4 Key Highlights from nCino’s APAC Summit 

The Pace of Innovation with AI 

Anthony Morris, Global Chief Innovation Officer, spoke about how artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a critical part of the banking and financial services industry. It serves as a tool to reshape how businesses operate and tackles some of the biggest challenges companies face, like navigating vast amounts of data, managing compliance and risk, cutting costs, and improving the customer experience. 

Innovation isn’t valuable unless it can be measured and clearly tied to business goals, which is why there are four pillars that drive innovation in banking: speed, value, transparency, and productivity. For AI to truly work, businesses need strong systems in place that can grow and adapt with their needs. The next few years will be crucial for companies to take advantage of these chances to innovate. 

Since innovation means different things to different people, firms, and cultures, Anthony also introduced the "Innovation Spectrum," a framework which organizations can use to see where they stand in their innovation efforts. They can find the tools needed to innovate effectively and with purpose after identifying whether they’re rediscovering, revolutionizing, or re-inventing their innovation strategy.  

Disruptive Culture to Drive Innovation 

Dean Firth, Head of Business Banking at Macquarie Bank, Steve Jurkovich, Chief Executive at Kiwibank and Pierre Naude discussed the role of fostering a disruptive culture to drive industry-leading innovation. 

Disruption is not just about leveraging cutting-edge technology—it’s about people. They emphasized the importance of fostering an empowered culture where employees feel trusted to make decisions within a framework that supports their success. This highlights the concept of the "empowered employee,” one who is trusted to do the right thing because the organizational culture is built to enable their best work, creating momentum for innovation. 

Curiosity and adaptability are non-negotiable within culture, as innovation thrives when employees are encouraged to question the status quo, take calculated risks, and apply solutions learned from failure. Creating psychological safety—an environment where failure isn’t punished but analyzed—unlocks creative problem-solving and propels teams forward.  

Training and adaptability also play a crucial role. Businesses must prioritize developing employees through continuous training and instilling a mindset for change. People equipped with diverse perspectives and collaborative skills can turn seemingly insurmountable industry challenges into opportunities. 

The key lesson is clear: disruption doesn’t happen in silos. By fostering a collaborative, curious, and adaptable culture, businesses position themselves to not only survive disruption but thrive within it. For leaders looking to remain competitive, now is the time to build environments where people feel safe to innovate without limits. 

Credit Portfolio Management and Single Banking Experience 

Will Jung, APAC General Manager of Product at nCino, and Sean Desmond, Global Chief Product Officer at nCino, addressed a pivotal challenge facing today’s banking industry—the need to integrate Customer Portfolio Management (CPM) with a Single Banking Experience. Their vision is to create a unified platform that bridges functional gaps, reduces inefficiencies, and enhances customer satisfaction while driving long-term growth for financial institutions. 

Banks have long relied on legacy systems that silo data across different departments, resulting in disjointed customer interactions and operational inefficiencies. If CPM is integrated into a Single Banking experience, these silos are eliminated by providing a consolidated view of customer data. This not only enables more informed decision-making but also equips banks to meet the rising expectations of today’s customers. Customer inconvenience will become an issue of the past as banks leverage advanced data sets to predict needs, streamline onboarding, and ultimately foster loyalty. 

The real win is in scalability. By unifying systems under a Single Banking Experience, banks are future-proofing their operations. With over $110 billion already invested in enhancing systems like these, it’s clear the industry is moving toward customer-centric innovation, and that integration is essential for staying competitive.  

A Positive Outlook on AI

Dr. Ben Hamer, Chief Futurist at ThinkerTank, shared a positive outlook on the future of AI and its capabilities. It’s easy to get caught up in uncertainty and apprehension around artificial intelligence (AI), especially with popular media amplifying concerns, but this overshadows the potential AI holds for innovation, efficiency, and creating meaningful change. The future of AI can be one of opportunity and optimism if we choose to lean into its possibilities with an open mind and adaptability.  Here are the main insights shared on how AI is shaping a better future for society and businesses alike: 

• Human Potential Amplified: AI is about augmenting human capabilities, not replacing them. From seamless language translation to improving global communication, new and emerging AI technologies are breaking down barriers, fostering collaboration, and enabling us to achieve more than ever before.  

• Efficiency in the Workplace: AI is transforming daily business operations, from tools that summarize meetings and mediate discussions to solutions that provide actionable insights from complex datasets. This evolution allows companies to improve efficiency and reduce time wasted on repetitive tasks.  

• Future-Forward Industries: Metaverse and AI technologies are rapidly growing, with Ben predicting a $10 trillion valuation by 2030. Companies already recognize the value here, and with nearly half of Gen Z consumers seeing themselves as more authentic in virtual environments, this shift is set to reshape many industries. 

Rather than always asking “what if things go wrong,” financial institutions could approach AI with the mindset of “what if things go right?” This shift in perspective changes everything, as AI is proving to be a tool capable of fundamentally reshaping how the world works. Successful businesses of the future will not simply adapt to AI but actively innovate with it.

Takeaways

The APAC Innovation Summit highlighted the crucial role of AI in driving meaningful innovation, preparing teams for market disruptions, and reshaping financial services. By integrating CPM into a seamless Single Banking Experience, organizations can meet rising customer expectations and drive growth. Success lies in adopting AI with optimism and adaptability to tackle challenges, unlock opportunities, and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape.