What to Expect

Engineering Velocity in a Regulated World

Technology is an enabler, not the answer. Move beyond the "rip and replace" fear by adopting composable architectures. This allows you to innovate at the speed of retail while maintaining the safety and stability required in financial services.

Design for modern expectations

The next generation of customers demand immediacy, transparency and mobility, not just digitised paperwork processes. Developing delightful, engaging, intuitive experiences that feel human and relevant is being done across banking, investments and retail. Explore how and what we can learn from them. 

Turning Trust into a Product Feature

Trust built over decades is tested in a single moment. Explore how data in motion and AI can help you engage customers better to give them support they'll remember.

Closing the "Modern Legacy" Gap

We consider the operational models successful firms have adopted to break down the walls between business lines, customer touchpoints and moments of delight. This ensures your internal culture finally matches your external digital ambition.

Hugh Hessing
Strategic Advisor, Cignpost

Hugh is a highly experienced senior executive with 25+  years in Financial Services, having held C-Suite roles at the UK's largest insurance companies including Aviva and Direct Line Group.

Hugh is a graduate of Harvard Business School's General Management Program and today serves as a Strategic Advisor to Cignpost, where he has helped develop and launch a pioneering Health Diagnostic insurance business.

He is also Non-Executive Chair of BrokerIQ, a Belfast-based fintech start-up, and through his firm H160 Ltd, advises Insurtech and Financial Services businesses on sustainable profit and growth strategies.

Hamish Bates
Ex-Lloyds Banking Group and Brewin Dolphin 

Hamish is a highly experienced Director-level digital, product and platform leader with 20+ years in regulated financial services, having led digital transformation across wealth management, private banking and retail banking at firms including RBC Brewin Dolphin, Lloyds Banking Group and Investec Private Banking.

Hamish is a graduate of Yale School of Management's Executive Education Programme and recently completed the Oxford Artificial Intelligence Programme at Saïd Business School. Most recently, as Director, Digital at RBC Brewin Dolphin, he introduced a product-led funding and operating model that replaced project-based delivery with persistent, outcome-accountable teams.

Tom Fawcett
Managing Director

Tom is a business builder and growth leader with 25+ years of experience scaling, fixing, and transforming businesses across mobility, connected car, retirement, and consumer platforms.

Tom specialises in venture building, turnaround, and growth leadership and is known for his practical, people-first approach to AI and innovation, and for building high-trust teams that deliver under pressure. A sought-after voice on corporate innovation and human-centred technology, he has been featured on the GenAI Automotive Podcast and Society Lab's.