We keep our ear to the ground for the interesting stats, insights and discussion points you need to feel in the know to shape the future with confidence.

1. You missed a spot

You can’t defend what you don’t know exists. AI is speeding everything up including how fast your weakest links get found. The real risk lies in the messy middle: overlooked systems, third-party access, shadow AI tools, all quietly expanding your attack surface. That’s where attackers start, and nearly a third of assets are already sitting in that blind spot. The gap between spotting a vulnerability and exploiting it is shrinking fast, so resilience now comes down to how quickly you can see, connect, and respond…

How can you redefine resilience for the next frontier of vulnerabilities?

2. Think twice

Europe’s investment outlook is tightening, but it hasn’t stalled. Confidence in the long term is holding. Around 60% of businesses expect Europe to become more attractive over the next three years, supported by its large consumer market, infrastructure and progress on climate and sustainability. In 2026, companies are being more cautious. Energy costs, global tensions and rapid tech change are reshaping decisions, pushing businesses to focus on stability, shorter supply chains and reliable access to tech and energy.

Five forces shaping foreign direct investment in Europe

3.  Quiet exit

Clients are quietly cheating on their wealth manager. New tools, faster answers, fewer calls. And yes, the relationship notices. Some clients now test ideas elsewhere, then circle back only when things get complicated. That stings a bit. Inside firms, the scramble is real. Pricing feels exposed, the offer blurs, and the operating model groans under the weight of change. Some people are experimenting. Others are frozen. Then things get complicated, and that’s when trust actually decides who gets the call. Hesitation hands the call to someone else.

Top 10 priorities shaping the future of wealth management leadership

4. More than meets the mine

Australia’s sitting on a goldmine or, more accurately, a lithium mine but that’s not the hard part. The tricky bit is what happens after it’s dug up. Everyone suddenly needs these minerals, thanks to clean energy and all the AI buildout, but most of the processing still happens in a few places, which is where things get risky. So even with all the resources, Australia isn’t really capturing the upside. The real opportunity now is in figuring out how to keep more of the value by teaming up, building capability, and not just shipping it all offshore.

Can Australia move from raw materials to real advantage?

5. Need for speed

Moving faster won’t fix it if you’re running in the wrong lane. Most financial firms have gotten quick wins from AI like cutting costs, automating tasks, and speeding things up. But that momentum hits a ceiling fast. You have to learn to operate at two speeds: one that keeps delivering today, and another that builds what’s next. That means scaling AI beyond one-off use cases into something embedded across decisions, workflows, and risk. How are you going to speed ahead?

How financial services firms can win by moving at two AI speeds

If you do one thing:

Don’t stop at the first win.

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