Investment Banking and Innovation

“If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough.”

― Mario Andretti

Agile, "Fail-fast" and other similar approaches are embedded into the Fintech world, a hardly regulated arena.  How would these approaches fit into a SOX, CTFC, SEC, FCA, MAS and similar regulated firm?

Only way I can see to make this work is either a form of greenwash, let's call it fintechwash OR a genuine effort to allow this to happen with Innovation, leadership and management.

The way to move at speed within finance is to have:

• funding
• access to market participants for feedback, validation and verification
• low procedural latency - see Agile with an "A" and an "a"  
• low regulatory oversight - see Investment Banks and Robocop    

Build the innovation outside of the main bank technology arena and later on re-integrate.  Might seem more complicated but it will work.  Trying to change a bank culture to innovate at speed is a challenge beyond many...