Staying ahead of the pack

What’s an innovative business? To the typical person, it’s a company in an industry like software technology, alternative energy, or biomedical engineering. Few would name one in financial services, an area of commerce with origins as old as the first currencies.

Recently Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited surveyed 200 executives at banking, securities, insurance, and investment management firms around the world. A quarter of them worked for firms with more than US$30 billion in revenue; most were in finance or operations. We asked what they thought was important to staying ahead of the competition in the next three to five years.

What we learned is that firms are quietly transforming their businesses in anticipation of new entrants and disruptive trends. Their response to regulation is both pragmatic and optimistic. They’re adopting new ways to attract and keep the best of a 21st century workforce. And they’re taking on digital initiatives across a spectrum of operational areas, with an eye to profitability, compliance, and a superior client experience.