skills to function effectively?
  • What role should data and predictive analytics, AI and other technologies play in the future of work?
  • How will this evolution change long-term talent acquisition strategies, company culture and customer relationships?



     

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Covid-19 emerged during a complex evolution in financial services. Data and predictive analytics, cloud platforms, artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies had already started to change the face of the sector. From the dawn of ticker tapes through to high-frequency trading, leading financial institutions have never shied away from disruptive tech. But the pandemic sped up adoption of new technologies, pushing financial services into a new era. Where is it headed?

Amid lockdowns and quarantines, firms had to rapidly move legions of traders, wealth managers, accountants and auditors into home offices. Getting them online and working was the top priority for IT managers. Security was equally high on the agenda. Tapping into secure servers without compromising valuable data had been the main reason staff had to turn up at the office, rain or shine. Now, risk managers and bond traders alike can seamlessly function in a cubicle or from their bedroom.

The next hurdle may be less straightforward. Finance has long been an industry reliant on the passing of shared knowledge and experience to train staff and improve decision-making. Wisened advice from managing directors or chief executives is treated as gospel for fresh graduates. Gauging a client’s comfort with investment plays over a drink or dinner has often been the difference between a deal and a failed pitch.

About the speakers

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Alan Davidson

RVP, Financial Services, Tableau

Alan is the RVP, Financial Services in the UK and Ireland at Tableau. Over the last four years, Alan has empowered Tableau’s financial services customers to transform their businesses by building data-driven cultures. Alan works closely with the world’s leading financial institutions, including global and UK-centric banks, insurers, payments processors and fintech companies, to ensure they thrive in the data era. In this rapidly changing world, people are turning to data to make decisions about the future. It is more important than ever to unleash natural curiosity and energy by equipping people with tools and empowering them with skills to get the most value out of their data. This is what drives Alan and his team at Tableau.

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Sigal Zarmi

International CIO & global head of technology transformation, Morgan Stanley

Sigal Zarmi is a managing director, international CIO and global head of transformation at Morgan Stanley. She drives the firm's agenda through emerging technologies, unlocking technology-fuelled sources of value across the business and modernising the digital experience for clients and employees. As international CIO, Ms Zarmi manages Morgan Stanley’s diverse global technology footprint, including the technology teams in the Global In-house Centres. Ms Zarmi joined Morgan Stanley in 2018 from PwC, where she was vice-chairman and CIO. Before this, she was CIO of GE Capital Americas, where she spent 18 years in various technology and operations leadership positions. She began her career as a developer at Motorola.

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James Anderson

Executive Vice President, Commercial & B2B Solutions, Mastercard

James Anderson is executive vice-president of commercial and business-to-business solutions at Mastercard and a member of the company's management committee. He is responsible for all of Mastercard’s products and programmes targeting business users, including small and medium business and travel and entertainment programs, virtual card solutions for accounts payables, and a set of new B2B Business products under development. Before taking on his current role, Mr Anderson served as executive vice-president of digital payment products. He has spent his career at the intersection of mobile, payment and internet technologies in product development, business development and general management roles.

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Dr Michael Gorriz

Group chief information officer, Standard Chartered Bank

Michael is responsible for defining and implementing the Bank’s technology and innovation strategy and managing the systems development and technology infrastructure which underpin the Bank’s client services.

Prior to Standard Chartered, Michael was Vice President and CIO at Daimler AG where he was globally responsible for strategy, planning and development of the Group’s IT systems, as well as the operation of its technical infrastructure.

He graduated with a Masters degree in physics from the Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg and obtained a PhD in Laser Engineering from the University of Stuttgart.

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Matthieu Favas

Finance correspondent, The Economist

Matthieu Favas is The Economist’s Finance Correspondent. He covers finance with a global remit, notably banking, insurance, fintech, FX, market infrastructure and private assets. He also writes about business issues as well as farming, agricultural commodities and the food system. Prior to joining The Economist in 2018, he was the editor of Agri Investor, a publication tracking capital flows in agricultural assets around the globe. He was previously a reporter and editor at Private Equity International and Infrastructure Investor. Prior to pursuing a career in journalism, Mr Favas was a wine trader in Spain, Britain and Mongolia. He studied business and finance at HEC Paris and international relations at King’s College London.