Juniper Research interview SAP Fioneer about the future of core banking

This interview was originally published on the Juniper Research website.

Mover & Shaker Interview with SAP Fioneer, Future Digital Awards Platinum Winner for Banking-as-a-Service Innovation

Juniper Research interviewed Anna Koritz, Global Head of Transaction Banking at SAP Fioneer, in September 2025.

Anna Koritz has extensive experience in Transaction Banking from EY Management Consulting, from NatWest where she was a Managing Director in Global Transaction Services and from Capita where she led significant operational payments and treasury teams and also delivered large Customer Experience solutions to prominent Financial Services clients.

Why is core banking transformation still such a strategic priority?

Because it’s the foundation of everything a bank does – regulatory reporting, risk management, and product innovation all rely on the core. With rising compliance costs and margin pressures, banks cannot afford to run on legacy systems anymore.

What should a good core banking solution deliver today?

Flexibility, scalability, and real-time processing. But also, compliance-by-design, because regulatory change is constant. And ecosystem readiness—banks need to plug into fintechs, corporates, and embedded finance models seamlessly. At SAP Fioneer, we combine deep banking expertise with modular architecture to deliver exactly that.

What makes SAP Fioneer’s approach different?

We are built for banking. Our platform is powered by S/4HANA’s technology, which provides real-time data processing and faster access to data – thanks to HANA’s in-memory database. We also offer a full suite of finance solutions. By also offering a full suite of banking and finance solutions, we provide a holistic platform that enables clients to deliver truly personalized experiences—like our behavioural banking engine —and embrace AI with a high degree of confidence.

Cloud is often seen as the end goal. What’s your view?

Cloud is indeed the destination for many financial institutions—and we fully support that. Our platform is cloud-agnostic, meaning it can be deployed on any cloud environment a bank prefers. However, we also believe in meeting banks where they are. If a bank wants to stay on-premises for part of its journey or even permanently for certain functions, we support that, too. It’s about finding the right approach that aligns with a bank’s unique strategy, risk appetite, and regulatory environment.

How do you see regulation shaping core banking transformation?

Compliance is a key driver—whether it is PSD2, ISO 20022, or data residency laws. Fioneer Core Banking system make compliance easier, cheaper, and faster. Instead of compliance being a cost burden, it becomes an enabler of trust and differentiation.

What are the biggest technical challenges banks face?

The biggest hurdles are often legacy integration, data migration, and ensuring continuity during transition. Banks have deeply embedded legacy systems that must be carefully integrated or replaced without disrupting daily operations. Moving vast amounts of historical data accurately and securely is another immense undertaking. The good news is that these are solvable, and we are doing this everyday, with the right modular architecture, with our expertise, meticulous planning, and a strategic approach like progressive transformation, parallel runs etc.

And culturally—what holds banks back?

More than technology, it is mindset. Transformation is often seen as disruptive, risky, or too expensive. But transformation doesn’t have to be disruptive. The key is to build confidence, align teams around a shared vision, and demonstrate that change can be an incremental, controlled process that delivers quick wins.

Where’s a good place to start the transformation journey?

We advise starting with high impact, non-mission-critical functions that can deliver immediately, with tangible value. Think about areas like product engines, digital onboarding, or internal service platforms. Modernizing these functions can reduce manual effort, improve efficiency, and demonstrate the value of the new technology without risking the core, mission-critical flows. These quick wins can build momentum and stakeholder buy-in for the larger transformation.

What’s your advice to banks who are hesitant?

Start small but start now. The longer the delay, the more complex and costly transformation becomes. The key is choosing the right partner and approach—one that balances short-term wins with long-term strategy. Transformation is not just achievable; it is essential to remain competitive.

Final thought—Is it worth the effort?

Absolutely. We have seen it firsthand. With the approach we discussed, our customers have achieved faster innovation, reduced cost-to-serve, improved resilience, and have found new revenue opportunities. Transformation is not about replacing technology for its own sake—it is about enabling your business and your customers to thrive in the next decade.