AI in Financial Services Podcast

A fundamental shift is emerging as AI moves core financial operations away from traditional web interfaces and into AI‑native cloud‑desktop environments, redefining how CFO teams execute and manage workflows. In this episode, Henry Ward, founder and CEO at Carta, examines how this transition changes the CFO operating model alongside host Daniel Faggella, highlighting why AI‑literate finance leaders gain leverage by orchestrating reporting, close processes, and analysis directly through agent‑driven systems. The discussion outlines how reusable AI skills, shared operational source files, and automated coordination reshape month‑end close, reporting agility, and cross‑team execution for modern finance organizations. To go deeper on this topic and learn how financial institutions are digitizing paper-based records to unlock usable data for AI, and using alternative data like public web and social signals to enhance risk assessment, download our free PDF report, "AI in Financial Services Executive Cheat Sheet" at emerj.com/fcs2

Stabilizing the operational environment around underwriting judgment is the shift that enables decisions to move into the market with greater speed, consistency, and control. In this episode, Barbara Stacer, Vice President, Head of Small Commercial Underwriting and Underwriting Operations at Utica National Insurance Group, examines how governed versioning, traceable approvals, and embedded documentation close the execution gap that slows pricing changes after they leave actuarial. She outlines the practical steps leaders can take to reduce queue time, strengthen auditability, and ensure pricing updates reach production when they matter most. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at https://go.emerj.com/partner1

Today's guest is Karan Gandhi, Senior Director for Verification and Fraud at Best Egg. Best Egg is a consumer lending platform focused on responsible, data-driven credit access. Karan joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello to explore how deepfakes, synthetic identities, bot attacks, and agentic systems are reshaping the fraud landscape and what these shifts mean for data and AI strategy in financial services. Karan also breaks down the practical steps enterprises can take to strengthen verification workflows, leverage metadata and OCR analysis more effectively, and frame fraud-prevention ROI in a way that secures executive buy-in for modernizing their technology stack. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/e2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj's flagship' AI in Business' podcast! If you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!

As financial services accelerate their digital transformations, AI is reshaping how institutions identify, assess, and manage risk. But with that transformation comes an equally complex web of systemic risks, regulatory challenges, and questions about accountability. In this episode of the AI in Business podcast, host Matthew DeMello, Head of Content at Emerj, speaks with Miriam Fernandez, Director in the Analytical Innovation Team specializing in AI research at S&P Global Ratings, and Sudeep Kesh, Chief Innovation Officer at S&P Global Ratings. Together, they unpack how generative AI, agentic systems, and regulatory oversight are evolving within one of the most interconnected sectors of the global economy. The conversation explores how AI is amplifying both efficiency and exposure across financial ecosystems — from the promise of multimodal data integration in risk management to the growing challenge of concentration and contagion risks in increasingly digital markets. Miriam and Sudeep discuss how regulators are responding through risk-based frameworks such as the EU AI Act and DORA, and how the private sector is taking a larger role in ensuring transparency, compliance, and trust. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/e2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj's flagship 'AI in Business' podcast! If you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!

Today's guest is Andy Byrne, Founder and CEO of Clari. Clari is an AI-driven platform that transforms how financial institutions manage revenue operations and forecasting, turning complex data into clear, actionable insights for confident decision-making. Their platform delivers forecasts and enterprise-wide insights, giving financial institutions the predictability and confidence they need to drive growth at scale. Andy joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello on the AI in Business podcast to discuss how predictive and generative AI are transforming revenue operations, particularly in financial services. Andy explains how revenue leaders are using predictive AI to increase forecast accuracy, identify risks, and improve shareholder value, while generative and agentic AI are beginning to automate sales workflows and reduce the burden of manual tracking. Together, they explore the hype cycle around agentic AI, where the failures are likely to emerge, and how financial institutions like Capital One and Charles Schwab are deploying these technologies today. Byrne also highlights the critical role of "revenue context" — understanding who did what, when, and with what outcome — as a foundation for scaling AI-driven revenue platforms. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/e2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj's flagship' AI in Business' podcast! Join enterprise leaders at Emerj's Vision to Value AI Infra Summit to explore strategies for building, securing, and scaling AI infrastructure. Reserve your free spot today: emerj.com/infrasummit4. If you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!

Today's guest on the 'AI in Financial Services' podcast is Charleyne Biondi, Associate Vice President of Moody's Ratings in the Digital Economy Team. Charleyne brings a broad perspective on how AI adoption is unfolding in financial services and the wider global economy. She explains how generative AI has lowered adoption barriers, accelerating experimentation while raising new challenges around integration, risk, and reliability. While many businesses see immediate efficiency gains at the individual level, Charleyne notes that true productivity impact requires deeper organizational transformation—connecting AI to legacy IT systems, retraining staff, and ensuring secure and reliable outputs. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/e2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj's flagship' AI in Business' podcast! If you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!

Today's guest is Kyle Hathorn, Director of Customer Experience and Strategy at First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO). FNBO is a privately held, family-led financial institution with over $32 billion in assets and approximately 4,500 employees, offering personal, business, commercial, and wealth banking across eight Midwestern states, alongside a national reach through its credit‑card programs. Kyle joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello to explore how banks can meet rising customer expectations while navigating economic uncertainty and digital transformation. Together, they unpack the unique challenges of delivering seamless, personalized experiences in a heavily regulated, multi-platform environment. From the impacts of inflation on customer loyalty to the cautious integration of AI, Kyle emphasizes the importance of trust, transparency, and alignment across product and data teams. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/e2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj's flagship' AI in Business' podcast! If you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!