IMA Banking and Financial Services Shared Interest Group

  • 1.  Welcome Message - IMA Banking & Financial Services SIG

    Posted 11-25-2025 12:44 PM

    Welcome to the IMA Banking & Financial Services SIG

    Dear colleagues,

    It is my pleasure to welcome you to the newly launched IMA Banking & Financial Services Special Interest Group (SIG).
    This SIG was initiated by a small group of founding members from across the banking, insurance, and financial services ecosystem, and we are delighted to now open it to the wider IMA community.

    Our goal is simple: to create an active, global forum where IMA members across finance, risk, digital, compliance, transformation, and analytics can learn from each other, share practical experiences, and co-shape the future of BFSI.

    ๐Ÿ“… Official SIG Kickoff Meeting

    Date: December 10, 2025
    Time: 16:00 CET (Central European Time)
    Microsoft Teams Link:

    Meeting ID: 352 956 277 320 51
    Passcode: Aq94Hb7N

    ๐ŸŒ Time zone equivalents:

    • New York (EST): 10:00

    • Cairo (UTC+2): 17:00

    • Bangalore (IST): 20:30

    • Tokyo (JST): 00:00 (midnight, Dec 11)

    This will be a high-energy 60โ€“75 minute session to introduce the SIG, align on priorities, and prepare our roadmap for 2026.

    ๐Ÿ”ง What We're Building Together

    Based on early discussions with the founding group, the SIG will focus on:

    1. Monthly 90-minute Zoom Sessions

    • Cadence: once per month

    • Format: a mix of guest speakers, structured knowledge-sharing sessions, and open roundtables where members bring forward current topics, challenges, and solutions

    • Global participation: sessions scheduled to work across Europe, US, Middle East, and Asia where possible

    2. First Topic Areas Proposed

    Members are already sharing interest in several key themes, including:

    • Regulatory change & supervisory expectations

    • Risk & compliance trends

    • Finance modernization

    • Data, analytics & AI in BFSI

    • Sustainability & ESG

    • Talent, skills & the future BFSI workforce

    • Software, digital transformation & platform modernization

    These are starting points-we welcome any topic suggestions from IMA members worldwide.

    3. SIG Coordination & Volunteer Roles to help meet SIG KPIs

    We are opening a call for volunteers for one coordinator/secretary role to help with:

    • Scheduling meetings

    • Sharing agendas and minutes

    • Tracking action items and follow-ups

    • Supporting onboarding as the SIG grows

    • Track SIG KPIs

    If you're interested-or would like to nominate someone-please reach out.

    4. Formal Outputs & Thought Leadership

    As the SIG matures, we aim to produce:

    • Webinars

    • Short articles and insight pieces

    • Practical frameworks and member-driven case examples

    • Cross-regional thematic sessions

    • Potential sub-working groups to deep dive into particular areas relevant to Financial Services (e.g., Risk, AI, ESG, Digital Ops)

    ๐Ÿš€ What to Expect Next

    In the coming weeks, we will:

    • Share the final version of the SIG charter

    • Open a quick poll to help prioritize the first 3โ€“4 session topics

    • Publish our 2026 calendar draft

    • Announce the coordinator (once confirmed)

    Thank You

    Thank you for being part of this new initiative within IMA.
    Your expertise, your questions, and your energy will determine the direction of this SIG-and we are looking forward to a highly active, global, and impactful community.

    We hope to see all of you at the kickoff on December 10th.

    Warm regards,
    Karl Ivo Sokolov, CMA
    (on behalf of the IMA Banking & Financial Services SIG Founding Team)



    ------------------------------
    Karl Ivo Sokolov, CMA
    IMA Volunteer Global Board Director
    Austria
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Welcome Message - IMA Banking & Financial Services SIG

    Posted 12-26-2025 03:05 PM

    Thank you Ivo โ€ฆ

    In the middle of rapid change across banking and financial services, one thing has been missing: a dedicated space for practitioners to think together.

    That's what brought the idea and motivated me to establish the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)Banking & Financial Services Special Interest Group, with the great leader Karl Ivo ๐ŸŽง Sokolov

    This group is built by practitioners, for practitioners. We're creating a space for senior finance leaders from banks , financial services and fintechs across the globe to exchange perspectives through roundtables and open dialogue-practical, honest, and grounded in real experience rather than theory.

    Leadership in our profession isn't something you pick up from a search result or a model. It never was. It's developed through lived decisions, tough trade-offs, and learning from peers who've navigated the same realities.

    Excited to grow this community with professionals who value depth, perspective, and real-world impact.

    Thanks ,  



    ------------------------------
    Ayman Fawzy
    CFO Suez Canal Bank
    Cairo
    Egypt
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


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