5 minute read
Reflections from COBA24: Shaping the Future of Customer-Owned Banking
The COBA24 conference brought together a vibrant community, dedicated to shaping the future of customer-owned banking. For us here at Battleground, it was our first opportunity to exhibit and was a great opportunity to connect and reconnect across the sector.
Reflecting on the many conversations and sessions attended, three key themes stood out.
- The rise of new technology providers, across the sector, as customer-owned banks forge their own clear customer and technology strategies.
- The increasing focus by boards members on their role in a crisis.
- The critical role of the right capabilities and mix of people and technology in supporting digitisation.
Each of these themes resonates deeply with Battleground’s mission, and collectively they help underline why Battleground is becoming the resilience and risk software and consulting provider of choice for the customer-owned banking sector.
The Rise of New Technology Providers in the Sector
One of the most striking features of COBA24 was the sheer number of new technology providers presenting their solutions to the customer-owned banking sector. This shift represents a significant evolution, as customer-owned banks recognise that their customer and technology strategies are clear differentiators to sustain and grow. From core banking platforms, new solutions for customer relationship management to AI-driven analytics tools, as well as a plethora of regulatory focused solutions, the offerings showcased at COBA were diverse and promising.
This growing diversity will mean, more and more, customer owned banks are developing, maintaining and leveraging a unique technology stack, to meet their customer strategies. With greater range comes, potentially, new resilience and risk challenges in terms of understanding how systems can be disrupted, and might behave in that disruption. Further, more diverse suppliers will drive, more and more, a service provider management and service provider risk management capability that will need to anticipate future demands.
The Increasing Focus by Board Members on their Role in a Crisis
COBA24 offered the Battleground team a great opportunity to connect with a diverse range of Board members. One key conversation that we returned to again and again with this group was the role of boards in a crisis and their need to build skills, capabilities and experience in this vital oversight role. With data breaches and ransomware attacks continuing to hit the news cycle every week, and uplifted guidance on the role of directors in a crisis, this topic is hotter than ever.
With customer-owned banks so reliant on building and maintaining trust, capabilities to manage in a crisis are fundamental to their long-term longevity and success.
What was particularly interesting was how boards are beginning to prioritise their crisis capabilities, moving beyond high-level oversight to hands-on involvement in stress-testing and response planning.
At Battleground, we advocate for what we call a “human-centric approach” to crisis management—ensuring that everyone, from board members to frontline staff, knows their role and is prepared to act decisively. Our experience has shown that effective crisis management starts with leadership that is not only informed but also trained through realistic simulations to lead during uncertainty. The discussions at COBA emphasised that boards need to go beyond merely approving crisis management plans—they must actively engage in and understand the processes that underpin them.
Building Capability for a More Digitised World
Another major takeaway from COBA24 was the recognition of the importance of the right capabilities and mix of people and technology to support customer-owned banks as they digitise their operations. The sector faces unique challenges, often lacking the internal resources available to larger financial institutions. The message at COBA24 was clear: partnerships are essential to help customer-owned banks enhance their digital capabilities while maintaining their commitment to member-centric service.
Battleground’s expertise in resilience, business continuity, and risk management positions us as a natural partner for customer-owned banks by providing a secure, integrated platform like our GRC Risk Intelligence, Battleground Live, we help navigate the complexities of digitisation while maintaining resilience.
Our tools and consulting services are designed to simplify compliance, improve operational resilience, and ultimately allow financial institutions to make the best decisions for their members.
Conclusion
COBA24 underscored the exciting developments and pressing challenges facing the customer-owned banking sector. New technology providers represent both opportunities and challenges; the increasing involvement of boards in crisis management highlights the sector’s growing maturity; and the call for strategic partnerships emphasises the importance of collaboration in an increasingly digitised world.
These themes reinforce Battleground’s mission to support resilience through innovation, ensuring that our partners are prepared to face whatever comes next.
If you’re ready to strengthen your resilience in the face of rapid technological change, Battleground is here to help. Request a demo of our Resilience and Risk Intelligence platform today and see how we can empower your business for the future
