FINTECH FUTURES
Pandemic forces corporations to balance technology investments on risk and agility
Homaira Akbari and Derek Vadala

How companies and industries have reacted to the covid-19 crisis?

The Coronavirus pandemic has tested the readiness of companies to manage crises. While the level of readiness has differed significantly across businesses and industries, financial services and technology companies have led in response effectiveness.

In this article, Homaira Akbari (President and CEO of Aknowledge Partners and independent director at Banco Santander) and Derek Vadala (CEO of Cyber Assessments) explain why these two sectors have been able to respond with greatest speed and resilience. They also share their thoughts on where companies should focus IT investment going forward “to ensure that when the unforeseen occurs, they are ready to respond with resilience and agility”.

  • In the case of financial services, the effectiveness of their response is due to years of heavy investment and to the new risk culture emerged after the financial crisis in 2008. 
  • In the case of Technology they argue that “Being “born in the cloud” has given a huge advantage, creating greater agility in their technology platform, processes and workforce”, allowing them to be more resilient, agile and scalable.

Filter results

FILTER BY CATEGORIES()
BACK

Filter results

Categories

26/02/2026

According to IE University’s Center for the Governance of Change, deeper and more integrated financial markets would strengthen the euro’s global role. This requires, among other elements, resilient and interoperable payment systems and completing the banking union.

IE University, Center for the governance of change
The geopolitics of the digital revolution
26/02/2026

Partnerships between banks and private credit: The winners will be those that combine bank underwriting discipline, distribution, and customer access with private capital’s appetite for long-dated, illiquid risk, according to Oliver Wyman.

Oliver Wyman
Private credit’s next act in Europe
26/02/2026

Lucrezia Reichlin (CEPR): A CBDC is not a prerequisite for monetary sovereignty. Confusing money with payments can risk misdiagnosing the problem and misaligning economic policy efforts.

Centre for Economic Policy Research
Central bank digital currency and monetary sovereignty
Lucrezia Reichlin
15/01/2026

According to the World Economic Forum´s Global Risk Report 2026, geoeconomic confrontation, mis- and disinformation and societal polarization make up the top three short-term risks, while environmental risks dominate in the long term.

World Economic Forum
Global Risk Report 2026
15/01/2026

According to the World Economic Forum, over the last few years AI has moved from experimentation to workflow integration, promising systemic gains in productivity while also raising critical questions around economic inclusion, values, trust and resilience.

World Economic Forum
Four Futures for Jobs in the New Economy: AI and Talent in 2030
16/12/2025

According to AFME, a clearer, more coherent, and proportionate regulatory environment, without unnecessary layers and focuses on growth and competitiveness, is keyl to increase investor confidence, unlock private capital and deepen European capital markets

AFME
Capital Markets Union Key Performance Indicators: Turning strategy into action during a period of change
16/12/2025

According to the Center for the Governance of Change at IE University, Europeans support technological progress if it reinforces security, inclusion, and social welfare; but resist it when change feels imposed, opaque, or misaligned with their values.

Center for the Governance of Change de IE University
European Tech Insights 2025
04/12/2025

According to a recent report released by CEPS, European financial regulators should adopt competitiveness as a formal secondary objective, following the precedent established by the UK's Financial Services and Markets Act 2023.

CEPS
Embedding financial competitiveness as a regulatory objective to boost europe’s productivity
Judith Arnal, Pablo Zalba and César Gurrea
13/11/2025

According to the OECD. SMEs and start-ups that grow rapidly contribute significantly to job creation, economic growth and competitiveness. Indeed, SMEs that grow by one-third over a three-year period, contribute about as much to job creation as large firms.

OCDE
Unleashing SME Potential to Scale Up
11/11/2025

According to @McKinsey, banks must prepare for a new growth curve. Strategic precision —the ability to combine technology, capital discipline, and deep customer insight— will distinguish the leaders from the laggards.

Mckinsey & Company
Global Banking Annual Review 2025
23/10/2025

According to Kristalina Georgeva IMF Managing Director, lifting growth requires three things: one, regulatory housecleaning to unleash private enterprise; two, deeper regional integration; and three, preparedness to harness AI.

International Monetary Fund
World Economic Outlook and Global Financial Stability reports, October 2025
15/10/2025

According to The European House – Ambrosetti, the European Union has an opportunity to boost competitiveness and growth by simplifying regulatory and supervisory frameworks, particularly in the areas of sustainability and the financial sector.

The European House- Ambrosetti
Europe’s Competitiveness at Crossroads: A Stocktaking one year after the Draghi and Letta Reports
URL copied to clipboard