Haitham Aboulfotoh Rashwan
Head of Digital Banking & Alternative Channels, Emirates NBD, Egypt
Eliminating Friction: The Future of Authentication
Excellence in Digital Banking 7.0 — International Summit
Three days of verified sessions on artificial intelligence, digital identity, payments and platform banking, held in Amsterdam.
25–27 November 2026
Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Format
- In-person & online passes available
- Sessions
- 33 across 3 days
- Speakers
- 31 confirmed
- Organiser
- PulseCore Events s.r.o.
What the summit is for
Excellence in Digital Banking 7.0 – International Summit will take place in Amsterdam from 25–27 November 2026. The three-day summit will bring together senior banking leaders, regulators, technology experts and innovators to explore how artificial intelligence, digital identity, next-generation architecture, open finance, payments and platform banking are reshaping the financial industry. Participants can join the summit in person in Amsterdam or remotely through the online participation option.
At PulseCore, we are dedicated to achieving new standards of excellence by providing conference formats that encourage interaction, networking, and high-class knowledge sharing. With a team of experts and a motivated staff committed to delivering quality, our vision is to be recognized as the global leader in providing high-quality business conferences. We strive to create events that inspire innovation, foster collaboration, and empower individuals to make a positive impact in their respective industries.
Published themes
- The Intelligent Bank: Scaling AI from Experimentation to Enterprise Value
- Agentic AI, Generative AI and Responsible AI Governance
- Digital Identity, Authentication and the Future of Customer Access
- Hyper-Personalised Banking and Next-Generation Customer Experience
- AI-Ready Architecture, Cloud and Composable Banking Platforms
- Open Finance, Digital Wallets and Embedded Banking
- Real-Time Payments, Liquidity and Transaction Banking
- Deepfakes, Synthetic Identity and AI-Driven Financial Crime
- Operational Resilience and Risk in Digital Transformation
- Sustainable Finance in the Digital Banking Ecosystem
Three programme days
25–27 November 2026. Times, titles, speakers and supporting points are reproduced from the published schedule. The red mark is a chronological day marker only.
09:00
Re-architecting the Bank Around AI
Frans Van Bruggen · Independent Expert (Ex Senior Policy Officer Fintech and AI at DNB)
- Moving from AI pilots to enterprise-wide transformation
- Embedding AI into strategic decision-making at board level
- Aligning data, talent and technology for AI-driven banking
09:30
Building the Hybrid Banking Model: Merging Digital and Physical Touchpoints
Ronelle Arbib · Chief Operating Officer, Recognise Bank, UK
- Transitioning from workflow automation to AI-driven operations
- Rethinking operational structures and digital workforces
- Integrating AI agents across banking services
10:00
How banks can scale AI safely and govern agentic AI
Mitul Vadgama · Advanced Analytics and AI Lead - Artificial Intelligence CoE, Lloyds Banking Group, UK
- Scaling AI beyond pilots
- Agentic AI use cases in banking
- Governance, controls, and oversight
11:00
The Future Operating Model of a Digital Bank
Joris Krijger · AI Governance Officer, ASN Bank, Netherlands
- Moving from product-centric to customer-centric structures
- Aligning technology, business and operations leadership
- Creating faster decision cycles in complex organizations
11:30
Ambition to Architecture, what vision really demands
Ashtha Bajaj · Data, Analytics & AI Leader, Bank of Ireland, UK
- Ambition creates direction, but architecture determines whether transformation can scale securely, sustainably, and at speed.
- Vision in banking demands more than innovation, it requires resilient data, technology, governance, and operating models working as one ecosystem.
- The institutions that win will be those that simplify complexity, build adaptable platforms, and turn strategy into repeatable execution.
12:00
Unlocking the Business Potential of Generative AI in Banking
Jules Ferdinand Pagna Disso · Head of Cyber Risk Intelligence, Insider Technology Risk and Digital Asset Risk, BNP Paribas, UK
- Advancing beyond basic AI tools toward high-impact business applications
- Enhancing financial advisory services and operational decision-making with generative AI
- Ensuring secure and responsible AI adoption across the organization
13:30
Generative AI in Banking: From Experiments to Core Business Value
Jan Sedlařík · Hybrid AI Product Owner for Realization squad, AI upskilling and Internal delivery teams, Česká Sporitelna, Czechia
- Moving beyond chatbots toward strategic applications
- Integrating generative AI in a supportive role for business operations
- Scaling AI capabilities safely across business lines
14:30
From AI Hype to Real Control: Safe Legacy Evolution
Ohad Kotler · CEO & Co-Founder, Tweezr
- Combining deterministic system intelligence with AI
- Grounding insights in source code to maintain control
- Modernizing legacy systems without a disruptive big bang
15:30
Digitizing Wholesale Banking: Smarter Client and Service Models
Ellen Van Acker · COO Wholesale Banking Client & Digital Services, ING, Netherlands
- Transforming wholesale banking through digital client journeys
- Improving efficiency with data-driven service models
- Balancing automation, personalization and relationship banking
16:00
AI Model Risk in Banking: Governing GenAI and Agentic AI at Scale
Anish Shah · Director - Model Risk, Internal Audit, NatWest, UK
- Managing AI risk across credit, fraud, pricing and customer decisions
- Governing GenAI and AI agents through validation and human oversight
- Balancing regulatory expectations with faster, responsible AI adoption
09:00
Hyper-Personalized Banking Experiences
Romano Ramanti · Vice Director, Zürcher Kantonalbank, Switzerland
- Leveraging AI to anticipate customer needs
- Delivering contextual financial guidance in real time
- Moving from reactive service to proactive engagement
10:00
Designing Banking Experiences for the Digital Generation
Ed Vinicombe · Director of Product Design, JP Morgan Chase, UK
- Designing simple, intuitive, and trusted digital banking experiences
- Understanding the expectations of mobile-first and digital-native customers
- Turning product design into a competitive advantage for banks
11:00
Eliminating Friction: The Future of Authentication
Haitham Aboulfotoh Rashwan · Head of Digital Banking & Alternative Channels, Emirates NBD, Egypt
- Moving beyond passwords toward biometric authentication
- Designing invisible authentication across channels
- Balancing convenience and security in digital access
11:30
New Approach to Design CX: Kuveyt Turk's Neuromarketing Lab
Okan Acar · EVP, Digital Banking and Payment Systems, Kuveyt Türk Katılım Bankasi, Turkey
- Using EEG and eye-tracking to understand customer responses
- Measuring subconscious reactions across digital and physical touchpoints
- Turning emotional engagement into better customer experience
12:00
The Future of Customer Verification
Shamsh Hoda · AI & Digital Innovation Strategist, Commerzbank, Germany
- Moving from one-time verification to continuous identity assurance
- Integrating behavioral and contextual identity signals
- Simplifying verification for repeat interactions
13:30
Who will own Digital Identity?
Sara Ehab Azmi · Head of Change & Project Management, Emirates NBD, Egypt
- Positioning banks alongside governments and technology platforms
- Exploring digital identity wallets and interoperable frameworks
- Using identity to reshape customer relationships and services
14:00
Digital Identity as the New Banking Infrastructure
Melvin Pellicano · Head of Digital Transformation and Product Development Department, BNF Bank, Malta
- Positioning banks as trusted identity providers
- Integrating national digital identity frameworks
- Building cross-border digital identity capabilities
14:30
Building Trust and Customer Confidence in Digital Banking
Lucy Cafferkey · Head of Media Relations, Starling Bank, UK
- Communicating innovation clearly in a fast-changing banking environment
- Building customer trust through transparency, security, and simplicity
15:30
Digital Wallets and Payments: Creating Daily Customer Engagement
Sadık Baş · Executive Vice President, Marketing Portfolio Management & Digital Products, Garanti BBVA Payment Systems, Turkey
- Turning digital wallets into everyday customer touchpoints
- Driving loyalty through payments, rewards, and personalized digital services
- Competing in a fast-growing payments and wallet ecosystem
16:00
Digital Banking for SMEs: From Online Services to Intelligent Business Partners
Olli Anteroinen · Head of SME Digital - Business Banking, Nordea, Finland
- Redesigning digital banking around SME needs
- Using data and AI for proactive financial guidance
- Helping SMEs save time and grow faster
16:30
Embedded Banking, Payments and Consumer Lending: The New Growth Engine
Kartik Taneja · Executive Vice President, Head of Payments & Consumer Lending, Mashreq Bank, Dubai
- Embedding banking services into customer journeys and partner platforms
- Connecting payments and lending to create seamless experiences
- Scaling growth models through ecosystems and partnerships
17:00
Panel Discussion: What is the future of Banking in 2030?
Swagatam Sen · Executive Director FCC Tech Advisory, Santander Corporate & Investment Banking, UK
- Exploring how banks will compete, collaborate and innovate in the next era of financial services.
09:00
AI-Ready Banking Architecture: Building the Resilient, Composable Bank of the Future
Claudio Balbo · Senior Director - Head of IT Architecture, Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy
- Designing AI-ready banking architecture
- Modernizing legacy cores without disruption
- Cloud, APIs, and composable platforms
09:30
Managing Change Risk in an Age of Uncertainty
Edgars Sedovs · Head of Risk, Rietumu Banka, Latvia
- Risk in digital transformation
- Managing AI, cloud, and platform change
- Operational resilience in fast-moving banking
10:00
Supervising the Intelligent Bank: Trust, Resilience and AI in Next-Generation Banking
Nina Schweighofer · JST Coordinator / Head of Section, European Central Bank, Germany
- Understanding how European supervisors assess AI-driven business models, governance and digital transformation
- Translating regulatory expectations — SSM priorities, DORA and the AI Act — into practical design choices for the intelligent bank
- Building board-level accountability and meaningful human oversight as AI enters core decision chains
11:00
Open Finance, Digital Wallets and Embedded Banking: The Next Growth Model for Banks
Gaurab Arka Chaudhuri · Director of Group Strategy, Barclays, UK
- Open finance beyond open banking
- Digital wallets as new customer gateways
- Embedded banking and platform growth
11:30
The Reinvention of Mobile Banking Platforms
Igoris Ryklys · Lead of Digital Channels, Swedbank Baltics, Lithuania
- Moving from transactional apps to financial life platforms
- Integrating payments, investments and lifestyle services
- Designing apps that become daily financial companions
12:00
The Strategic Role of the Bank in a Platform Economy
Swagatam Sen · Executive Director FCC Tech Advisory, Santander Corporate & Investment Banking, UK
- Competing with technology platforms for customer attention
- Leveraging trust and financial expertise as differentiators
- Building partnerships without losing strategic control
13:30
Designing the Bank of the Digital Generation
David Bonavia · Lead Operational Risk Framework Manager, Metro Bank, UK
- Understanding evolving expectations of digital-native customers
- Building intuitive banking experiences for mobile-first users
- Simplifying financial services through better design
14:00
Sustainable Finance in the Digital Banking Ecosystem
Dominique Tremblay · Head of Enterprise Sustainability, BNY
- Embedding sustainability into digital banking strategy and product design
- Using data and technology to support ESG transparency and reporting
- Connecting sustainability, innovation, and long-term business value
14:30
Liquidity in the Digital Era: Real-Time Treasury and Smarter Client Solutions
Cindy Lo · Managing Director, Global Head of Liquidity Solutions, HSBC, UK
- How real-time payments are changing liquidity expectations
- Building smarter treasury solutions for corporate and institutional clients
- Using data and digital platforms to improve cash visibility and control
15:30
The Future of Transaction Banking in a Platform-Based Economy
Ekaterina Kozhevatova · Director, Commerzbank AG, Germany
- How transaction banking is evolving through platforms and ecosystems
- Strengthening client relationships through integrated digital services
- Combining payments, trade finance, and data-driven solutions
16:10
Panel Discussion: Deepfakes, Synthetic Identity and AI-Driven Fraud: The Next Frontier of Financial Crime
Lucy Cafferkey · Head of Media Relations, Starling Bank, UK
- Exploring how deepfakes, synthetic identity and AI-driven fraud are reshaping financial crime, and how banks can defend against the next frontier of threats.
Experts and their sessions
Eight of the 31 confirmed speakers, with the session each one leads.
Igoris Ryklys
Lead of Digital Channels, Swedbank Baltics, Lithuania
The Reinvention of Mobile Banking Platforms
Jan Sedlařík
Hybrid AI Product Owner for Realization squad, AI upskilling and Internal delivery teams, Česká Sporitelna, Czechia
Generative AI in Banking: From Experiments to Core Business Value
Joris Krijger
AI Governance Officer, ASN Bank, Netherlands
The Future Operating Model of a Digital Bank
Jules Ferdinand Pagna Disso
Head of Cyber Risk Intelligence, Insider Technology Risk and Digital Asset Risk, BNP Paribas, UK
Unlocking the Business Potential of Generative AI in Banking
Kartik Taneja
Executive Vice President, Head of Payments & Consumer Lending, Mashreq Bank, Dubai
Embedded Banking, Payments and Consumer Lending: The New Growth Engine
Lucy Cafferkey
Head of Media Relations, Starling Bank, UK
Building Trust and Customer Confidence in Digital Banking
Melvin Pellicano
Head of Digital Transformation and Product Development Department, BNF Bank, Malta
Digital Identity as the New Banking Infrastructure
Participation
In-person & online passes available. The summit runs on site in Amsterdam on 25–27 November 2026, and can also be followed through the organiser's online participation option.
Passes, prices, terms and availability are published only by PulseCore Events s.r.o.. This page collects nothing and sells nothing.
Event imagery
Photographs show previous editions of the Excellence in Digital Banking International Summit.
It was an absolute honour to attend, present, and chair the first two days of PulseCore Events, Excellence in Digital Banking 2024 International Summit in Amsterdam. I enjoyed sharing insights on Oxford Risk and behavioural finance and moderating a panel on the future of digital onboarding. A special thanks to the event organisers and the other speakers I had the pleasure of introducing.
Had a fantastic time at the Excellence in Digital Banking event held from May 13-16 in Amsterdam, where I had the opportunity to share and exchange ideas with incredible professionals from around the world. In my keynote, I emphasized the importance of maintaining the "human" element in our digital transformations to avoid commoditization. Ultimately, it's the human connection through the customer's transformative journey that provides the most competitive advantage and is hardest to replicate. The diverse perspectives and innovative practices shared were truly eye-opening. Highlights included discussions on the increasing importance of cybersecurity amidst rapid technological advancements and its impact on customers, innovative AI solutions in unsecured lending, excellence in digital onboarding, the significance of building impactful partnerships and the strategic decisions around what a bank should develop internally versus through partnerships. A heartfelt thanks to PulseCore Events for bringing together such a diverse and knowledgeable set of speakers and to all participants for sharing their own journeys. Looking forward to applying these insights in my work!
I had a great time in Amsterdam last week attending the Excellence in Digital Banking event hosted by Pulsecore. Over 350 delegates from Financial Institutions participated at the event. Here are my three key takeaways: 1. Digitalization of financial services is now the norm, how you deploy differs, based on demography, culture, and other factors. 2. Customers will use digital channels as long as they are convenient and reliable. 3. Security and trust are required in building successful digital products. It was inspiring to see what other organizations like Stirling Bank, Salt Bank, and Alpian are doing in their Markets. This was an event worth attending! hashtag#digitalbanking hashtag#finance hashtag#excellence hashtag#Pulsecore hashtag#PulseCore Events
It was great attending the Excellence in Digital Banking Summit last week in Amsterdam. Thank you, PulseCore Events, for inviting me to speak at the event. I truly enjoyed discussing and sharing our insights with the other speakers and the audience. It was an outstanding event, covering important topics and sharing experiences from around the world. #DigitalBankingsummit#BankingInnovation hashtag#DigitalTransformation hashtag#DigitalChannels
Practical planning
Everything below is taken from the organiser's own pages. Venue address and travel guidance are published on the official location page.
- Dates to hold
- 25–27 November 2026
- City
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Attendance formats
- In-person & online passes available
- Booking route
- Official PulseCore registration page
- Programme document
- Published agenda, including any later changes
- Conduct
- The organiser publishes a code of conduct for the summit
Questions
What are the confirmed dates?
25–27 November 2026, in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Is online attendance possible?
In-person & online passes available.
How large is the programme?
33 sessions over 3 days, with 31 confirmed speakers.
Who runs the summit?
PulseCore Events s.r.o., headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic.
Are these photographs from 2026?
Photographs show previous editions of the Excellence in Digital Banking International Summit.
PulseCore Events s.r.o.
PulseCore Events is one of Europe’s leading strategic event-organization companies, with our headquarters based in Prague, Czech Republic. PulseCore Events creates an atmosphere where the world’s top executives have a chance to exchange strategic ideas and develop new contacts within their industry sector. We guarantee the seniority of speakers and delegates, as we are focused on creating premiere conferences and summits. PulseCore Conferences are designed to allow delegates to keep up-to-date with the cutting edge of their industry sector. PulseCore Conferences and Events provide an intimate, interactive forum in which you learn about the latest techniques and developments in an inspiring environment on a senior level. We will be organizing round table discussions where you can have access to the audience, discuss the main challenges and find out about how different organizations approach them. We have built PulseCore Events around our core values; experience, flexibility, imagination, and passion.Our promise is to bring all our energy, expertise and focus on creating networking, benchmarking opportunities for our executive clients. We bring a valuable insight into current best practice, offering ideas and thought leadership for dealing with forthcoming business challenges.
Prague, Czech Republic