Current Speakers Europe

A dynamic leader with a strong operational focus, dedicated to accelerating the pace of change in banking by applying telecommunications industry speed and agility, while maintaining strict adherence to governance and regulatory requirements.

Achieved by developing a flexible middle-layer platform that deliver cached core data to real-time demanding front-end applications, enabling seamless introduction of new business functionalities without any negative impact on clients. Proven track record of serving a high-net-worth client base across multiple front-end platforms, ensuring superior service and innovation.

Dr Charles C. Phiri is a distinguished architect dedicated to advancing well-behaved, auditable AI/ML and data-intensive systems. With over 25 years of experience engineering transformative solutions across multiple disciplines and industries, Dr Phiri is an Executive Director with JPMorgan Chase, designated as SME AI/ML Innovation in the Global Technology Enterprise Architecture team. His work contributes to redefining enterprise-wide AI/ML reference architectures and consumption patterns, forming the baseline for firmwide risk characterization of AI/ML and agentic systems and motivating operational excellence for distributed and cloud-native AI systems.
Throughout his career, Dr Phiri has achieved high-impact successes, ranging from designing scalable R&D solutions in financial services, semiconductors, telecommunications, space and defense, digital storage infrastructure, and medical devices, to spearheading innovative projects that merge deep technical rigor with practical application. Notably, he was part of the team that developed an exoskeleton-based solution to assist post-stroke patients in regaining mobility and contributed to cutting-edge advances in robotics, commercial satellite systems, microwave and RF systems, A-GPS systems, real-time embedded technologies, MEMS, and ultra–low-energy designs, progressing from R&D to the commercialization of multi–billion devices.
A respected thought leader and active contributor in his field, Dr Phiri researches advanced AI/ML systems with a clear focus on delivering practical, real-world solutions in constrained environments. His other contributions include areas such as neuromorphic computing, deep learning, spiking neural networks, robotics, context-free grammars, formal verification, and the systems engineering of robust, characteristically auditable distributed AI systems in real-world environments (IntRob’25). His academic research interests include developing real-time collision avoidance for industrial robotic arms (ICIRA 2021) and fuzzy rule-based outlier detection (ISA Transactions, 2021); dynamical system specification and stabilization (ICIRA 2017); accelerating robot learning through context-aware middleware (ICIRA 2016); adaptive, intelligent self-calibrating systems (2011); and scaffolded life-long robot learning from human skills (2019), all of which underscore his dedication to bridging theoretical innovation with tangible, real-world applications.
Dr Phiri is also a Senior IEEE Member, a Chartered IT Professional with the British Computer Society, and designated Gartner Peer Community Ambassador. He earned his PhD in Humanoid Robotics from the University of Portsmouth, reading humanoid robot learning from human action skills (motion planning, scaffolded life-long robot learning). He holds an MSc in Internet Systems from the University of Liverpool.
Beyond his corporate credentials, Dr Phiri is passionate about leveraging technology (including remote sensing and satellite imaging systems) to address critical gaps in food systems across Sub-Saharan Africa through regenerative precision agriculture and logistics ventures. His lifelong commitment to self-calibration is exemplified by his accomplishment as a 4th Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon-Do, which is built on the tenets of courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and an indomitable spirit.

Riccardo Riccobene is a seasoned cybersecurity professional based in Frankfurt, currently serving as Senior Information Security Officer at State Street International. With deep expertise in third-party risk, digital resilience, and regulatory alignment, he plays a key role in coordinating ECB Threat-Led Penetration Testing under DORA. Riccardo brings a pragmatic, practitioner’s perspective to securing financial ecosystems in an increasingly AI-driven and borderless banking environment.

Dr. Bernd Fritzke is AI Expert and Project Lead at DekaBank’s Open Digital Factory. He leads DekaGPT, the bank’s AI assistant with more than 8,000 users, and DekaRAG, a central Retrieval-Augmented Generation platform supporting 40+ applications. In addition to building platforms, he created and delivered key internal AI formats, including the “KI Coffee Call” series, DekaGPT license training, and executive briefings that reached thousands of employees

With a career spanning academia and industry, Dr. Fritzke combines research in neural networks and self-organizing systems with practical experience in trading, software engineering, and platform operations. As a frequent external speaker at universities, industry associations, and financial institutions, he shares insights on large language models, agentic AI, and the future of data-driven finance.

Strategic Product Leader in Payments
Driving Innovation, Scale & Team Excellence in Banking

I lead the product function for receivables, with a portfolio covering SEPA Request to Pay, SDD, PSD2 payment initiation, and corporate collections. I operate at the intersection of regulation, technology, and customer experience — turning complexity into scalable, compliant, and user-centric solutions.

With over 15 years in banking and financial services, I’ve built strong expertise in:

• Payment systems and schemes – SEPA, Instant Payments, SWIFT, cross-border
• Receivables and e-invoicing – order-to-cash, procure-to-pay, PSD2, R2P
• Regulatory and compliance frameworks – KYC, AML, EDD, sanctions
• Digital transformation – banking mobility, onboarding, digital UX
• Interbank collaboration and governance – contributing to European directives

My product leadership blends deep domain expertise with a strong strategic lens — shaping roadmaps aligned with regulation, market shifts, and tech disruption. Through my interbank mandates, I bring a system-level view of the European payments landscape.

I thrive in complex environments, leading international, multi-disciplinary teams through transformation. My focus is on building high-performing product organisations, scaling delivery, and embedding innovation at every level.

Fluent in multiple languages, I bring a collaborative, cross-cultural leadership style and a proven ability to align global teams toward a shared product vision.

I’m passionate about driving product strategy and innovation at scale — especially where regulation, technology, and customer value intersect. My long-term focus is on shaping impactful, future-ready product organisations that help financial institutions evolve and lead.

Sascha is a Banking and Financial Services professional with 18+ years of experience in strategic and regulatory transformation. He worked in Corporate Banking for Commerzbank (formerly Dresdner Bank) and Management Consulting for Consileon and KPMG Germany. In his current role he is responsible for dwpbank’s Digital Assets Platform wpNex, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science and Innovation Management at dwpbank in Frankfurt.

I’m committed to data-driven innovations in the areas of data management, business intelligence, artificial intelligence, as well as digitalization, transformation, and data strategy. At Helaba, I design future-proof data models and drive the use of generative AI to make processes more intelligent and efficient. AI and data-driven strategies are fundamentally transforming industries – I’m always open to new ideas, professional exchange, and collaborative development.

I have 30 years plus experience in the banking industry with a focus point on Corporate Banking & Cash Management. I’m particulary focused on new technology, advisory & structuring of digital integration solutions and Embedded Finance solutions for Corporate customers. Expertise includes international cash management, embedded finance, banking-as-a-service, contextual banking, channel solutions, XML formats, SWIFT messaging, (account) reporting, eBAM, billing, derivatives handling, liquidity management, DLT technology, API technology, crypto assets, payment fraud prevention and workflow automation & optimisation. Project Experience with 200+ MNCs around the globe.

Ula Antonkiewicz-Kotla is a Risk professional, with 22 years of banking experience: 17 years in Risk Management, building and managing teams responsible for: Basel (RWA, ICAAP, Stress Testing), IFRS, Credit Risk, Model Risk, Risk Reporting, Risk Models development, Risk Tech Innovation & Automation, Data Management. 5 years’ experience in Consumer Business, leading data driven business (AI/ML based). Working in different geographies (London, New York, Singapore). Executive MBA, MS in Finance & Banking. Currently Ula is responsible for Data Governance and Risk Processes Automation in Risk Management, Citi

Burak is the Head of Core Banking development at Credit Europe Bank where he leads development of cutting-edge banking applications with a focus on modernizing legacy systems and implementing scalable, future-proof solutions. His deep understanding of the banking business enables seamless communication and collaboration between business and technology groups to drive innovation and operational efficiency.

Mission Statement:
Being committed and instrumental toward serving the Highest Good by Acting with Transparency, Integrity and Compassion.

Vision:
I am a creative interactive part of the Universe who creates with knowledge a client experience that is unique, fulfilling and adds value to the environment f the seeker.

Skills & Professional Experience:
Project- a Management, High-Profile Public Relations, Topic research and reporting, Motivational lecturing, HR & Personal- & on-the-job coaching, Custom-tailored Multi disciplinary bonding sessions for Corporate Entities, Creative translating,

Legal consulting: labor, corporate and government

Financial services: AML/CFT

Specialties: coach;; counselor; representative and researcher.

Marta has over 25 years of professional experience out of which the last 19 years she has spent working in finance and investment funds industry. She spent 10 years of her career working for banks such as State Street and HSBC in control functions, focusing on risk management, investment compliance and governance. The last few years of her career she spent in asset management, focusing on alternative investments, setting up regulated entities, process automation, policies and procedures, operational risk and financial crime prevention. She acted as a general partner for a number of investment funds, and held regulated and regional roles.  

Wiktoria Gromowa-Cieslik is an executive leader with over 14 years of experience driving digital and data transformation across global financial institutions including UBS, ING, JPMorgan, and Credit Suisse. She has led large-scale technology, cloud initiatives, and recently AI solutions, building regulatory-compliant data ecosystems and fostering innovation in enterprise-scale solutions.

A trusted advisor to C-level leaders, she bridges the gap between advanced technology and responsible business adoption, ensuring regulatory alignment, data governance, and ethical AI integration. Beyond her corporate leadership, Wiktoria is the founder of Human Tech Fusion, a brand dedicated to advancing human-centric technology solutions — emphasizing ethics, trust, and sustainable innovation in an AI-driven world.

She is a frequent conference speaker and mentor, passionate about shaping the future of intelligent, resilient, and ethical technology through the fusion of scientific thinking, data-driven strategies, and human values.