Excellence in Digital Banking & product Development- International Summit 27-28-29 May 2026, Amsterdam is a highly anticipated premier event that will be held in the vibrant city of Amsterdam, from May 27th to 29th, 2026. This summit will bring together industry leaders, experts, and innovators in the financial technology sector to explore and discuss the hottest topics shaping the future of digital banking. Here are ten hot topics that are expected to take center stage during this exciting event
It was an absolute honour to attend, present, and chair the first two days of PulseCore Events, Excellence in Digital Banking 2024 International Summit in Amsterdam. I enjoyed sharing insights on Oxford Risk and behavioural finance and moderating a panel on the future of digital onboarding. A special thanks to the event organisers and the other speakers I had the pleasure of introducing.
Had a fantastic time at the Excellence in Digital Banking event held from May 13-16 in Amsterdam, where I had the opportunity to share and exchange ideas with incredible professionals from around the world.
In my keynote, I emphasized the importance of maintaining the "human" element in our digital transformations to avoid commoditization. Ultimately, it's the human connection through the customer's transformative journey that provides the most competitive advantage and is hardest to replicate.
The diverse perspectives and innovative practices shared were truly eye-opening. Highlights included discussions on the increasing importance of cybersecurity amidst rapid technological advancements and its impact on customers, innovative AI solutions in unsecured lending, excellence in digital onboarding, the significance of building impactful partnerships and the strategic decisions around what a bank should develop internally versus through partnerships.
A heartfelt thanks to PulseCore Events for bringing together such a diverse and knowledgeable set of speakers and to all participants for sharing their own journeys.
Looking forward to applying these insights in my work!
I had a great time in Amsterdam last week attending the Excellence in Digital Banking event hosted by Pulsecore. Over 350 delegates from Financial Institutions participated at the event. Here are my three key takeaways:
1. Digitalization of financial services is now the norm, how you deploy differs, based on demography, culture, and other factors.
2. Customers will use digital channels as long as they are convenient and reliable.
3. Security and trust are required in building successful digital products.
It was inspiring to see what other organizations like Stirling Bank, Salt Bank, and Alpian are doing in their Markets. This was an event worth attending! hashtag#digitalbanking hashtag#finance hashtag#excellence hashtag#Pulsecore hashtag#PulseCore Events
It was great attending the Excellence in Digital Banking Summit last week in Amsterdam. Thank you, PulseCore Events, for inviting me to speak at the event. I truly enjoyed discussing and sharing our insights with the other speakers and the audience. It was an outstanding event, covering important topics and sharing experiences from around the world.
#DigitalBankingsummit#BankingInnovation hashtag#DigitalTransformation hashtag#DigitalChannels
JST Coordinator / Head of Section, European Central Bank, Germany
Advanced Analytics and AI Lead - Artificial Intelligence CoE, Lloyds Banking Group, UK
COO Wholesale Banking Client & Digital Services, ING, Netherlands
Director - Model Risk, Internal Audit, NatWest, UK
Director of Group Strategy, Barclays, UK
Head of Cyber Risk Intelligence, Insider Technology Risk and Digital Asset Risk, BNP Paribas, UK
Head of Risk, Rietumu Banka, Latvia
Chief Operating Officer, Recognise Bank, UK
Independent Expert (Ex Senior Policy Officer Fintech and AI at DNB)
EVP, Digital Banking and Payment Systems, Kuveyt Türk Katılım Bankasi, Turkey
Head of Digital Banking & Alternative Channels, Emirates NBD, Egypt
AI Governance Officer, ASN Bank, Netherlands
Hybrid AI Product Owner for Realization squad, AI upskilling and Internal delivery teams, Česká Sporitelna, Czechia
AI & Digital Innovation Strategist, Commerzbank, Germany
Head of SME Digital - Business Banking, Nordea, Finland
CEO & Co-Founder, Tweezr
Data, Analytics & AI Leader, Bank of Ireland, UK
Head of Change & Project Management, Emirates NBD, Egypt
Executive Director FCC Tech Advisory, Santander Corporate & Investment Banking, UK
Vice Director, Zürcher Kantonalbank, Switzerland
Head of Enterprise Sustainability, BNY
Managing Director, Global Head of Liquidity Solutions, HSBC, UK
Director, Commerzbank AG, Germany
Senior Director - Head of IT Architecture, Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy
Head of Media Relations, Starling Bank, UK
Executive Vice President, Marketing Portfolio Management & Digital Products, Garanti BBVA Payment Systems, Turkey
Lead of Digital Channels, Swedbank Baltics, Lithuania
Executive Vice President, Head of Payments & Consumer Lending, Mashreq Bank, Dubai
Director of Product Design, JP Morgan Chase, UK
Head of Digital Transformation and Product Development Department, BNF Bank, Malta
Lead Operational Risk Framework Manager, Metro Bank, UK
Moving from AI pilots to enterprise-wide transformation Embedding AI into strategic decision-making at board level Aligning data, talent and technology for AI-driven banking Redefining leadership in an AI-native financial institution
Transitioning from workflow automation to AI-driven operations Rethinking operational structures and digital workforces Integrating AI agents across banking services Measuring productivity gains and operational transformation
Scaling AI beyond pilots Agentic AI use cases in banking Governance, controls, and oversight Trust, compliance, and resilience
Moving from product-centric to customer-centric structures Aligning technology, business and operations leadership Creating faster decision cycles in complex organizations
Ambition creates direction, but architecture determines whether transformation can scale securely, sustainably, and at speed. Vision in banking demands more than innovation, it requires resilient data, technology, governance, and operating models working as one ecosystem. The institutions that win will be those that simplify complexity, build adaptable platforms, and turn strategy into repeatable execution.
Advancing beyond basic AI tools toward high-impact business applications Enhancing financial advisory services and operational decision-making with generative AI Ensuring secure and responsible AI adoption across the organization Evaluating performance, efficiency, and long-term return on AI investments
Moving beyond chatbots toward strategic applications Integrating generative AI in a supportive role for business operations Scaling AI capabilities safely across business lines Strategic directions for AI implementation aimed at business value generation A focus on AI Platforms
Combining deterministic system intelligence with AI Grounding insights in source code to maintain control Modernizing legacy systems without a disruptive big bang
Transforming wholesale banking through digital client journeys Improving efficiency with data-driven service models Balancing automation, personalization and relationship banking
Managing AI risk across credit, fraud, pricing and customer decisions Governing GenAI and AI agents through validation and human oversight Balancing regulatory expectations with faster, responsible AI adoption
Leveraging AI to anticipate customer needs Delivering contextual financial guidance in real time Moving from reactive service to proactive engagement
Designing simple, intuitive, and trusted digital banking experiences Understanding the expectations of mobile-first and digital-native customers Turning product design into a competitive advantage for banks
Moving beyond passwords toward biometric authentication Designing invisible authentication across channels Balancing convenience and security in digital access
Using EEG and eye-tracking to understand customer responses Measuring subconscious reactions across digital and physical touchpoints Turning emotional engagement into better customer experience
Moving from one-time verification to continuous identity assurance Integrating behavioral and contextual identity signals Simplifying verification for repeat interactions
Positioning banks alongside governments and technology platforms Exploring digital identity wallets and interoperable frameworks Using identity to reshape customer relationships and services
Positioning banks as trusted identity providers Integrating national digital identity frameworks Building cross-border digital identity capabilities
Communicating innovation clearly in a fast-changing banking environment Building customer trust through transparency, security, and simplicity
Turning digital wallets into everyday customer touchpoints Driving loyalty through payments, rewards, and personalized digital services Competing in a fast-growing payments and wallet ecosystem
Redesigning digital banking around SME needs Using data and AI for proactive financial guidance Helping SMEs save time and grow faster
Embedding banking services into customer journeys and partner platforms Connecting payments and lending to create seamless experiences Scaling growth models through ecosystems and partnerships
Exploring how banks will compete, collaborate and innovate in the next era of financial services.
Designing AI-ready banking architecture Modernizing legacy cores without disruption Cloud, APIs, and composable platforms Resilience, security, and DORA compliance
Risk in digital transformation Managing AI, cloud, and platform change Operational resilience in fast-moving banking Balancing innovation, control, and trust
Understanding how European supervisors assess AI-driven business models, governance and digital transformation Translating regulatory expectations — SSM priorities, DORA and the AI Act — into practical design choices for the intelligent bank Building board-level accountability and meaningful human oversight as AI enters core decision chains Managing the resilience challenge: cloud concentration, third-party AI models and legacy evolution Positioning trust and supervisability as competitive advantages, not constraints, in the platform economy
Open finance beyond open banking Digital wallets as new customer gateways Embedded banking and platform growth Competing in the future financial ecosystem
Moving from transactional apps to financial life platforms Integrating payments, investments and lifestyle services Designing apps that become daily financial companions Building engagement beyond transactions
Competing with technology platforms for customer attention Leveraging trust and financial expertise as differentiators Building partnerships without losing strategic control Defining the future role of banks in digital ecosystems
Understanding evolving expectations of digital-native customers Building intuitive banking experiences for mobile-first users Simplifying financial services through better design Creating long-term relationships with younger customers
Embedding sustainability into digital banking strategy and product design Using data and technology to support ESG transparency and reporting Connecting sustainability, innovation, and long-term business value
How real-time payments are changing liquidity expectations Building smarter treasury solutions for corporate and institutional clients Using data and digital platforms to improve cash visibility and control
How transaction banking is evolving through platforms and ecosystems Strengthening client relationships through integrated digital services Combining payments, trade finance, and data-driven solutions
Exploring how deepfakes, synthetic identity and AI-driven fraud are reshaping financial crime, and how banks can defend against the next frontier of threats.
**Join Us for the Excellence in Digital Banking 6.0 – International Summit!**
**Date:** 27-28-29 May 2026
**Location:** Amsterdam
Are you ready to shape the future of digital banking? Join industry leaders, innovators, and global experts at the **Excellence in Digital Banking 6..0 – International Summit** to unlock cutting-edge insights and strategies for the next generation of banking.
**Why Attend?**
- **Engage** with global banking pioneers sharing the latest trends and technologies.
- **Network** with senior executives and industry disruptors from around the world.
- **Discover** transformative ideas in fintech, AI, blockchain, cybersecurity, and more.
**Secure your spot today and be part of the digital revolution in banking!** Don’t miss this unique opportunity to lead, learn, and innovate at one of the most anticipated events in digital finance.
Day 1 of the PulseCore Events on Digital Banking Excellence delivered an inspiring journey into the future of finance. From seamless remote account opening to Open Finance's trillion-dollar potential, thought leaders shared insights on mobile payments, app innovation, digital transformation, and security. Highlights included personalized banking strategies, democratizing access, and the rise of neo-banks like Salt Bank. With a spotlight on agility, customer engagement, and cutting-edge solutions, the day set the stage for reimagining digital banking. Stay tuned for Day 2’s focus on digital identity and onboarding!
Explore the highlights from an impactful day at PulseCore Events! Discussions spanned transformative banking strategies, from enhancing physical branches into experiential hubs to seamless digital onboarding in countries like Turkey and Sweden. Industry leaders tackled pressing topics: Europe's lag in API adoption, ING's innovative business onboarding process, AI's role in AML compliance, and resilient business continuity strategies from Ukraine. Experts from HSBC, MoraBanc, and Intesa San Paolo emphasized hyper-personalization, ESG, and open finance's future. A convergence of traditional and neo-banking showcases the relentless drive for digital excellence and customer-centric innovation. Stay inspired!
Day 3 at PulseCore Events was packed with inspiring talks on digital banking excellence, centered around Fintech innovation. Highlights included: - Tomas Reytt (mBank, Czechia) explored mobile-first strategies in digitally mature markets. - Halil Ozcan (Burgan Bank, Turkey) shared insights on building a competitive bank and key trends like AI and hyper-personalization. - Felix Hospe (Commerzbank, Germany) presented open banking strategies with real-world use cases. - Igor Korotach (Quantum, USA) examined the intersection of traditional finance and DeFi. - Gabriel Ayala (Bit2me, Spain) discussed Bitcoin's impact and crypto opportunities for banks. - Levent Kazim Oguz (DenizBank, Turkey) showcased innovative mobile platforms. - Laurent Lamblin (Everyone Invested, Belgium) emphasized emotional aspects in investment strategies. - Asli Gulem Gunduz (UPT Turkey) introduced niche digital finance solutions. - Nihat Narin (Belbim, Turkey) highlighted the transformation of Istanbul Kart into a fintech platform.
Day 4 at PulseCore Events showcased transformative insights on AI in the financial sector: Kate Fitzgerald (UK Payment Systems Regulators) outlined strategies for inclusive, secure, and competitive payment systems. Brinks (Netherlands) highlighted AI-driven ATM outsourcing for enhanced security, fraud detection, and customer experience. Joseph Mucheru (Jumo, Kenya) shared AI-powered solutions driving financial inclusion in emerging markets. Estrella Mota Perez (BBVA) emphasized evolving SME digital strategies with AI and user-centric approaches. David Porter (Bank of England) explored AI's ethical deployment and future potential. An inspiring day of collaboration and innovation with 350 participants, driving the future of digital banking!
