Mr. Sampathkumar, is the human factor being lost in digital banking?

There has often been a misconception that digital banking would replace the human touch. In reality, digital technology complements human interaction rather than eliminating it.

With solutions such as the Finacle Digital Engagement Suite, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and agentic AI, banks can deliver highly personalized, contextual, and empathetic customer experiences at scale. This does not create a divide – it merges the efficiency of digital with the trust of human interaction.

The future of banking lies precisely in this balance: building institutions that are both innovation-ready and deeply human-centric.

 Where does Infosys Finacle currently stand in the Middle East, and what are your goals?

Infosys Finacle is firmly embedded in the Middle Eastern banking sector and is driving some of the most advanced transformations in the region.

«We see small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as a key engine of growth.»

For example, Zand Bank – the UAE’s first digital-only corporate bank – built its cloud-native platform on Finacle, achieved a rapid go-live, and set new standards in digital corporate banking. Likewise, with RAK Bank here in the UAE, we are a strategic partner in enabling seamless digital transformation through our Finacle Digital Engagement Suite.

Who are the growth drivers?

Looking ahead, we see small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as a key engine of growth. They contribute 40% to regional economic expansion and are growing at 20–25% annually, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Our aim is to help banks reimagine customer engagement, leverage new technologies such as AI and embedded finance, and unlock new models for sustainable growth in the decade ahead.

Trading cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum is allowed in the UAE, but banned in markets like Qatar. Is that a challenge for Infosys Ltd. as a provider of digital services and software?

Not really. The Finacle Digital Banking Platform is a fully composable solution – we provide banks with modular building blocks to design services in line with their specific regulatory environments.

«Our job is to enable flexibility.»

So, you’re in the driver’s seat, so to speak?

In a way, yes. For example, Zand Bank in the UAE offers crypto services by integrating third-party providers into the Finacle platform. Other banks choose to rely on traditional digital wallets. Whether crypto or conventional – the decision lies with the bank and the regulator. Our job is to enable that flexibility – like Lego bricks that allow financial institutions to build the bank they want.

Sriranga Sampathkumar, Vice President, Middle East and Africa at Infosys Ltd., Dubai. Infosys Finacle is a global brand for digital banking software solutions and is part of the Indian IT services company Infosys Ltd. The Finacle solutions are developed and delivered by its subsidiary EdgeVerve Systems, which is also part of Infosys.