At NEXUS Luxembourg 2026, Banque Internationale à Luxembourg (BIL) participated in a roundtable led by the Luxembourg Bankers’ Association (ABBL), exploring one of the key questions facing the financial sector today: Who will win the tech race in finance?
Representing BIL was Isa Scheunpflug, Chief Operating Officer and member of the Executive Committee, alongside industry leaders from Swissquote, eBay and MANZARI LEGAL. The discussion focused on how technology, trust and collaboration are reshaping the future of financial services.
Throughout the panel, Scheunpflug emphasized that the real differentiator in banking is no longer access to technology itself, but the ability to adapt quickly and transform organizations effectively.
The tech race in finance will not be won by the institution with the best technology. It will be won by the institution that can adopt and change the fastest.
She highlighted that AI, cloud infrastructure and advanced data platforms are now widely available across the market. What truly matters is an institution’s ability to simplify processes, accelerate decision-making and continuously upskill its workforce.
A central theme of the discussion was the growing convergence between banks, fintechs and technology players. According to Scheunpflug, customers increasingly expect seamless experiences rather than fragmented services.
Customers don’t buy banking products; they want a solution to a life problem
She compared the future of finance to a Formula 1 ecosystem, where hundreds of specialized players collaborate to deliver a high-performance end product. In this environment, collaboration becomes a major competitive advantage.
Scheunpflug also pointed to significant opportunities for mutualisation within the financial sector, particularly in areas where customers see little differentiation. She cited digital identity solutions, shared corporate data utilities and collective action against fraud and cybercrime as examples where stronger industry cooperation could create value for all participants.
Trust and regulation also featured prominently in her interventions. As AI adoption accelerates and cyber risks intensify, Scheunpflug argued that trusted and regulated institutions will play an increasingly important role in preserving customer confidence.
Technology attracts customers, but trust keeps them.
This vision strongly aligns with BIL’s own transformation journey and its recent strategic partnership with Kyndryl, aimed at accelerating the bank’s technology modernization and strengthening its digital resilience. The collaboration reflects BIL’s ambition to combine innovation with operational excellence while continuing to offer clients secure and reliable banking services.
Looking ahead, Scheunpflug shared an ambitious vision for Luxembourg’s financial centre, stating that the country can become “the most trusted financial data ecosystem in Europe.”
The ABBL panel at NEXUS 2026 highlighted Luxembourg’s determination to remain at the forefront of financial innovation by fostering closer collaboration between banks, fintechs, regulators and technology providers, with BIL actively contributing to shaping that future.
