What happens when 24 leaders from Australia’s financial services sector get together to share their insights into technology and accelerating next-generation change?

It sounds like the start of a bad joke, but we did just that, gathering some of the biggest names in banking, fin-tech, insurance and superannuation for an exclusive industry event in Melbourne. We discussed how businesses are implementing cutting-edge innovations and the necessary steps needed to effectively accelerate next-generational change through data, cloud or AI.

Accelerating next-generational change at your own pace

Our panel of expert speakers – Pritida Vinod, Technology Area Lead at ANZ Bank, Peter Lawrence, Senior Technology and Digital Strategist at HESTA and Andrew Cresp, Ex-Chief Information Officer at Bendigo and Adelaide Bank – led the discussion sharing their experiences in driving innovation within highly regulated environments.  While organisations across the finance sector may differ in their day-to-day operations, most face common challenges, such as cybersecurity, connecting with customers, and getting products into production quickly.

Attendees shared insights into their organisation’s unique innovation journey, demonstrating that the definition game-changing innovation is different to each organisation. Accelerating next-gen change doesn’t follow a one-size-fits-all approach and organisations need to innovate at their own pace. 

While some companies may be further along the road, banking on AI implementation to deliver transformational change, others are focusing on strengthening their foundations so they can adopt cutting-edge technologies at pace and scale in the near future. For one company, next-generational change meant an AI implementation that boosted development productivity by 1000%. For another, it was about improving data and optimising cloud infrastructure.

Preparing the foundations for the next stage of the journey

As businesses embark on digital transformation journeys, having the right infrastructure and team foundations in place is essential. Investing in cutting-edge technologies such as AI without a solid foundation and careful planning can lead to costly missteps. Think of it like this: running out of fuel on a road trip might result in a panicked dash to an overpriced service station and paying a few extra cents per litre, but it won’t derail the journey for too long. However, launching a rocket without the right fuel could jeopardise the entire mission. 

Finance leaders in Australia know AI and other emerging technologies have the potential to be a rocket, propelling organisations to new heights. But without a skilled team, optimised infrastructure and thoughtful planning, organisations risk wasting valuable time and resources. 

Our panel emphasised how vital it is to retain skilled technology talent as a foundation for next-generation change. As technology continues to accelerate at pace, the digital skills gap will continue to widen so ensuring your team is equipped for the future is crucial to stay competitive in a fast-evolving landscape. 

Breaking down silos, sharing industry insights

At Equal Experts, we’re driven by a passion for knowledge-sharing. It’s in our DNA and it’s something that our customers appreciate time and time again. That’s why we create havens of knowledge sharing within our communities – a place where we can break down silos and bring partners, technology practitioners and industry leaders together to discuss some of their biggest challenges and opportunities. 

Our attendees appreciated the chance to connect with other like-minded technology leaders in similar fields and gain new perspectives or ideas that they can take back to their organisations for the future of their technology journey. One attendee summed up the evening perfectly, sharing with me:  “I had a ball last night and it was great meeting everyone from your team. I was also very impressed with the event, gift, company and the discussion. AI isn’t for the faint-hearted.”

Start your journey with a 10-day health check

So, how do you know if your organisation is ready to accelerate next-generational change?  As technology estates continuously evolve, it’s challenging to maintain a complete, up-to-date view of your infrastructure. 

That’s where Equal Experts can help. Our 10-day Health Check can help you understand your technology investments against your business outcomes, whilst evaluating your current cloud estate and cloud infrastructure, services and applications. 

Want to find out more? Contact the Equal Experts Australia team and start your journey to game-changing technology innovation.