Banking Reinvented

Backbase

In the weekly “Banking Reinvented” podcast, host Tim Rutten welcomes senior executive changemakers from around the globe, unpacking what works and what doesn’t. You’ll learn how banks can harness the power of AI to drive remarkable growth while setting themselves free from their legacy systems, clunky processes, and status-quo thinking. Tune in each week to get valuable insights into the future of banking. Explore more resources in the Banking Reinvented content hub: https://www.backbase.com/insights?utm_source=Organic_Social&utm_medium=Spotify

  1. 5D AGO

    Why Africa won't miss the AI revolution with George Njuguna

    Episode 85 of Banking Reinvented marks a milestone, our first Africa Spotlight conversation hosted by Amjad Ramahi. In this episode, we explore how AI is reshaping financial services across the continent and why Africa is uniquely positioned to lead this next wave of innovation. Amjad sits down with George Njuguna, Founder of GNK Consulting and former CIO of Safaricom, to discuss the continent’s readiness for AI. With over 24 years in banking and fintech across sub-Saharan Africa, George brings a powerful perspective on how AI can drive intelligent financial inclusion, simplify complex information across diverse languages, and unlock opportunities for millions who remain excluded from traditional banking. Together, they explore Africa's leapfrogging advantage from mobile money to modern AI-driven banking, the practical use cases already delivering value, and why education is Africa's greatest accelerator. George calls for early AI literacy, local model development, and leadership grounded in curiosity and collaboration. Tune in to hear why Africa's hunger for innovation, young population, and mobile-first foundation make it uniquely positioned to shape the future of AI-enabled banking. – Curious to find out more about customer-centric banking?  Follow us on LinkedIn: -> Backbase -> Amjad Ramahi -> George Njuguna -> Jouk Pleiter Step into the future of finance -> Check out our content hub Timestamps (00:00) Welcome and introduction to George Njuguna (01:12) Why Africa will not miss the intelligence revolution (02:57) How AI fits into Africa’s innovation journey (03:43) AI as an enabler of inclusion and access (05:23) Breaking language and literacy barriers (06:40) Building Africa’s talent pipeline through education (09:59) Technology, culture, and preserving African heritage (12:04) Real AI use cases in African banking (15:11) Governance, cybersecurity, and building AI guardrails (18:12) Collaboration, policy, and leadership in the AI era (21:18) Curiosity as a key leadership mindset (23:31) Lessons from the Jacquard loom and embracing innovation (27:04) Africa’s opportunities in the next wave of transformation (29:35) Rethinking SME credit and powering local value creation (32:17) How M-Pesa shaped Africa’s financial landscape (41:19) Final advice for banking CEOs

    45 min
  2. DEC 9

    Asian banking’s wake-up call: talking AI, trust, and ecosystems with Chinabank’s Doc Jay Sabido

    Episode 84 of Banking Reinvented dives into how Asia’s banks are answering a wake-up call from e-wallets, digital challengers, and shifting customer expectations, turning disruption into opportunity through AI, agility, and collaboration. Host Tim Rutten is joined by Delfin “Doc Jay” Sabido, Chief Innovation & Transformation Officer at Chinabank (Philippines), to discuss how the 105-year-old bank is reinventing itself through trusted digital experiences, ecosystem partnerships, and intelligent automation. Tune in to hear how Chinabank is balancing speed with security, leveraging partnerships to combat fraud and accelerate innovation, and experimenting with agentic intelligence to drive efficiency and personalization. – Curious to find out more about customer-centric banking?  Follow us on LinkedIn: -> Backbase -> Tim Rutten -> Delfin Jay Sabido (Doc Jay) -> Chinabank (PH) Step into the future of finance -> Check out our content hub Timestamps (00:00) – Welcome to the “Banking Reinvented” podcast (00:19) – Introduction to Doc Jay (02:20) – Backbase’s AI pivot (03:45) – The remit of a Chief Transformation Officer (07:46) – The “wake up” moment for digital transformation (10:13) – The role of ecosystem partnerships (14:30) – Using AI for operational efficiency (18:32) – Getting buy-in from the boardroom (23:51) – The evolution of Agentic AI (29:00) – Predictions for Asian banking in 2026 (34:33) – Leadership learnings from Doc Jay (39:39) – Episode wrap-up

    40 min
  3. DEC 2

    AI, payments, and the future of commercial banking with HSBC Innovation Banking’s Ad van der Poel

    Episode 83 of Banking Reinvented explores the evolution of commercial banking through the lens of payments innovation and AI transformation. Host Tim Rutten sits down with Ad van der Poel, Chief Commercial Officer at HSBC Innovation Banking in the U.K., to discuss how commercial banking is being reshaped by emerging technology, shifting client expectations, and new competitive dynamics. With 25+ years in payments and treasury, Ad shares his vision for what meaningful innovation looks like and where banks need to move faster. Together, they explore the convergence of AI and payments, the rise of embedded finance, and why commercial banking transformation isn't just about technology: it's about relationships, speed, and delivering real business outcomes for high-growth innovators. Tune in to hear a candid conversation about where AI will drive the most impact, what's blocking faster adoption, and how commercial banks can compete in a world where fintech and Big Tech are raising the bar. – Curious to find out more about customer-centric banking? Follow us on LinkedIn: -> Backbase -> Tim Rutten -> Ad van der Poel -> HSBC Innovation Banking Step into the future of finance -> Check out our content hub Timestamps (00:00) – Welcome to the "Banking Reinvented" podcast (00:32) – Introducing Ad van der Poel (02:15) – Ad's 25+ year journey in payments and commercial banking (06:40) – What meaningful innovation in commercial banking looks like (11:20) – The commercial banking landscape: next 3-5 years (16:45) – How client expectations are shifting - and fast (21:30) – Competition from fintechs and Big Tech in commercial banking (27:10) – Where AI will have the biggest near-term impact (32:50) – Treasury, payments, and risk: AI use cases in action (38:20) – The role of relationship management in an AI-powered world (43:15) – Key enablers for AI adoption in commercial banking (49:00) – What's blocking faster AI implementation (54:30) – The importance of data architecture and unified platforms (59:45) – Building vs. buying: the platform decision (1:04:20) – Key takeaways and final thoughts (1:07:10) – Episode wrap-up

    25 min
  4. NOV 25

    Banking beyond borders: Strategy&’s Michał Kurowski on the future of embedded finance

    Episode 82 of Banking Reinvented dives into the evolving world of embedded finance and how it’s reshaping the banking landscape for both financial institutions and end-customers. In this episode, host Tim Rutten sits down with Michał Kurowski, Director of Strategy& Poland (Part of PwC Poland). Together, Tim and Michał unravel what embedded finance really means and how banks can integrate products like payments, loans, and insurance seamlessly into the digital experiences consumers use every day. They also discuss the roles that banks, tech companies, and other players occupy in these emerging ecosystems, as well as the opportunities and challenges they present. Listen now to learn more about embedded finance, including promising use cases, transformational priorities, and how traditional banks can position themselves for success. – Curious to find out more about customer-centric banking?  Follow us on LinkedIn: -> Backbase -> Jouk Pleiter -> Tim Rutten -> Michał Kurowski -> Strategy& -> PwC Polska Step into the future of finance -> Check out our content hub Timestamps (00:00) – Welcome to the “Banking Reinvented” podcast (00:24) – Introduction to Michał (01:40) – Recent developments in embedded finance (03:33) – The evolution of embedded finance (06:31) – AI’s role in embedded finance (09:12) – Leveraging embedded finance partnerships (16:46) – Promising use cases (21:51) – Foundational capabilities for embedded finance (29:09) – Key takeaways (30:37) – Episode wrap-up

    31 min
  5. NOV 18

    Banking's business model shift: core modernization meets AI with Panagiotis Kriaris from Unzer

    Episode 81 of Banking Reinvented dives into the forces reshaping how banks operate, compete, and deliver value in a digital-first world. Host Tim Rutten sits down with Panagiotis Kriaris, Director and Head of Business & Corporate Development at Unzer, to explore the fundamental shifts in banking business models. Together, they discuss the growing gap between customer expectations and what banks can actually deliver, the role of core modernization in closing that gap, and where AI is making the biggest impact right now. Tune in to hear how technology is driving real business transformation and what banks need to get right to compete in the next era of financial services. – Curious to find out more about customer-centric banking?  Follow us on LinkedIn: -> Backbase -> Tim Rutten -> Panagiotis Kriaris -> Unzer Step into the future of finance -> Check out our content hub Timestamps (00:00) – Welcome to the "Banking Reinvented" podcast (00:30) – Introduction to Panagiotis Kriaris (02:15) – The fundamental shifts in banking business models (09:45) – The gap between customer expectations and bank capabilities (17:20) – Where core modernization fits in the transformation journey (24:50) – What banks need to get right during the transition (32:10) – AI's biggest impact areas in banking today (41:30) – Key takeaways and final words (43:45) – Episode wrap-up

    33 min
  6. NOV 11

    From deterministic models to autonomous intelligence: Swarm Dynamics’ Sam Ahmed on AI’s banking revolution

    Episode 80 of Banking Reinvented explores the evolution of AI in banking and capital markets, from the early days of deterministic models to the dawn of agentic AI and beyond. Host Tim Rutten is joined by Sam Ahmed, Managing Director, APAC, at Swarm Dynamics and Founding Partner of Deriv Asia X. Together, they unpack how AI has transformed from simple analytics to complex, autonomous systems that revolutionize how banks detect risk, optimize operations, and understand human behavior. From governance to guardrails, this episode challenges leaders to consider not just how AI can accelerate banking transformation, but how it can do so responsibly. Tune for a candid, thought-provoking exploration of what equitable AI could mean for the future of finance. – Curious to find out more about customer-centric banking?  Follow us on LinkedIn: -> Backbase -> Jouk Pleiter -> Tim Rutten -> Sam Ahmed -> Swarm Dynamics Step into the future of finance -> Check out our content hub Timestamps (00:00) – Welcome to the “Banking Reinvented” podcast (00:24) – Introduction to Sam (02:17) – The evolution of AI in banking (10:22) – Upskilling for AI (18:17) – Error rates of humans vs. AI (19:23) – The risks of AI monopolization and job replacement (27:48) – The role of AI regulators (30:23) – Applying AI to executive decision-making and beyond (44:34) – Key takeaways (46:43) – Final thoughts from Sam on AI risk (50:22) – Episode wrap-up

    51 min
  7. NOV 4

    Deepfakes, fraud factories, and the future of banking: insights from Feedzai’s Nuno Sebastião

    Episode 79 of Banking Reinvented dives into the future of fraud prevention and identity protection, exploring how AI-powered solutions are revolutionizing the fight against financial crime. Host Tim Rutten sits down with Nuno Sebastião, Co-Founder and CEO of Feedzai, as well as Jouk Pleiter, Founder and CEO of Backbase, to discuss the challenges that financial institutions face in a digital-first world. Together, they explore the exponential rise of deep fakes, synthetic IDs, and fraud factories, the convergence of cybersecurity and risk management, and the role that Agentic AI plays in transforming banking operations, from fraud detection to workflow automation. Tune in to hear a candid, forward-looking conversation about what it takes to stay ahead of fraudsters, disrupt your bank before others do, and build resilience in an AI-native world. – Curious to find out more about customer-centric banking?  Follow us on LinkedIn: -> Backbase -> Jouk Pleiter -> Tim Rutten -> Nuno Sebastião -> Feedzai Step into the future of finance -> Check out our content hub Timestamps (00:00) – Welcome to the “Banking Reinvented” podcast (00:24) – Introduction to Nuno and Jouk (01:25) – The Feedzai journey (05:23) – Disrupting your bank before someone disrupts you (07:35) – The exponential challenge of deepfakes and AI-powered fraud (13:29) – Emerging trends for combatting fraud (19:50) – The fraud prevention journey in banking so far (22:19) – How to actually implement cutting-edge fraud prevention (26:48) – Cultural requirements for driving change (29:51) – Where to start with implementation (33:48) – Embracing composability in a heavily regulated industry (36:39) – The obsolescence of onboarding tools (40:52) – Centralizing ID: the role of governments and banks (43:09) – Using AI to streamline operations and boost productivity (59:43) – The importance of sticking to a plan (1:01:17) – Key takeaways and final words (1:03:41) – Episode wrap-up

    1h 2m
  8. OCT 31

    AI, embedded finance, first principles, and the 2026 outlook in APAC banking with David Jimenez Maireles

    Episode 78 of Banking Reinvented explores what the future of banking in APAC could look like by 2026, from the rise of AI-driven personalization to the growth of embedded finance and digital-first challengers. In this episode, host Tim Rutten is joined by David Jimenez Maireles, fintech influencer and Fractional Digital Advisor at D19 Advisory. David shares his predictions for how the region’s banks will close the gap between promise and performance, using his nearly two decades of experience working in digital banking at Banco Santander, ING, and TNEX Vietnam. Together, they discuss how AI can make banking more human, what it takes to thrive when super apps and e-commerce players are embedding financial services, and why successful digital banks are built on platform thinking and customer-centric design. Tune in to hear the technologies, trends, and mindsets that will define banking success in 2026 and beyond. – Curious to find out more about customer-centric banking?  Follow us on LinkedIn: -> Backbase -> Jouk Pleiter -> Tim Rutten -> David Jimenez Maireles Step into the future of finance -> Check out our content hub Timestamps (00:00) – Welcome to the “Banking Reinvented” podcast (00:24) – Introduction to David (04:26) – AI appetite in Asia (08:55) – Using AI for growth and engagement (12:45) – Neobank competitors and their key differentiators (16:21) – How APAC banks are leaning in for AI (19:26) – Key use cases for Asian banks (23:35) – The ideal banking tech stack (29:34) – The tipping point of AI usage (36:38) – Key learnings from David (40:39) – Episode wrap-up

    41 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

In the weekly “Banking Reinvented” podcast, host Tim Rutten welcomes senior executive changemakers from around the globe, unpacking what works and what doesn’t. You’ll learn how banks can harness the power of AI to drive remarkable growth while setting themselves free from their legacy systems, clunky processes, and status-quo thinking. Tune in each week to get valuable insights into the future of banking. Explore more resources in the Banking Reinvented content hub: https://www.backbase.com/insights?utm_source=Organic_Social&utm_medium=Spotify

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