Among frontrunners and early adopters of smart technologies, banks and financial institutions have accelerated the digital banking and financial transformation in 2022. Substantial budgets and reshaped human resources have been dedicated to back-office automation, data and advanced analytics, innovation, modern technologies and reshaped workforce to better address the customer experience.
In this context, The Diplomat-Bucharest dedicates its fourth edition of FINANCIAL FORUM to take place at Radisson Blu Hotel in Bucharest, Atlas conference hall on May 3rd, 2022 in Bucharest to financial, banking and fintech leaders, as well as to top managers and authorities from capital markets and insurance companies.
Event agenda
PANEL I & II MODERATOR: GABRIELA FOLCUT, Executive Director, Romanian Association of Banks (ARB)
15:00-15:30 Registering of Participants & Welcome Coffee
15:30-17:15 SESSION I: LEADERS’ VISION IN FINANCIAL SECTOR
SPEAKERS:
- SEBASTIAN BURDUJA, Vice-president of the Budget and Finance Commission, Chamber of Deputies
- MADALINA TEODORESCU, Vice-president First Bank
- GYULA FATÉR, CEO, OTP Bank Romania
- RADU HANGA, President, Board of Directors, Bucharest Stock Exchange
- DANIEL PANA, Commercial Director Central and Eastern Europe, FintechOS
- PAUL BARANGA, Capital Market Expert, Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF)DORU PETRUTI, Deputy General Manager, Orange Money
REGULATORY & AUTHORITIES UPDATES – Updates on legal and legislative frame, regulations and the authorities’ voice. Sector’s reforms and strategy, industry’s regulators and authorities’ revise and expectations. Local impact of EU Commission’s action plan on FinTech on enabling innovative business models to scale up at EU level and support the uptake of new technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence and cloud services in the financial sector.
- The updates in the regulatory and legislative frame in banking & finance in 2022
- Local impact of EU Commission’s action plan on FinTech on enabling innovative business models
- Technology enabling the banking and financial sector in Romania
- The expectations regarding the evolution of the economy and impact on banking & finance
THE CONTINUOUS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF BANKING – The past two years determined the banking sector to rethink and reorganize fast the way of making business and embrace incremental changes. This mirrored in a faster digitalization transformation and the need to challenge the traditional business models. The bank clients are asking now fast and accurate response to their needs, the sustainable and service fees, the organizations’ branding and online presence is a must. Banking operates now in a global app-based ecosystem and had to customize their offers according to the expectations of the young generation. “Credit with a selfie” is just an example but this speaks loudly for this change. However, the silver lining is to find the balance between going hand in hand with the customers’ current needs, complying with the market regulations, fighting cyber threats and partner with the super-apps companies.
- The digitalization of banking and financial sector
- The main banking and financial tools to enable the operations and attract customers
- The main changes that financial and banking sector see in 2022
- The evolution of payments and digital currencies: Impact and challenges
THE CAPITAL MARKETS STATUS – Digital transformation was already underway, but 2021 provided a perfect catalyst for acceleration. The business of capital markets is entwined more closely with technology than ever before. Despite a revenue boost this year the outlook for capital markets remains challenging; making the right investment decisions requires understanding which area will have the highest impact at the intra- and inter-firm levels as well as understanding the change needed on the entities’ business culture and technical state.
- The potential of growth on the capital market in Romania
- Which are the main events that impacted the capital market so far in 2022? What to expect for this year?
- The listing of companies: shown interest, potential and main industries
- Attracting the interest of investors
LEADERSHIP: RESHAPING THE FUTURE OF FINANCE – The leadership style is the first to impact and echo at all levels of an organization, on employee productivity, inter-departmental communication and consequently product and business development and market image and value. The clash between the strict and classical finance leadership and the innovative and flexible tech and IT-based leadership is real. The challenge in fintech is finding the silver lining between the two leadership styles.
- How is the leadership approach translated in banking and finance sector?
- The silver lining of the strict traditional finance leadership and the innovative and flexible tech leadership
- Expectations of employees from their leaders
- Building a strong value proposition in finance and banking towards investors
FINTECH TRANSFORMING THE BANKING MARKET – While technological innovation in finance is not new, investment in new technologies has substantially increased in recent years and the pace of innovation is exponential. The ongoing growth of fintech is also a major factor for the changes taking place across the sector. Fintech is a combination of technology and financial services that’s transforming the way financial businesses operate, collaborate, and transact with their customers, regulators, and other stakeholders.
- Trends defining banking & fintech in 2022
- The impact of digital innovations in 2022. Expectations and outcomes
- Addresing the CX digital transformation
- Building the trust and relaibility in the banking sector through digital transformation
17:15-17:30 Coffee break
17:30 – 18:30 SESSION II: CREATING A STRONG VALUE PROPOSITION
SPEAKERS:
- IULIA MALIOUKIS, Principal Financial Industries, Horváth
- STEFAN BACIU, Country Manager SAS Romania & Republic of Moldova
- GEORGE ROBEV, Regional Business Development Director, Europe and Central Asia, Software Group
- DANIELA SERBAN, President of Romanian Investor Relations Association ARIR
- YUGO NEUMORNI, President CIO Council (ONLINE)
- GABRIELA FOLCUT, Executive Director, Romanian Association of Banks (PANEL MODERATOR)
THE SMART AND DIGITAL QUEST FOR LOYAL AND ENGAGED CUSTOMERS – Fintech customer journeys are more complex and challenging nowadays. Unlocking then power of digital, machine learning, AI, cyber security and other smart technologies is key. In the harsh competitive game, banks and financial services companies need to team up with third-party providers. However, the financial services industry is known for its cutting-edge adaptability to current realities.
- The shift gears on the digital initiatives to boost customer acquisition
- Addressing the need for digital humanization through personalization of solutions and the increasing deployment of proactive recommendations
- Making the best from cloud computing, better data utilization and digital technology
- A shift in consumer behavior and the rise of digitization
- Focusing on the evolving needs and expectations of today’s consumers
RESHAPED WORK AND REIMAGINED WORKFORCE – The transformation of an industry starts with the internal organizations of companies and onboarding the skilled professionals. This creates more and more space for smart technologies, interconnected operations, a virtual and around the clock fast and friendly customer experience. This industry’s customer is now everywhere at any time, and he need feedback on banking operations right away. The workflows and banking activities, as well as the professionals working for this industry have to imagine and deliver solutions walking in their customer’s shoes. This will demand a lot of people skills and understanding of the customer’s new behavior and needs.
- The main challenges on the workforce sin banking and fintech. Solutions and expectations
- The skilled workforce and digital savviness: How and where to find and retain the talents
- Possible government & authorities’ measures to enable the access of workforce to the banking market
- The transformation of workspace in banking system: Main changes, challenges and expectations
CYBER SECURITY BECOMES FUNDAMENTAL – In the past years, with the digital transformation of all sectors and virtual tech applications to meet the needs of banking users, the cyber security solutions became fundamental. In the increasingly cyber-based ecosystem of the world economy, the cyber threat is now a real risk. Hence, it is essential to companies, banking fintech, third parties to attentively assess, prevent and diminish this risk before it takes effects and the education of clients is a major part of this approach.
- The main challenges in cybersecurity measures in 2022
- Current actions of European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre in Bucharest
- Actions of educating the customers to prevent cyver threats in using thwir banking and fintech applications
- Addresing the need of senior generations, less tech-savy: measures, communication
SUSTAINABLE FINANCING AND BANKING – In the EU’s policy context, sustainable finance is understood as finance to support economic growth while reducing pressures on the environment and considering social and governance aspects The process of taking environmental, social, DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and governance (ESG) considerations into account when making investment decisions in the financial sector, leads to a more long-term investments in sustainable economic activities and projects. The new generations – the future reliable customers are more and more sensitive to these aspects. The number of consumers, investors, and job seekers consider an organizations’ sustainability efforts as an important benchmark for doing business, digital banking must be created with ESG and DEI in mind.
- Why is corporate sustainability important in banking and finance? How sustainable objectives are approached
- What innovation and new technologies have been implemented so far to sustain sustainable actions
- Translating sustainability goals into efficient ESG initiatives
- Sustainability objectives for 2022
18:30-19:30 Networking Cocktail & Dinner
Targeted audience:
- Policy makers, authorities & market regulators
- Board Members, CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CROs, Managing Directors, Finance Directors, CRM Managers, Marketing Managers, HR Managers, IT Managers and other senior executives from the banking sector
- Fintech leaders
- Technology, IT solutions and cyber safety providers and developers
More details can be found at the following link: FINANCIAL FORUM 2022 – POWERED BY THE DIPLOMAT BUCHAREST.
The event can be watched live on:
