London, 25 March 2026 - Projective Group Institute has released the second edition of the Journal of Financial Services, a global publication that brings together senior leaders, academics and practitioners to examine how data and artificial intelligence are transforming the financial services industry.
Titled How data and AI shape financial services, the edition explores what this shift means for European banks, insurers and market infrastructures that aim to turn AI from experimentation into scaled, reliable value.
As financial institutions accelerate their use of AI and face increasingly complex data landscapes, the journal highlights how the industry has moved beyond technology adoption alone. Contributors show that AI is exposing long standing structural weaknesses in data foundations and prompting organisations to rethink ownership, governance and accountability. This edition combines academic perspective with real world industry insight to help leaders understand what is changing and why it matters for the future of the sector.
The publication features analysis from experts across leading financial institutions, policy bodies and research centres.
The publication features analysis from experts across leading financial institutions, policy bodies and research centres. Topics span data foundations, AI adoption, operational and cyber resilience, ESG data, digital payments, tokenisation and economic perspectives on digital infrastructure. Together, the articles offer a broad and pragmatic view of how data and AI are influencing resilience, compliance, customer engagement and the functioning of financial markets.
Among the contributors, Kristof Meganck, Chief Data Officer at BNP Paribas Fortis, outlines why scalable data architectures such as data mesh are becoming essential for enterprise AI. Budha Bhattacharya of Lombard Odier Investment Managers and Professor Francesca Medda of UCL explore how advanced analytics and natural language processing can improve ESG data quality in structured finance. Other authors discuss themes such as data governance, data culture, cyber resilience, data integrity for AI agents, secure decision making and the growing role of AI driven automation in areas including underwriting, payments security and transaction banking.
A consistent message throughout the edition is that the success of AI initiatives now depends on the strength of an organisation’s underlying data. As institutions move from pilots to production scale AI, challenges around data quality, lineage, ownership and accessibility become strategic rather than technical. Contributors emphasise that clear governance, trusted data ecosystems and resilient data architecture are now foundational for European financial institutions seeking to adopt AI safely and effectively.
In our work with clients, we see that clarity on ownership, governance and access is what enables AI to deliver reliable value.
Stefan Dierckx, CEO of Projective Group, said: “European financial institutions are moving from exploring AI to using it in operations. The differentiator is the strength of their data foundations. In our work with clients, we see that clarity on ownership, governance and access is what enables AI to deliver reliable value. This journal captures those lessons and shares them with the industry.”
The second edition of the Journal of Financial Services is available for download via the Projective Group Institute website.
Projective Group Institute is the research and thought leadership platform of Projective Group. The Institute brings together experts from across financial services, academia and the regulatory community to examine the forces shaping the future of the sector, publishing independent research and insights on topics including data, AI, regulation, digital transformation and financial market innovation.
The Projective Group Institute’s Journal of Financial Services (JoFS) provides structured insights on developments in the European financial sector. Each edition brings together contributions from practitioners, academics and regulatory experts to help readers understand key changes in the industry.
This edition examines how Data and Artificial Intelligence are influencing financial services. It looks at how modern analytics and evolving regulations such as GDPR, DORA and the EU AI Act are raising expectations for data quality, governance and oversight. Through concise, thoughtful articles, the edition highlights the practical implications for decision‑making, risk management and operational resilience.
