18: Redefining Enablement in Financial Services: Where It Started, Where It’s Going

In this episode of Seismic Sessions, hosts Gemma Livermore and Rachael Rowe explore the seismic shifts transforming enablement in financial services. Joined by industry leaders Jalpa Bhatt, Director of Marketing Technology at Janus Henderson Investors, and Deepika Sehgal, Enablement Strategist at Capital Group, the conversation dives into how firms are evolving their approach to empower sales, marketing, and compliance teams with the tools, data, and alignment needed for success. Together, they discuss the rise of enablement as a strategic discipline, the impact of technology and AI, and the critical need to break down silos within organisations.

Key takeaways 

• Tremors: Enablement in financial services emerged as a response to rising complexity across sales, marketing, and compliance. Digital acceleration—particularly during the pandemic—exposed the limits of traditional support roles. Sales teams, burdened by new tools and shifting demands, needed more than tech—they needed structure, guidance, and training. At the same time, regulatory change, a broader product landscape, and advisor turnover revealed critical gaps in onboarding and knowledge sharing, prompting a shift toward a more strategic approach.
  
  
• Epicentre: Enablement has evolved into a cross-functional strategy focused on unifying experiences across teams. While many firms are investing in platforms to support this shift, challenges remain: fragmented tech stacks, poor integration, and reactive execution. There's growing urgency to better leverage data, measure impact, and break down silos. Today, enablement is increasingly recognised as a driver of efficiency, alignment, and enhanced client experiences—not just internal support.

• Aftershocks: Looking ahead, enablement will play a central role in digital transformation. The future lies in real-time, in-flow guidance powered by AI and automation—surfacing insights, supporting compliance, and embedding coaching into daily workflows. As content, data, and training converge, enablement will move from a background function to a growth engine—driving performance, building trust, and delivering differentiated experiences. The focus will shift from adding tools to optimising and integrating what’s already in place.

Jump into the conversation:

[04:27] The origins of enablement
[06:06] Overcoming tech overload in sales teams
[08:50] The breaking point: why traditional models no longer work
[13:57] The integration challenge
[17:58] The role of data in driving strategy
[20:18] AI as a strategic enabler