Monocle Podcasts: Recent Episodes
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As an independent, international management consulting firm specialising in banking and insurance, Monocle Solutions brings you the Monocle Podcast series. We tap into our experience working with the organisations at the heart of the financial services industry to provide you with the latest insights and trends from within our industry.
Monocle has long built its success on a genuinely people-focused business strategy. Steven Mitchell sat down with Willem Ehlers, COO, and Zolile Zikode, Head of Talent Management, to explore how Monocle aligns its people priorities with its broader business goals. From culture and recruitment to training and purpose, every element is designed to create an environment in which our people can grow, perform and thrive.
Basel 3.1 has moved from regulatory interpretation to real-world implementation, requiring banks to translate complex requirements into practical changes across data, systems, modelling, reporting and governance.
In this episode of the Monocle Insights Podcast, Rogan Pietersen and Richard Hough from ICBC Standard Bank Plc unpacked the key lessons learnt from their ongoing Basel 3.1 implementation programme. The discussion highlighted the importance of early impact assessments, clear ownership, strong alignment between business and technology, and implementation approaches that support both compliance and long-term operational resilience.
For banks preparing for the looming Basel 3.1 deadline, this episode offers practical insight into the challenges, decisions and delivery disciplines required to implement regulatory change effectively.
The views expressed in this podcast are Richard’s own and do not necessarily represent those of ICBC Standard Bank Plc.
To discuss the complexities and opportunities of technical data lineage, Rheta Du Preez, Managing Partner at Monocle, sat down with Abhilash Mohan, IT Director – Head of Data Engineering and Head of Data at ABN AMRO Bank.
From the evolving state of BCBS 239 in Europe and increasing regulatory pressure, to the complexity of legacy systems and fragmented data, they unpack why many banks are still struggling with their technical data lineage journey, and what practical steps can help. They explore how technology and AI are reshaping these initiatives, and why getting technical data lineage right is not a one-off project, but an always-on capability that underpins resilience, compliance, and competitive advantage.
In this latest episode of the Monocle Insights Podcast, Guy Wilding is joined by Mark Beringer, Monocle’s Head of Technology, to unpack two of the most transformative forces in financial services today: cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
From the industry's ongoing cloud migration to the growing adoption of AI and machine learning, we explore the challenges, opportunities, and real return on investment. We also delve into Monocle’s recent partnership with Databricks and what this means for Monocle Tech going forward.
BCBS 239 compliance and improved data quality has become a significant priority for both the European and United Kingdom banking industries. The challenge of implementation and compliance is tougher than ever with expanded scopes and renewed pressure from regulators. However, the benefits of compliance can be significant.
Listen to our latest episode of the Monocle insights podcast with two of Monocle’s Directors, Catherine Horne and Rheta Du Preez. They draw on their years of experience implementing BCBS 239 at several clients to share what banks need to do in order to achieve BCBS 239 compliance both quickly and effectively.
Launching your career after university can be overwhelming, but with the right guidance, it can be a defining moment. Zolile Zikode and Lyle Stevens, Senior Talent Managers at Monocle, share their expertise on navigating this critical phase. Discover how our Analyst Graduate Programme empowers young Honours and Master's students to succeed in their careers. Learn about the programme's unique training, how past graduates have risen to leadership positions, and the fun spent during the programme. Set yourself up for a thriving career in consulting, visit our website to apply now and take the first step towards shaping your journey.
On the latest episode of the Monocle Insights Podcast we discuss why model risk has become a risk in its own right and how banks in the UK are set to implement an enhanced model risk management standard. We also unpack the explosion of interest in artificial intelligence and machine learning and how model risk management in financial services will need to adapt to a range of new challenges.
Basel Reforms (Basel IV) implementation deadlines have been delayed across the world and most recently in South Africa to July 2025. On the latest episode of the Monocle Insights Podcast, Dewaldt La Grange, Senior Executive at Monocle unpacks how banks should effectively utilise their additional implementation time as well as discusses the recent reporting changes related to the BA 200 and 210 returns – credit risk reporting - as a result of the Basel Reforms.
Finding the right graduate programme straight out of university can be one of the most powerful ways to build a successful career. The key is joining a company that matches your ambition, aligns with your values, and provides the sort of work experience that matches your skills and passions.
Monocle’s Patrick Byrne., Senior Executive of People & Culture, sat down with Willem Ehlers, COO of Monocle, to discuss the Monocle Analyst Graduate Programme. The pair goes into detail about the evolution of the programme, the skills and training it provides to its participants, and how it sets up graduates for a successful career at Monocle.
To apply to be part of the Monocle Analyts Graduate Programme, click here: https://bit.ly/3DQSJfb
Following the recent bank failures in the United States and Europe, the issue of asset liability management and liquidity risk has become prominent. We interviewed Wiehann Weerts, Director at Monocle Solutions Netherlands, to discuss how banks can safeguard themselves by prioritising data and risk fundamentals and building strategic data assets to support their treasury operations.
Leaving University for the working world is a daunting task. With such a broad range of options, it’s hard to know what will best set you up for a successful career.
To assist, Michael Avery sat down with Monocle’s Senior Executive of People and Culture, Patrick Byrne, to discuss the current landscape for ambitious young graduates. He explains the benefits of joining a graduate programme, and how graduates should go about finding the right one for them. He also provides sound advice on how to give yourself the best chance of being accepted and the importance of building your personal brand.
Data migrations remain risky and complex undertakings that can result in significant negative return on investments, if not managed correctly. We speak to Lisa Waldhausen, Principal and Data Migrations Specialist at Monocle, regarding what makes data migrations so challenging. Lisa also considers how financial institutions and their senior stakeholders are adapting to overcome the seemingly inherent difficulties of data migration.
Join Lisa Waldhausen, a Principal and data migrations SME at Monocle, as she discusses how to manage a data migration effectively, from initial planning and discovery all the way through to cutover and go-live. Lisa shares her insights on past examples of high-profile migration mistakes and unpacks how Monocle advises our clients and executes our data migration projects to overcome similar difficulties.
Join Guy Wilding, Head of Research at Monocle, as he discusses how climate-related financial risk is set to impact the financial services industry. This comes at a time when financial firms are increasingly being associated with the climate-related consequences of the projects and companies that they fund, insure and invest in. The development of climate policy is gaining momentum around the world, and in this episode, we focus on greenhouse gas emission reporting and climate risk disclosure as well as the resulting data challenges.
Managing the Risks of the Pandemic, War and Climate Change
Click below to listen to our summary of the round table discussions from the 2022 Global Leadership Meeting held on the 23rd of March. The conference, hosted by the European Risk Management Council and co-sponsored by Monocle, brought together over 140 risk professionals to discuss the critical risk issues facing financial institutions in 2022. Our CEO, David Buckham, was also invited to present his insights on the difficulties of modelling climate risk as part of the climate change and climate risk panel.
Join Nhlanhla Motha, one of our Senior Executives at Monocle, as he unpacks the reporting changes from the South African Reserve Bank for the BA 900 series. These reports encompass various financial and statistical data from across banks’ balance sheets, making any amendments to these reports an effort intensive and complex initiative. In this episode, we look at the challenges that come with reforming regulatory reporting like the BA 900 series and how banks can approach reporting reforms to produce strategic solutions.
Join Ntuthuko Mngomezulu, one of our Senior Executives at Monocle, as he discusses how the SARB and National Treasury aim to mitigate the risk of future bank and systemically important financial institution failures through the Financial Sector Laws Amendment Bill (FSBLAB). In this episode, Ntuthuko takes us through the shift towards resolution bail-ins, the need for new debt instruments
Join us as we listen to Rheta Du Preez - our UK Consulting Director - and Jan Ehlers - one of our South African Directors - discuss the principles behind finance and risk integration in the banking industry. Data and process integration can achieve significant efficiencies across the institution however, these programmes are complex and require significant effort and buy in from various business stakeholders. We discuss what is holding back banks from successfully implementing finance and risk integration and how Monocle aims to approach and overcome these inherent challenges for our clients.
The term “consultant” is not easy to define and as such, what consulting means as a profession tends to vary from one firm to another. In our latest podcast, we speak to Willie Ehlers, our Chief Operating Officer, who discusses what consulting means to him and provides some key insights into the structures, training and mentorship that Monocle has in place to grow our employees into world-class consultants.
Join Wiehann Weerts as he discusses the tumultuous history of the London Interbank Offered Rate and how financial institutions around the world are gearing up for the transition to alternative risk-free rates. We look at the complexity behind the transition and how Monocle has been assisting one of Africa’s largest corporate and investment banks with their LIBOR transition engagement.
Click below to listen to Phoebe Maziba discuss the requirements of IFRS 17 cost measurement and treatment. Cost allocation cannot be effectively supported through a manual excel based process and we discuss how an automated cost allocation solution can both help insurers to meet IFRS 17 compliance as well as boost insights and efficiencies.
“You can’t help but feel incredibly passionate and positive about the future of this country when you spend time with our grads.” – David Buckham
Click below to listen to our CEO, David Buckham, as he shares his insights into the Monocle Analyst Graduate Programme and provides some advice for anyone beginning a career in Management Consulting.
Join us as we speak to Abu Nadat, one of our Senior Executives, about his insights on the SARB’s deposit insurance scheme and what it means for the banks and banking customers of South Africa. We unpack the operational challenges of such an initiative and why a “single view of customer” is a critical capability regarding the application of the DIS and the collaboration required with the newly established governing body, the Corporation for Deposit Insurance.
Join us as we speak to Pieter Naude, one of Monocle’s Directors, talking about the advances in cloud computing that have financial institutions across the world thinking carefully about the process of migration. We unpack how Monocle helps our clients design new data architectures and manage the transition, whilst meeting all compliance obligations in the process.
Join us for our latest Monocle Podcast where we unpack the operating model of asset management firms and how the industry is transforming to unlock cost and process efficiencies to stay competitive. We also discuss the exciting world of Exchange Traded Funds and what it holds for the future of the asset management industry here in South Africa and abroad.
Join Patrick Byrne, head of Human Resources at Monocle, as he shares his insights on what it takes to pursue a career in management consulting and how we at Monocle strive to create a culture of excellence. We unpack the skills and attributes that can get your foot in the door and the importance of continual learning and development.
Join Guy Wilding, our Research Manager, who discusses the latest Monocle insights publication regarding the regulator’s ambition to modernise the payment ecosystem of South Africa. We discuss South Africa’s reliance on cash transactions, its impact on retail banking and what the Project Future initiative means for traditional payment practices and stakeholders.
As one of the sponsors of RiskMinds 2020, the largest international risk conference in the world – which took place from the 7th to 11th of December – we were able to engage and share risk management insights with other captains of industry from across the globe. The tumultuous year drove increased focus around the ongoing credit and operational risks within the financial services sector, resulting in incredibly interesting conversations and commentary. Click to listen to a summary of some of the key insights we identified from the conference.
In this podcast we are joined by Jaco Smit, one of our Directors, regarding the importance of customer complaint management in the financial sector. We also discuss the impact of social media and how the Conduct Standard for Banks aims to embed a proactive, customer-focused complaint framework within South African banks.
In 2018, Snap, the company that operates the social media app Snapchat, lost $1.3 billion of its market value in one day after Kylie Jenner, of Kardashian fame, tweeted that she no longer uses the app following a general wave of criticism regarding the new layout. While the financial sector may not be quite as susceptible to the opinions of social media influencers, this story reminds us that customer complaints have the potential to cause significant and long-lasting damage to an institution’s reputation and financial position.
The Conduct Standard for Banks, released by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority earlier this year, aims to ensure banks treat customers fairly and encourage banks to proactively analyse and monitor their complaints data to continually improve customer experience.
Join us for this weeks Monocle Current Account Podcast, where we unpack how the SARB’s 100-page Financial Stability Review paints a cautionary picture of South Africa’s financial system’s ability to withstand future shocks, following the impact of the coronavirus. Whilst financial institutions, in particular systemically important financial institution (SIFI) banks, have emerged from the lockdown well capitalised and even profitable, South Africa’s medium to long term growth and debt levels are becoming increasingly concerning.
We work through the Review in this episode for the Monocle Current Account and unpack the most significant developments in South Africa’s financial stability, from our recent credit risk downgrade; Covid-19 solvency stress testing; and even how climate change may disrupt South Africa’s economy.
SARB Financial Stability Review: https://bit.ly/36ijQjw
SARB Circular Withdrawal: https://bit.ly/36ijQjw
Join us for the Monocle Current Account Podcast, where we unpack how Covid-19 continues to detrimentally impact our world, leading to increased financial uncertainty.
Our main story kicks off with the announcement made by Carolyn Rogers, secretary general of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, requesting that banks continue to hold off on issuing dividends. We investigate how banks have been impacted by the pandemic and the balancing act they must perform to provide market stability while creating favourable returns for their investors.
We also take a look at what has been making financial and regulatory headlines recently, including the SARB’s announcement to keep interest rates unchanged, new coronavirus vaccine updates, and the release of a report by the Financial Stability Board on Covid-19’s impact on financial markets in March 2020.
Links:
Prudential Authority Guidance Note 4/2020: https://bit.ly/3nzjlay
Financial Stability Board March Market Turmoil Report: https://bit.ly/2ITuUdY
Join us for the Monocle Current Account Podcast where we unpack the full history of the1MDB scandal, how the global financial system enabled it all, and what might possibly be done in the future to prevent such an event from happening again.
We also take a look at what has been making financial and regulatory headlines recently including anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing publications from South African regulators, the Ant Group IPO suspension and the newly announced Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer.
MonocleCurrentAccount #MoneyLaundering #1MDB
Headlines:
Prudential Authority AML/CTF Risk Assessment: https://bit.ly/2UnuLBq
Financial Intelligence Centre Consultation Paper: https://bit.ly/2UnuLBq
Ant Group IPO Suspended https://n.pr/3psZ6ge
EU Bad Banks https://on.ft.com/2InY1pF
Pfizer Vaccine https://on.ft.com/38ESN3p
Main Story:
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists Goldman Sachs Article: https://bit.ly/2IDKeL2
Open Ownership Global Company Registry: https://bit.ly/3koQWSF
Welcome to our discussion on the UK Prudential Regulation Authority’s Dear CEO letter regarding the reliability of regulatory returns. Catherine Claxton, Senior Executive at Monocle, explains what a Dear CEO letter is, how banks in the UK need to prepare for the requirements set out in this particular letter and what the digital landscape of regulatory returns may look like.
Reporting, specifically regulatory returns, has become the mechanism to reduce the asymmetric balance of information and insight into a business’s operations and financial performance. Supervisory and regulatory organisations rely on this reporting to monitor and oversee a firm’s performance and stability.
However, unreliability of reporting undermines strong regulatory governance and has become a concern for the Prudential Regulation Authority. In their letter to bank CEOs, the PRA reinforces the importance of data integrity, with a call for banks to submit reports that are complete, timely and accurate.
Listen to our latest Monocle Insights Podcast where Johan du Pisanie, Senior Manager at Monocle, unpacks the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on banks and their impairments under IFRS 9.
In our latest discussion, Johan takes us through the steps taken by banks and regulators to protect customers and the economy during the pandemic. We explore the impact of the pandemic on banks’ IFRS 9 impairments and the approach banks will take in the future to optimise their IFRS 9 operations.
In our discussion, Celest unpacks the key lessons learned that will help insurers to design and build a fit-for-purpose IFRS 17 solution that meets the technical requirements for compliance whilst creating a stable and long-term data and process architecture.