Knowing people, knowing things and how AI should be combining both

What a week! My eldest scored a PB in his archery competition this weekend, my youngest reigns unbeaten in his comical football career for the IVths, my wife continues to want to be well off this particular radar and I was honoured to be included in the Top 46 Over 46 in the Financial Services industry. Thank you, The Oldie. ??

The beauty of knowing lots of folk across the length and breadth of financial services is that, if you’re nice to them, they are an unbeatable and fantastic source of intelligence. I can’t possibly know about all the developments across the market directly, myself, but I’m confident that a friend of a friend does and I just need to keep asking those questions. I’m curious and intellectually insatiable and very happy to be the person who knows the least about the latest gnarly topic…it keeps me young.

The good old days are now – Tom Clancy

So, given that, this wave of AI continues to astound me and I have to thank my smarter contacts for the regular updates! Our industry is completely reliant on data and, much as I dislike the term, AI is democratising the analysis, interrogation, synthesis and distribution of data in ways that are simply incredible. Thankfully, I’ve been a proper mathematician so I get the details, but with the latest tools, it’s the ease of synthesis that makes the difference. For example, yesterday, I created a web front-end for our fintech benchmarking database in 9 minutes, an interactive regulatory scanning tool in 8 minutes and a training plan for a graduate joiner to learn all about the industry in 10.5 minutes. The opportunity to blend 25 years’ of experience with lightning-fast ‘tech build’ capability to create PoC after PoC is unprecedented and absolutely breaks all the moulds that I know. I think I’m going to start publishing a few more detailed blogs/market analyses and some PoCs/tools just to keep feeding that collaboration, challenge and innovation that I love so much. As always, get in touch if you’d like to help…!

Last week, I also participated in one of those fireside chats to talk about data and AI. Thank you to IQ-EQ and the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) for the opportunity to climb precariously up on a stool, looking like an Ugli fruit on a stick and trying to share my most useful insights. I make light, but Justin Partington is a consummate professional and if you want a good perspective on servicing public & private assets, then you should include him on your list of conversations. And, regarding hospitality, the Hotel Amano served up an enormous & stickiest sticky toffee pudding I’ve ever seen, alongside the other delicious ‘finger food’…it looked amazing, but nobody was brave enough to try it whilst holding a glass and debating the intricacies of raising funds and liquidity issues! I’ll make sure that I ping round our detailed write-up so you can hear my helpful views.

Life’s tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late – Benjamin Franklin

Talking of networks and being wise, an ex-colleague of mine presented me with an interesting challenge about growth in the wealth marketplace – reinvigorating & validating their wealth proposition – they are a well-resourced global firm (no clues!) that has been punching below their weight and trying to help them get back into the No 1 spot is always a lovely engagement to work on. Sometimes it’s not what you do, it’s who knows what you do that matters. Employing a little more wisdom than brute force.

And similarly, I was schooled a little by a friend, as to how I need to improve my good old Citisoft Monthly Breakfasts and catalyse some healthy change. If you start to see Action Squadz or Dynamic Duos or a ‘Blueprint of a Modern CTO’ then I don’t apologise but I have forewarned you...

Oh yes, happy birthday David Hall !! You’re a wonderful man and a constant friend, thank you!

Have fun out there!

Audere est facere.