The participation of financial services has always been a crucial aspect of the European Identity and Cloud Conference (EIC). In its 17-year history, EIC has seen many representatives of large banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions share practical insights. Today we present the first set of speakers for EIC 2024 from organizations such as Visa Europe, the Mitsubishi Bank of Tokyo, and Northwestern Mutual.
With our first speakers release, we are letting loose four tech experts from the finance industry. Despite some of the industry-specific challenges, IAM and cybersecurity professionals from finance can offer valuable insights and lessons learned that can be translated to other sectors seeking to enhance their identity and access management practices.
The relevance of identity management in finance
Identity management is integral to financial services for various reasons. Robust systems enhance security by verifying and authenticating user identities, employing methods like multi-factor authentication and biometrics to prevent unauthorized access and reduce fraud. Compliance with regulatory requirements, such as KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (anti-money laundering), is ensured through effective identity management.
Building customer trust is another crucial aspect, because secure identities foster confidence in engaging with digital financial services. Personalized offerings based on accurate customer data, operational efficiency, and streamlined transactions are facilitated by sound identity management practices. In the context of digital transformation, identity management is foundational for seamless and secure digital experiences, including online banking and mobile payments.
Risk management benefits from effective identity verification, helping to identify and mitigate potential risks. Furthermore, in the globalized financial landscape, proper identity management supports cross-border transactions by ensuring compliance with international regulations and standards, fostering trust in transactions across different jurisdictions.
In summary, identity management in financial services is not just about verifying who someone is; it's a fundamental aspect of ensuring security, compliance, and efficiency in an increasingly digital and interconnected financial world.
Speakers at EIC 2024 from the financial services industry
Steve “Hutch” Hutchinson is an old hand in identity and access management. Currently, he serves as Director of Security Architecture at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG). After cutting his teeth in C/C++ software development and network engineering, Steve spent a decade as an enterprise architect in the healthcare sector focused on security and network technologies. The next decade was spent as the Principal Cybersecurity Architect at General Electric where he oversaw the identity strategy for the Industrial Internet. As a founding member of the identity management professionals’ association, IDPro, Steve considers EIC one of his “must attend” conferences of the year.
As Head of Digital Identity at Visa Europe and Board Chair of the Open Wallet Foundation at the Linux Foundation, Marie Austenaa is a highly experienced speaker and expert in digital identity and mobile services, with over 15 years of international business development experience. Her expertise and leadership have been instrumental in shaping the digital landscape and driving innovation in the industry. She has worked in digital identity since 2014, when she led GSMA’s global program on Digital Identity for mobile operators around the world and later at Signicat – one of the leading digital identity service providers in Europe.
With over 15 years of deep-seated expertise in Identity and Access Management (IAM), Rohit Agnihotri has cultivated a reputation as an authority in product development, consulting, thought leadership, and leading global IAM teams. As Senior Director IAM at Northwestern Mutual, Rohit is in charge of managing identities at one of the US’s most prestigious financial services mutual organizations. Rohit has been at the forefront of strategy and decision-making, ensuring that IAM initiatives are both innovative and in harmony with industry trends.
Since 2021, Mihails Galuška has managed the portfolio of customer and partner identity related services across If P&C Insurance – the largest insurance group in Nordic countries with operations also in the Baltics. As IAM Global Product Manager, he triggered and led the project to establish a smooth, centralized, and legally and technically well-justified corporate e-signing service across the If group. Prior to joining If P&C Insurance, Mihails worked as a commercial director, also wearing the hat of the e-signature product owner of the national certification authority in Latvia that delivers qualified trusted services to the public, corporates, and public authorities.
If you are responsible for managing identities, access, or authentication processes in financial services, or any other highly regulated industry for that matter, visiting KuppingerCole’s European Identity and Cloud Conference 2024 will most certainly pay off.
