Episode notes
What happens when a legacy institution in a heavily regulated industry turns AI from a compliance challenge to a competitive advantage?
Our guest for this episode, NatWest Bank's Diana Kennedy, shares how the financial services leader does exactly that. The wide-ranging chat explores how NatWest Bank approaches AI-driven transformation, its approach to partnership, and expectations for leaders in setting the pace for innovation.
Featured experts
- Diana Kennedy, Director, Architecture and Engineering, NatWest Digital X
- Ralitsa Nenkova, Global Insurance Leader, Consult Partner and Vice President, Kyndryl
Conversation highlights
Please note the transcript has been modified for clarity and length.
Tom Rourke (Host): Why does this moment with AI and agentic AI feel so different from previous technology waves in financial services?
Diana Kennedy: I genuinely think it’s the best time ever to be in technology. With AI and now agentic AI, the foundations of enterprise technology have never been more important, getting data platforms right, making data accessible through APIs, and building scalable capabilities for colleagues and customers. When those foundations are in place, you can create a frictionless digital fabric that allows AI to deliver real value. The exciting part is that this finally makes architecture, standards, and engineering disciplines essential rather than optional. (Hear the full response at 00:52)
Tom Rourke: As we look ahead, what does real progress with AI look like for the industry over the next year?
Ralitsa Nenkova: Success for me is when customers genuinely feel the difference and engage more deeply with financial services. For years, we struggled to get people excited about things like pensions, even though a great retirement matters to everyone. If AI can truly delight customers, make financial well‑being part of their everyday lives, and drive real commercial value for the industry, that’s a huge win. And just as importantly, success is bringing the entire workforce on the journey and making financial services an industry that young talent is excited to join. (Hear the full response at 21:13)
More to the story
Scaling AI in regulated spaces Read Diana Kennedy’s featured article from the Kyndryl Institute on finding the right partners for AI at scale.
AI in insurance
Explore Kyndryl’s insurance recommendation paper for applied industry insights.