In a rapidly evolving market, lenders are facing pressure from every direction; tight margins, rising expectations, regulatory uncertainty, and the ever-looming shadow of legacy systems. But where are the real roadblocks, and what role can collaboration and technology play in overcoming them?
We asked lending and financial services leaders one essential question at FTT Lending:
“What do you believe are the key challenges lenders face today, and how can collaboration and technology help overcome these obstacles?”
Here’s what they shared:
- Organisational culture is first barrier to innovation
Mike Bianchi, Account Director at Smart Communications
“I think when it comes to obstacles for progress and change, a lot of it’s down to culture and the outlook of that organisation. If they get a top-down look on what transformation should look like, they should be able to adopt the right technologies and right solutions to provide the progress they’re looking for.”
- Agility is the new advantage
Roger Vincent, Founder at Bourn
“The biggest challenge for banks and lenders is they love the solutions that they see, but how do they adopt them? How do they bring them into huge organisations…and make them effective?”
- Data overload is real
Kate Bullman, VP, Head of European Sales and Global Partnerships at GDS Link
“Every time I come to one of these events, there’s more providers talking about more data they can provide. So, I think it’s about us bringing that all together for our clients…”
- Transformation has a price tag
Simon Taylor, CEO at Melton Building Society
“I think for lenders, the biggest challenges evolve around the transformation and digitisation. There’s a lot to do and it’s an expensive journey to go on…”
- Personalisation and proactivity are no longer optional
Matthew Barr, Product Manager at Moneyhub
“Customers expect more and more personalisation, and they expect the products to be centred around them. And regulators expect more and more proactivity…”
- Legacy systems still dominate corporate lending
Jamie Lait, Solution Design Lead at SAP Fioneer
“Being able for [banks] to actually understand where their data is, where it’s stored, how they can use it best… In the corporate lending space, this is still traditionally quite an old technology space…”
- Uncertainty demands flexible technology
Ben Ussher-Stanley, Principal Product Specialist at nCino
“What uncertainty breeds is the need to be able to react quickly… From a technology standpoint, it’s all about flexibility for today and tomorrow’s world.”
- Customer loyalty is in the past
Andrew Yates, CEO & Founder at FullCircl
“Customers will go wherever the best deal is available… One of the solutions we’ve been developing… we can consolidate that data into a single, multi-banked customer view…”
- Collaboration Over Competition
Sara de la Torre, Head of Financial Services and Insurance at Dun & Bradstreet
“There are limitations in terms of the data and the lack of automated processes… But naturally, that can only accelerate if there is a greater level of collaboration…”
The takeaway?
Lenders are navigating a perfect storm: legacy systems, rising customer expectations, economic turbulence, and a tidal wave of new tech. But across the board, the answer isn’t to go it alone. Whether it’s partnering with fintechs, breaking internal silos, or working across the industry on common problems, collaboration and innovation are the only way forward.
Want more insights like these?
Join us at FTT Lending on 18 March 2026 in London to hear directly from these experts and more. Let’s shape the future of lending together.
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