The Banking Scene Director's Cut

The Banking Scene

We go behind the scenes with industry experts, sharing unfiltered conversations and exclusive insights from the frontlines of the banking industry to help YOU build the bank of tomorrow

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28 episodes
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English

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Monday · 28 min
Ten years of #openbanking - the revolution didn't happen, but maybe what we got was better?
Open banking was supposed to reshape banking. Instead, it mostly built the rails for what comes next and now AI may be the first thing powerful enough to run on top of them. Andrew and Rik discuss why the disruption everyone feared never fully arrived, what PSD2 actually changed, and why the biggest legacy of open banking may be the infrastructure, not the market upheaval. If you work in banking, fintech, payments, or regulation, you will be interested in our latest white paper "Open Banking and Embedded Finance in Europe: A Benelux Perspective on Regulation, Sentiment, and the Road Ahead" which you can find linked in the blog on our website here.
October 12 · 33 min
Banking's Next Customer Interface: Building Trust in the Age of AI Agents
AI agents are about to sit between you and your bank, and that changes everything about trust, authorisation, and who is accountable when something goes wrong. We sat down with Adam Preis, Director of Product Solution Marketing at Ping Identity, to unpack the new chain of trust emerging in financial services and why banks need to prepare for a world where your agent may be negotiating, switching, and transacting on your behalf. Adam breaks down why identity is no longer just about knowing the customer - it has to govern what an agent is, whose authority it carries, what it can access, and which decisions it can make. If you prefer to read, you can find a summary article based on the conversation on our website here.
October 9 · 40 min
Open Banking & Embedded Finance in Europe: A Benelux Perspective from our 2026 research
The Banking Scene LIVE webinar preview and highlights from our latest white paper, "Open Banking and Embedded Finance in Europe: A Benelux Perspective on Regulation, Sentiment, and the Road Ahead".Rik Coeckelbergs shares an early preview of our research on open banking and embedded finance, drawing on desk research, interviews with industry leaders, and years of conference discussions. He traces the last decade from PSD2 to today, then looks ahead to PSD3, PSR, and FiDA, with a strong focus on regulation, API adoption, and the shift from data access to intelligent financial services.During this webinar, Rik covers:1) Regulations We Had - The Foundations2) Regulations to Expect - Where We Are3) Lessons from a Decade of Open Banking4) Looking Ahead - The Next Decade of Open Banking You may want to watch this one as a video in order to see the slides, although it's not entirely necessary. If you prefer to dive straight into the full white paper, you can download it from our website here.
October 5 · 30 min
Generative AI for Finance Leaders: Why the Hardest Part is Not the Technology - Christophe Atten
AI is not the hard part in finance. The hard part is human judgment, governance, and knowing where generative AI actually belongs and where it absolutely does not. Christophe Atten, author of Generative AI for Finance Leaders, shares the grounded playbook finance teams need before they automate the wrong things. We sat down with Christophe to unpack why he wrote the book now, why he intentionally avoids hype-fueled AGI predictions, and why so many AI conversations miss the real problem: adoption. Christophe explains why finance leaders need frameworks that survive beyond today’s tools, not screenshots and product rankings that age out in weeks. In this episode you'll discover: 👉 Why the biggest barrier to AI is usually not technology, but people 👉 How to spot the difference between tasks that should use generative AI and tasks that should stay deterministic 👉 Why fluency is not the same as accuracy, especially when AI sounds convincing 👉 How to use human-in-the-loop review without turning it into rubber stamping 👉 Why bad data gets amplified fast, and what finance teams must fix first. If you work in banking, finance, or any regulated environment trying to make generative AI useful without losing control, this episode gives you the clarity, caution, and practical direction you need. Essential listening if you want to get AI working on Monday morning, not just looking impressive on stage. You can find a summary article of the key insights and takeaways from the interview on our website here.
September 30 · 25 min
Open Banking Reality Check: What PSD2 got Right and Wrong over the last decade of #openbanking
PSD2 did not deliver the open banking revolution everyone expected, but it did something more important: it built the infrastructure, ecosystem, and mindset Europe now depends on. In this episode, Rik Coeckelbergs speaks with Karl Illing, Executive Partner Payments and Open Banking at MSG for Banking, about what PSD2 actually achieved, where open banking fell short, and why the next wave of open finance could be shaped by AI as much as regulation. The conversation focuses on the real-world value created by PSD2, the limits of regulation-by-prescription, and what a workable future for FiDA could look like. If you prefer to read instead of watching or listening, you can find a summary extract of the interview on our website here.
September 21 · 26 min
Regulation vs Innovation: What's Truly Shaping the Future of Payments? Insights from our BBQ Night
Regulation and innovation are not opposing forces so much as two hands on the same steering wheel, occasionally fighting for control, but ultimately needed together if European payments are to remain safe, competitive and sovereign. Rik and Andrew discuss their favourite highlights from the event, along with the key takeaways outlined in the summary article you can find on our website here. There's a bit of bonus content this week in the form of a video from the CEC that was shown on screen before the panel session. If you work in a bank, it will resonate with you!
September 16 · 35 min
Lauren Jones of Paylume on The Future of Open Finance, PSD3, FiDA, AI and Global Utility Models
In this episode, Rik speaks with Lauren Jones, Open Banking Lead at Paylume, about the past, present, and future of open banking in Europe. They break down what PSD2 achieved, where adoption still lags, and why the next wave of regulation may need stronger standards, better governance, and a clearer commercial model. Lauren also shares why AI and open finance could finally make the user experience more meaningful for consumers. If you prefer to read instead of watching or listening, you can find the full interview transcript on our website here.
September 15 · 24 min
How PSD2 opens a bigger market for Isabel with open banking
Rik Coeckelbergs speaks with David Demerie, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer, and Guillaume Boland, Head of Product Management at Isabel, about PSD2’s real impact, the promise of PSR standardisation, and why trust, consent, and security will matter even more as open finance expands.In this conversation, they also discuss why the biggest opportunities may now be in embedded finance, e-invoicing, and premium APIs rather than basic data access alone and consider how Isabel has evolved from an “open banking before open banking” model into a broader data-sharing platform. If you prefer to read instead of watching or listening, you can find the full interview transcript on our website here.
September 7 · 26 min
Who tests the AI? Why Banks Need a New Assurance Model for Intelligent Banking
This conversation with Samet Varlik, Head of Sales at Expleo Group focuses on how banks should test, govern, and monitor AI systems that are probabilistic rather than deterministic. The key takeaway is simple: once AI can change records, move money, or initiate actions, banks are no longer just testing software output - they are testing behaviour, responsibility, and risk. We discuss what good testing looks like for AI, why consistency and reversibility matter, and why continuous monitoring must sit alongside pre-launch assurance. The discussion also covers accountability, human oversight, stop buttons, and what evidence a bank should have before putting a name behind an AI deployment.
September 1 · 31 min
Regulation opened the door, but didn't build the market for Open Banking: Gijs Boudewijn, Chairman of the European Payments Council
In this conversation with Gijs Boudewijn, chairman of the European Payments Council, we explored what PSD2 achieved, where it fell short, and why open banking has been slower to turn regulation into real market momentum. The discussion also covers SPAA, the move from directive to regulation with PSR, the challenges around FiDA, and how AI may reshape consent, fraud, and agentic commerce. Gijs brings a long view from payments regulation and scheme design, and he explains why compliance alone never creates a market. Rik Coeckelbergs drives the conversation through the practical questions banks, regulators, and third-party providers are still trying to solve. IF you prefer to read instead of listening, you can find the full transcript on our website here.
August 24 · 18 min
Why Open Banking Success Depends on Both Business and Customer Benefits - Bartel Braeckman, KBC Bank
While PSD2 was a game-changer for some organisations, its impact has been varied across the industry. Success isn't just about technology; it's about understanding customer behaviour and finding the sweet spot where business ambitions align with user trust. As this interview with Bratel Braeckman, Head of Department Open Bankinsurance at KBC Bank unfolded, it became clear that both businesses and consumers must benefit for open banking to succeed. If you prefer to read instead of listening, you can find the full transcript of the interview on our website here.
August 17 · 29 min
Unlocking commercial value from Open Banking with premium APIs
In this episode, Rik speaks with Jasper Wolfs, head of product open banking at Rabobank, about the state of open banking 10 years after PSD2, to find out what worked, what didn’t, and where AI may take it next. They compare business and retail adoption, dig into premium APIs and real-world use cases, and look ahead to PSR, FIDA, and the role AI may play in shaping open finance. Jasper brings a useful insider-outsider view: two years at Rabobank, plus a fintech background that dates back to the birth of PSD2. That perspective frames a candid discussion about where regulation created momentum, where it fell short, and why tech companies may now be the ones pushing the next wave. If you prefer to read instead of listening, you can find the full transcript of the interview on our website here.
August 11 · 18 min
From compliance to financial crime fighting - the shift from ticking boxes to tracking effectiveness
During the first content block of our Fraud and Compliance track at our flagship conference in Brussels this year, we heard from industry experts how AMLA, data and AI are reshaping the compliance function, during a keynote: "The Latest Trends in Compliance: AML and Sanctions and Screenings", delivered by Wendy de Meyer, Deputy Chief Compliance Officer at Belfius.Which was followed by a keynote: AMLA and The Supervisory Shift: What it means for banks and fintechs", delivered by Charlotte le Beau de Hemricourt, Seconded National Expert at AMLA, The EU Anti-Money Laundering Authority.Which was followed by a panel session: “Financial Crime, Regulation and Relevance: Writing the Next Chapter for Compliance”, moderated by Wendy de Meyer with panel members: - Charlotte le Beau de Hemricourt- Daniël Meel, Head of Innovation and Design - Detecting Financial Crime, ABN AMRO- Marie-France de Pover, General Manager, Director Group Compliance, KBC Group and - Anton Wilsens, Managing Partner, KyndrylAs you can imagine, the sessions were packed with insights which we summarised in a (longer than usual) blog on our website here. In this episode, Andrew and Rik discuss the session and explore why short-term complexity may increase even if long-term harmonisation helps, and why the biggest challenge may be cultural rather than technological. They also dig into how AI could push banks toward better data consistency, fewer silos, and a more effectiveness-driven compliance function.
August 3 · 14 min
The Evolution of Open Banking - Joris Hensen, Open Finance Lead, Deutsche Bank
Discover how open banking is shaping the future of financial services through the lens of Deutsche Bank's Open Finance Lead, Joris Hensen. This episode explores the successes, challenges, and opportunities within open finance, with expert insights on regulation, technology, and the role of AI. You can read the interview summary on our blog here. Key topics: The evolution and success of open banking over the past decade Deutsche Bank's most successful use cases: wealth management and embedded finance Common pitfalls in open banking implementation and future solutions with FiDA regulation The role of AI in transforming open finance strategies Governance and standardisation challenges in cross-border data sharing The importance of sandbox approaches for AI integration within FiDA Who is driving open finance: regulators, banks, fintechs, customers, or AI providers?
July 11 · 15 min
bunq as a Service: Leveraging Open Banking to Serve more Customers with Joe Wilson, Chief Evangelist
Most banking as a service stories are about quick wins and shiny new APIs. Joe Wilson reveals how Bunq is quietly building a robust infrastructure layer designed for long-term partnerships, not just quick integrations. Unlike traditional banks, Bunq as a Service is about extending their platform into B2B, empowering other fintechs and companies to innovate without the heavy lifting of compliance, licensing, or security. This strategic move isn’t just about growth, it’s about creating a scalable ecosystem that bridges crypto, open banking, and international digital nomads.
July 6 · 19 min
What the European Payments Council (EPC) debate on agentic commerce means for banks
A recent panel session at the European Payments Council, moderated by Andrew, explored the impact of agentic commerce from the perspective of issuers, acquirers, merchants and customers.Rik summarised his key takeaways from the session in his blog here and discussed some of the gaps in the debate with Andrew in this episode.For more insights on Agentic AI and The Future of Banking, download our (free) white paper here.
July 3 · 44 min
Diary of a Ponzi Scheme by Chris Skinner - book review with Julia Streets & Wasim Mushtaq
In our first ever book review, we invited guests, Julia Streets and Wasim Mushtaq to join us along with Chris Skinner, for a dive into Chris Skinner's first foray into fiction, "Diary of a Ponzi Scheme". It's a unique blend of finance and fiction (a completely new genre that Chris calls "Finction"), that challenges conventional thinking about trust and social proof in investments. In it, Chris explores how appearances can deceive and how the right narrative can sway even the most sceptical investor. This is a story that reflects real-world dynamics, from the glitz of London's social scene to the intricacies of tokenisation, and offers insights that are both entertaining and enlightening for all readers. You can find out more about the book and how to buy it here.
June 30 · 53 min
AI and The Agentic Future of Banking: Moving From Insight to Action
The Banking Scene LIVE webinar preview of highlights from our latest white paper, "AI and The Agentic Future of Banking". This session explores the monumental shift in financial services from passive Generative AI assistants to fully autonomous, goal-oriented AI agents.Discover how leading financial institutions like ING, Rabobank and Revolut are scaling agentic architectures in production to revolutionise mortgage processing, fraud containment, and perpetual KYC automation. We also tackle the critical risks of this shift, including cascading errors and machine collusion and unpack the rise of the "Agentic Customer" powered by individual digital twins.If you prefer to dive straight into the full white paper, you can download it from our website here.
June 29 · 40 min
How Banks can Derive Value from Agentic AI in 2026
Agentic AI is currently one of the most discussed topics in banking, but the conversation is moving beyond the excitement of new technology. For banks, the real question is no longer whether agentic AI has potential, it is how to deploy it safely, measure it properly, govern it effectively and turn experimentation into enterprise value.This was the central theme of a recent conversation we had with Alok Chaurasia, Associate Vice President and Anshuman Choudhary, Consulting Leader, GRC Northern Europe at Cognizant, reflecting on a Think Tank session we convened in Brussels in collaboration with Cognizant and Microsoft. You can find a summary of the insights from the discussion on our website here.
June 26 · 33 min
How ING is Using Agentic AI to Streamline Banking Operations
Most banks are currently talking about Agentic AI, ING is actually deploying it at scale and seeing real results. In this episode, Thomas Geerinck, ING’s Groupwide Retail Chief Data Officer, shares how the bank is turning AI into tangible business value through agentic AI, beyond just experiments. Discover why scale, infrastructure, and strategic deployment are the key differentiators for banks aiming to lead in AI-powered financial services. Thomas breaks down how ING has evolved from basic machine learning to fully orchestrated, agentic workflows that automate complex processes like mortgage handling and client onboarding. You'll learn about the architecture of agentic AI: how it handles decisions, interacts with clients, and executes tasks, while staying within strict guardrails and human oversight. He shares real use cases that demonstrate how agentic AI is revolutionising operational efficiency and customer experience.If you prefer to read, you can find the full interview transcript in the blog on our website here.

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