Plenary session 1

Platformization of Financial Services: Are Banks Becoming Tech Companies?

9:30 - 10:20 AM

As digital platforms reshape consumer expectations and redefine competitive advantage, banks are reimagining their business models to operate more like tech firms—modular, data-driven, and API-first. This session explores how financial institutions are embracing platform strategies to drive innovation, enhance user experience, and unlock new revenue streams. What does it take for traditional banks to successfully adopt platform thinking—and what risks come with it? How are partnerships, open banking, and embedded finance accelerating this shift? And can financial institutions truly compete with—or collaborate effectively alongside—Big Tech in the race to own the customer interface?

PLENARY

Ellen Linardi, Chief Product and Technology Officer, Synctera

Patrick Surry, Chief Data Scientist, Hopper

Malik Yacoubi, Co-Founder and CEO, Nesto Group