At the FTT Fintech Festival we spoke to Saif Malik, UK CEO and Head of Client Coverage at Standard Chartered Bank, about the impact of AI on the financial services industry, his views on how to be an effective leader during times of change and uncertainty and what helped defined his own leadership style.  As a senior leader at one of the world’s largest global trade banks and with deep international experience behind him, he is clearly well placed to comment on how to navigate change.

What is the best way to lead through change?

Given the ever changing macroeconomic landscape and geopolitical shifts,  he says that it’s never been more important for an organisation to be clear about their core values and the future direction of travel. Even if those core values evolve over time, sticking to those positions provides clarity and gives a framework within which to navigate change.

What is the impact of AI?

Standard Chartered sees AI as a transformational, once in a lifetime change that will impact the human race, the world itself and, of course, the bank. Instead of sitting back and watching what may happen, they have made the decision to explore how the bank will embrace, evolve and adapt with the AI tools and technologies available to them.

That means bringing their colleagues on the journey by upskilling through additional training and skills academies, allowing staff to fully understand the tools they have at their disposal.

AI should be a force for positive change in the industry and Saif sees Standard Chartered playing their role in that journey, noting the potential improvement in areas like cross-border capabilities, payments, how letters of credit are opened and more.

One key piece of advice he offers is to be honest and to not take people for granted. Jobs will change, the industry will change, and the best thing the bank can do is offer training and prepare their staff for the future.

Listen to the full interview below to hear what has defined Saif as a leader.

Want to explore the impact of AI on the financial services industry and learn how leaders across the industry are managing change and plotting a future strategy, join us in London for FTT AI Transformation on 25th June 2026.