16: Innovating Through Partnerships: Banks and Tech Companies Driving Financial Services Forward

In this episode of Seismic Sessions, hosts Rachael Rowe and Gemma Livermore sit down with Esra Demir, Group Digital Partnership Director at HSBC, and Marcus Martinez, Financial Services Industry Advocate – EMEA at Microsoft, to explore how partnerships between banks and tech firms are reshaping financial services. They discuss the role of open banking, cloud adoption, and AI in driving innovation, efficiency, and customer experience—highlighting why collaboration, not competition, is the key to industry growth. The conversation also uncovers how HSBC and Microsoft are leading the way in building the future of finance through strategic alliances.


Show notes

Key takeaways 

• Tremors: Financial services are undergoing a major shift, driven by open banking, cloud adoption, and fintech disruption. Open banking regulations have pushed greater transparency, while cloud technology has enhanced scalability, efficiency, and security. The smartphone revolution has further raised customer expectations, accelerating the demand for seamless, embedded financial experiences. These forces have moved banks away from siloed, in-house development towards open innovation, with external partnerships proving to be a more agile and cost-effective path forward.
  
  
• Epicentre:  Today, collaboration is at the core of financial innovation. Banks, fintechs, and tech giants are working together to enhance efficiency, resilience, and customer experience. Beyond adopting fintech solutions, banks are now co-creating technology, using AI, machine learning, and automation to streamline operations and personalize customer interactions. The focus has shifted from short-term integrations to long-term, strategic alliances that drive sustainable growth and industry-wide transformation.
  
  
• Aftershocks: Looking ahead, AI and cloud computing will drive the next wave of financial innovation, making automation, decision-making, and customer experience more advanced and secure. Banks will deepen their partnerships with tech firms, shifting from transactional relationships to long-term co-innovation. The industry is moving toward a hyper-connected ecosystem, breaking down silos and fostering collaboration among financial institutions, regulators, and customers to solve real-world financial challenges.
  
  

Jump into the conversation:

[04:38] Partnerships in Financial Services

[05:06] Evolution of digital partnerships

[10:32] Key milestones shaping the ecosystem

[22:11] Collaboration as a catalyst for innovation

[24:45] Marketplace and MAC agreements

[25:57] AI and cloud computing driving innovation