As the financial services industry continues to undergo rapid transformation, the role of the operational professional is evolving faster than ever before. At many firms, there was once a view that operations was a behind-the-scenes function, but that view has changed and it is now seen as being at the forefront of driving innovation, scale and efficiency, ensuring compliance internally whilst playing a more prominent role in building and maintaining client relationships externally. Operations’ performance and service levels are seen as differentiating factors between firms and as a result help contribute to a firm’s overall financial performance.

As the industry adapts to digital transformation, operational roles are central to shaping the strategy and future of financial institutions.

We see four areas where the role of the financial services operational professional is changing:

1. Helping firms think through and implement upcoming regulatory changes
2. Driving innovation through integrating innovative technologies like AI
3. Understanding the technology infrastructure firms need to increase scale reducing per widget cost and operational friction
4. Developing operational resiliency to help firms recover from disruptions

Let’s explore each in detail.

Helping firms think through and implement upcoming regulatory changes

Operations professionals play a crucial role in helping financial institutions navigate regulatory change by translating complex regulations into actionable steps, ensuring firms are in compliance while also minimizing risk and operational disruption. When new regulations are introduced, it is the ops team that assesses impact on existing processes and determines which adjustments need to be made to comply with the new rule. They collaborate with other internal teams (legal, compliance, risk, and technology) to design and integrate changes across the organization.

The speed of change has greatly accelerated over the last decade and SIFMA is leading efforts to support the industry through the current and future change agenda which includes the expansion of digital assets and tokenization, extended trading hours moving the U.S. and global markets towards an around-the-clock model, and of course preparing for the expansion of Treasury Clearing for cash securities and repo. Globally we see the move to T+1 settlement accelerating with EMEA and UK looking at 2027 implementation dates following on the heels of the successful shift to the T+1 settlement cycle just under one year ago in the U.S.

Driving innovation through integrating innovative technologies like AI

In addition to regulatory changes, our industry is undergoing broad modernization with market infrastructure, service providers, and member firms engaged in uplifting their technology architecture simultaneously. The interconnected nature of our business means that modernization efforts at critical providers may mean work for all participants, which will need to be evaluated and planned for. Operations professionals play a pivotal role in that planning and the subsequent roll out of that new technology. Their involvement ensures that technology is integrated seamlessly into existing operations while minimizing disruption, optimizing efficiency, and ensuring alignment with business goals.

Ops teams are looking at how to best leverage new artificial intelligence technology – the AI landscape is evolving quickly with Gen AI and Agentic AI offering new solutions to hard to tackle legacy business problems. Use cases for these technologies are beginning to emerge across the industry, such as digitization of risk assessments, machine learning in reconciliations and fraud detection to name a few. This trend will continue as firms are more comfortable with deploying the technology in more complex use cases.

Understanding the technology infrastructure firms need to increase scale reducing per widget cost and operational friction

Operations teams understand business needs and technology alignment, as they play a critical role in assessing a firm’s current needs and future growth potential. They function as a bridge between different internal groups and understand which technological solutions can help with growth objectives. They can also identify areas which will benefit from optimization efforts such as automation and manage the challenges and risks of scaling a business. Their ability to understand the business requirements, leverage technology, and manage risk ensures that the infrastructure supports the company’s growth efficiently and effectively.

Developing operational resiliency to help firms recover from disruptions

Finally, one of the most critical shifts in the operational landscape is the growing emphasis on operational resilience. In today’s fast-paced financial environment, disruptions—from cyber threats to market volatility—are inevitable. The focus has shifted from simply managing risks to building robust systems and processes that can not only withstand these challenges but also recover quickly and efficiently. For operational professionals, this means developing a deep understanding of risk management, business continuity, and crisis response. The perennial, but critical resiliency work involving cyber, Reg SCI testing, business continuity and incident response is essential to a firm’s success.

These are the themes that will run through the 2025 SIFMA Operations Conference & Exhibition, taking place May 5-8 in Orlando. To highlight a few particularly relevant sessions:

Tuesday, May 6

• Executive Insights: Modernization, Market Trends, and the Future of Operations
• Operations Leadership: Navigating Change, Technology, and Resiliency in the Modern Landscape
• The Convergence of Operations and Technology
• US Treasury Clearing: Navigating the New Rule for Cash and Repo Transactions

Wednesday, May 7

• Navigating the Evolving Regulatory Landscape: Adapting to Risk and Technology
• Live Exercise: Strengthening Operational Resiliency
• Quantifying the Path to 2030: Transforming Securities Operations

Thursday, May 8

• Exploring the Future of Digital Assets & Tokenization in Operations
• AI’s Pivotal Shift in 2025: Scaling with Agents in Financial Services
• Operations in 10 Years: Bold Predictions for the Future of Capital Markets and Asset Management

Author

Stephen Byron is SIFMA’s Managing Director, Head of Technology, Operations and Business Continuity.

 

 

Want to stay ahead on issues impacting financial services operations professionals? Subscribe to our email list for exclusive updates, insights, and invitations on all things #SIFMAOps.