
FinovateFall Keynoter Oban MacTavish on AI, data, personalization, and delivering an excellent customer experience
In this episode, host Greg sits down with Oban MacTavish, CEO and co-founder of Spade, an intelligence company transforming how financial institutions leverage their payments data. Oban explains how transaction data represents the highest throughput information banks have about their customers, yet remains largely untapped due to poor data quality and outdated payment infrastructure dating back to the 1960s. He discusses how Spade addresses this challenge by creating a comprehensive merchant graph covering 99.9% of businesses across the United States and Canada, enabling banks to understand exactly where their customers spend money in under 40 milliseconds. The conversation explores the delicate balance between personalization and privacy in banking. Oban argues that personalization doesn't have to feel creepy when done right—citing examples like banks no longer requiring travel notifications and suggesting that offering relevant products based on customer behavior can actually enhance trust rather than diminish it. He emphasizes that banks are uniquely positioned to leverage customer data effectively, as consumers already expect their financial institutions to understand their spending patterns and needs. The key is meeting customers where they are with relevant products at the right time, rather than making irrelevant offers that erode trust. Looking ahead, Oban shares his vision for the future of banking, predicting that financial services will increasingly run on verticalized AI models specifically designed for the industry's unique data challenges. He pushes back against the hype around AI agents replacing human customer service, arguing that the real opportunity lies in using AI to enhance customer experiences and drive revenue through better underwriting and personalization. Despite predictions of disruption, Oban maintains that traditional banks aren't going anywhere—instead, the winners will be those institutions that successfully compete on user experience and leverage their data assets to provide truly personalized service. More info: Spade: https://spade.com/ ; https://www.linkedin.com/company/spadedata/ Oban MacTavish: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oban/ Greg Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbpalmer/ Finovate: https://www.finovate.com ; https://www.linkedin.com/company/finovate-conference-series/ FinovateFall: https://informaconnect.com/finovatefall/ #Finovate #FinovateFall #fintech #financialinstitutions #creditunions #AI #modernization #technology #strategy #fintechstrategy #personalization #data #transactiondata #digitaladoption #podcast #fintechpodcast #financialservices #innovation #cx #digitraltransformation #fintech #finserv
















