136 INTERVIEW Manage compliance with confidence IBM’s Leon Harris explains how financial services organisations can turn compliance into a competitive advantage EY’s 14th annual global bank risk management survey indicates a notable shift in priorities for the next 12 months, driven by the rise of geopolitical uncertainties and the increasing significance of non-financial threats like cybercrime, climate change and regulatory compliance. As such, chief risk officers from 115 banks across 45 countries have listed increased governance and control, improved data quality and better regulatory compliance as top priorities for 2025. And increasingly, it’s technology – not headcount – that determines how successful institutions are at meeting these challenges. IBM is collaborating with Microsoft to help customers navigate this complexity with a combination of tools and deep industry expertise. By leveraging IBM Apptio and IBM Planning Analytics on Microsoft Azure, financial services organisations can strengthen their financial management capabilities while maintaining a robust compliance posture. These solutions can help streamline cost transparency, optimise IT investments, and enhance planning and forecasting accuracy. With the scalability and security of Azure, institutions can confidently manage sensitive financial data and meet evolving regulatory requirements. This combination empowers decision-makers with actionable insights, enabling smarter financial strategies and accelerating operational efficiency across the enterprise. “In highly regulated industries like banking and insurance, you need financial information that is accurate, up to date, and defensible – especially when auditors or regulators come calling,” says Leon Harris, chief technology officer of strategic partnerships with Microsoft at IBC. “But many teams are still working in Microsoft Excel and relying on manual processes that introduce risk and delay. That’s not sustainable, particularly when financial decisions depend on real-time insights, audit trails and compliance-ready reporting. Modern financial management demands automation, transparency and control.” IBM Planning Analytics automates budgeting, planning and forecasting while providing a clear audit trail of every change. It can help finance teams track and explain variances, model different scenarios and produce consistent reports, all from a central source of truth. Meanwhile, IBM Apptio gives IT and finance leaders the ability to track and optimise IT spend, which is increasingly scrutinised in compliance audits. IBM Apptio serves as an IT subledger to IBM Planning Analytics, using the same numbers, but with more detail tailored for IT leaders. While financial planning and analysis teams work at a high level in Planning Analytics, IT professionals need more granularity to build and manage defensible and accurate budgets. IBM Apptio provides service-level insights by aligning highvolume data from contracts, workforce, time BY ALICE CHAMBERS “I n highly regulated industries like banking and insurance, you need financial information that is accurate, up to date, and defensible”
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