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Rewind with FWD24 New York

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FWD24 brought together senior financial services leaders at the Microsoft Technology Center in Times Square, New York. Kin + Carta specialists were joined by industry thought-leaders as well as Optimizely and Microsoft experts as we explored what it takes to build next-gen financial services solutions. 

A talented line-up of speakers shared their experiences—discussing how leaders can translate big ideas into meaningful outcomes in a sector that never stands still. We heard diverse perspectives, but a theme that ran through FWD24 was that the key to unleashing innovation and growth is client-centricity. Simply, better business outcomes come from putting customers at the beginning, middle, and end of your strategy. 

Our amazing keynote speaker, Tricia Rothschild—Global Wealth Management and Fintech Executive and Operating Partner at Advent International—opened the event with a powerful talk on the huge value that client-focused organizations can generate. She shared her experiences and success stories, warned against the impact of bad experiences (customers today are quick to walk away), and discussed the intersection of organizational design, technology strategy, and incentives in financial services.

Mark Ardito addresses the crowd at FWD24
Mark Ardito encouraged the audience to lean into the unknown

Using GenAI to power people-focused experiences

We also talked GenAI, with a panel on its role in empowering staff and delivering better customer experiences. Jared Johnson—Strategy Director at Kin + Carta—moderated this insight-packed conversation, and it featured some highly experienced transformation leaders. We heard from Troy Dube, Former CTO—Head of Architecture, Barclays; Esti Buskin, Managing Director, Head of Retirement Marketing, Nuveen; Jill Edmundson, Global Transformation Strategist; and David Weaver, General Manager of GenAI in Regulated Industries, Databricks. The panel explored working with GenAI in regulated areas, the importance of strong data foundations, and the role customers are playing in shaping innovation. 

The GenAI conversation continued with Kin + Carta CTO, Mark Ardito. Mark took attendees through the evolution of this high-profile technology, from fad to long-term trend. He encouraged leaders to lean into this transformative tech using the example of a car on ice—sometimes the best action is ‌to lean into a skid (or the unknown) even though it feels uncomfortable. He also cautioned that the future of GenAI is expensive and that good execution takes long-term planning. Financial services organizations must build out strategic plans now, adjusting their approach often to overcome challenges and embrace opportunities.


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GenAI panel

Showcasing new financial services opportunities

A highlight of FWD24 in New York was our labs technology showcase presented by Brian Browning—VP, Technology, Product, and Experience, Kin + Carta. He helped attendees visualize the power of GenAI to scale personalization for financial services customers, using Microsoft, and Optimizely technology. His live demo of a financial advisor proposal copilot model sparked many conversations and demonstrated the tangible value that AI can bring to organizations and customers. 

We wrapped up FWD24 with a panel on the power of data, moderated by Kin + Carta’s Mona Champaneri—Managing Director, Experience and Product. Mona was joined by Meghan McAndrew, Director, Digital and Corporate Communications, Federated Hermes; Shafqat Islam, CMO, Optimizely; and Adebisi Oje, Director, Data and AI, Microsoft. Their shared expertise was a great way to round out a packed event and reinforce the crucial role data is set to play in the future of financial services. 

FWD may be over for 2024, but the insights and topics we explored in New York will continue to shape financial services in the months ahead. If you’d like to find out more about the subjects we discussed at FWD24 or speak to one of our experts, get in touch.

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