Deloitte survey: Innovation very important to 82 percent of executives in financial firms

22 March, 2015 - Fifty-seven percent of global financial services executives believe regulation has enabled growth of their business, according to the results of Deloitte’s Staying Ahead of the Pack survey.  In addition, half of executives expect much more regulation in the near future, with 69 percent feeling prepared for it.

The survey of 200 executives at banking, securities, insurance and investment management firms around the world was conducted to identify the most important issues impacting the industry in the next three to five years. A quarter of respondents worked for firms with more than US$30 billion in revenue.

“Global financial firms are operating in an increasingly challenging environment, with new entrants and fierce competition becoming the norm. Those who stay attuned to market needs and transform their business in anticipation of new entrants and unprecedented trends will reap the greatest rewards,” says Joe El Fadl, partner and Financial Services Leader at Deloitte Middle East.

 Other key findings from the survey include:

• Disruption is becoming the norm - Nearly two-thirds of executives are seeing new entrants impact their industry segment.
• Banking sector seeing more disruption - Compared with the insurance sector, respondents in banking are 50 percent more likely to expect a major impact on their business from new entrants and disruptive trends.
• Innovation is key- Eighty-two percent of executives believe innovation is very or most important in their current environments.
• Regulation varies by region - Respondents in Asia and Europe were two times more likely than those in the Americas to expect a lot more regulation.
• Areas deemed important for market success- Ranked in order of priority, innovation and new offerings; digital transformation; regulations and talent needs are most important.
• Human capital strategy key to success -Talent retention (90 percent), right skills in the right location (85 percent) and talent governance (85 percent) are key strategies.  

About Deloitte

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Deloitte provides audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries. With a globally connected network of member firms in more than 150 countries and territories, Deloitte brings world-class capabilities and high-quality service to clients, delivering the insights they need to address their most complex business challenges. Deloitte’s more than 200,000 professionals are committed to becoming the standard of excellence.

About Deloitte & Touche (M.E.)

Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) is a member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (DTTL) and is the first Arab professional services firm established in the Middle East region with uninterrupted presence since 1926.

Deloitte is among the region’s leading professional services firms, providing audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services through 26 offices in 15 countries with more than 3,000 partners, directors and staff. It is a Tier 1 Tax advisor in the GCC region since 2010 (according to the International Tax Review World Tax Rankings). It has received numerous awards in the last few years which include Best Employer in the Middle East, best consulting firm, and the Middle East Training & Development Excellence Award by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).