Finance Monthly - October 2021

23 Finance Monthly. Bank i ng & F i nanc i a l Se r v i ce s To discuss the future of the banking and financial services sector, we reached out to Shanker Ramamurthy, BIAN Board member and Global Managing Partner Banking - IBM. IBM Industry Academy, provides me with a unique perspective and overview of the trends affecting other sectors, which helps me think outside the box for our financial services clients. Are you able to tell us more about your recent appointment to BIAN’s Executive Board and BIAN’s role in the industry? BIAN is an organisation of institutions and professionals from the financial and technology industries, standing for the Banking Industry Architecture Network. It is a collaborative, not- for-profit eco-system of leading banks, technology providers, consultants, and academics from all over the globe, who are committed to lowering the cost of banking and increasing the speed of innovation adoption in the industry. Members combine their industry expertise to define a revolutionary banking technology framework that standardises and simplifies banking architecture to overcome limitations preventing growth and encourages ease of management in their existing environments. The invitation to become a member of the BIAN board was an opportunity I could not refuse. I am truly honoured to be part of BIAN’s executive board to offer counsel and support their work in helping financial institutions navigate this period of immense opportunity and disruption. Now, more so than ever before, BIAN’s open framework, services-oriented architecture, and standards model are essential to the financial services industry.