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Sean Sarginson
Head of Group Innovation & Fintech Engagement
Emirates NBD
Sean Sarginson is Group Head of Digital Innovation and Partnerships at Emirates NBD, where he leads collaborations with fintechs and global technology companies to turn emerging technologies into practical banking solutions.
Previously, he served as Global Head of Innovation at SWIFT and Associate Director of Payments Strategy and Innovation at Spotify. His career spans global financial infrastructure, consumer technology and banking, giving him a distinctive perspective on how new technologies gain adoption. Today, his focus is on the practical decisions behind AI in banking: what to build, where to partner and how to translate experimentation into measurable business value.
Speaking at SFF 2026
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4:00–4:15pmThu 19 NovIgnite StageHall 5, Singapore EXPOOpen
Technology Rewiring
The Programmable Bank: What to Build, Where to Partner - Powered by Emirates NBD
About this session
When should a bank build AI capabilities internally, and when should it partner? Through Emirates NBD’s experience in transaction monitoring and collections, Sean Sarginson explores the decisions, trade-offs and implementation lessons behind two different approaches. Following each case from business problem to delivery choices, this keynote examines how expertise, integration, speed and control shape the path to business value. Attendees will gain practical lessons on what a bank should own, where fintech partners can accelerate progress and how to measure success while retaining accountability for outcomes.
