FUTR of Financial Services Melbourne 2026

How persistent cost pressure, margin compression, and shifting customer expectations are reshaping executive trade-offs for 2026  

The economic signals boards are prioritising to balance cost discipline, technology investment, and sustainable growth

Where institutions are rebuilding confidence through execution discipline, operational productivity, and trust-led decision-making

How AI, analytics, and automation are improving decision quality, throughput, and operational performance at scale  

The data foundations, governance models, and responsible decisioning required to deploy AI safely and transparently  

Moving beyond pilots to sustained, measurable impact across core financial services operations

How conduct, consumer duty, and governance expectations are evolving across digital and traditional financial services  

What regulators expect around transparency, data use, and automated decision-making as these capabilities mature  

Priority areas where institutions must lift capability, assurance, and accountability as scrutiny intensifies

What unified, cloud-ready data platforms enable for insight, compliance, and enterprise-wide transformation  

Modernising legacy environments to support resilience, speed, and regulatory reporting expectations  

Simplifying architecture to improve data quality, accessibility, and decision-making at scale

How leaders are strengthening resilience across cyber threats, third-party concentration, climate events, and market volatility  

Lessons from disruption events that tested decision authority, escalation paths, and cross-functional coordination  

Embedding resilience into operating models so preparedness is continuous, measurable, and owned beyond crisis teams

Strengthening protection against scams, identity fraud, and payment abuse as volume and velocity increase  

Using intelligence and shared signals to detect risk earlier and reduce losses across products and channels  

Delivering authentication and verification that supports trust, speed, and accessibility

Where open banking and real-time payments are delivering tangible value for customers, SMEs, and ecosystems  

How collaboration across institutions, fintechs, and partners is expanding choice, speed, and reach

Strengthening trust through secure data-sharing, digital identity controls, and governance

How institutions are applying AI and analytics to improve decision quality, efficiency, and outcomes across the enterprise  

The data foundations required for responsible AI, including quality, governance, transparency, and monitoring  

Leadership, skills, and change practices needed to embed AI confidently and sustainably at scale

Designing services that remain simple, accessible, and fair across diverse customer needs and capabilities  

Embedding transparency, suitability, and accountability into digital journeys and service models  

Balancing automation and human support to improve outcomes, confidence, and long-term trust

Upgrading core platforms to meet expectations for reliability, compliance, and real-time service

Moving from fragmented legacy environments to modular, API-enabled architectures  

Improving performance and cost efficiency while reducing operational risk

How advice, investment, and superannuation services are evolving to support long-term customer outcomes  

Improving engagement across life stages through clearer digital guidance and service design  

Expanding reach while maintaining trust, suitability, and regulatory confidence

Rationalising platforms to improve resilience, agility, and cost-to-serve

Reducing duplication and technical debt without disrupting core operations

Creating foundations that support future growth and regulatory change

Progressing climate risk management and sustainable finance with measurable outcomes  

Moving beyond reporting to tangible customer, community, and economic impact  

Building long-term resilience through purpose-led financial leadership

Strengthening fraud, scam, and customer-vulnerability controls while keeping onboarding and servicing simple

Balancing security, risk management, authentication, and verification to reduce friction across channels

Using transparent communication and customer insight to build trust and improve outcomes

Using advanced analytics and AI to improve speed, accuracy, and consistency of decisions

Ensuring explainability, fairness, and accountability in automated decision-making  

Aligning decision intelligence with risk appetite and customer expectations

How institutions are using decision intelligence to materially improve risk outcomes, customer experience, and operational performance  

What breaks when organisations move from insight and dashboards to embedded execution across products and channels  

The governance and operating models required to keep cognitive capabilities explainable, auditable, and trusted at scale

Designing secure AI foundations that support lifecycle management, monitoring, and consistent performance  

Integrating AI into enterprise data, risk, and customer platforms with appropriate controls  

Reducing delivery friction so AI can scale without weakening governance or resilience

What leadership looks like when AI-supported decision-making becomes part of everyday operations  

Aligning culture, skills, risk appetite, and accountability to avoid fragmentation and shadow decisioning  

Building confidence and trust with employees, regulators, and customers as intelligence becomes embedded

How executive teams are making high-impact decisions when certainty is low and scrutiny is high

Real-world lessons on escalation, trade-offs, and accountability across customers, regulators, and shareholders  

How leaders are improving decision clarity, pace, and confidence without increasing operational risk

What the next phase of transformation demands from leaders and institutions  

Building capability and confidence as technology, regulation, and expectations continue to evolve  

Preparing organisations for sustained performance beyond 2026