CIOS Keynote 2026: The key insights at a glance
Lejla Selimovic
What happens when Wealth Management decision-makers, Microsoft, and fincite come together in one room?
We found out exactly that on 19 January in Frankfurt. The CIOS Keynote 2026 was not a classic product event. It was an open exchange about Artificial Intelligence in the context of banking and the implications for day-to-day advisory work.
On stage together with Microsoft
Together with Michael Mueller from Microsoft, we demonstrated how Artificial Intelligence is transforming wealth management. Not in theory, but using real-world advisory and operational workflows. Michael put it in a nutshell: the true strength of AI lies not in knowledge, but in how it prepares decisions. Context instead of data. Intention instead of interfaces.
Also on stage were Friedhelm A. Schmitt, Co-CEO and founder of fincite, and Paul Kammerer, Chief Commercial Officer. Together, they presented our vision for the coming years.
The industry is changing faster than expected
A central theme of the CIOS Keynote 2026: Speed. Innovation cycles have condensed from 60 to 15 years. Platforms built five to seven years ago are already considered legacy today. At the same time, the expectations of retail clients are rising, as they have long compared their banking experience with Amazon and Netflix.
This presents advisors and banks with a clear question: Is our technology a competitive advantage or a risk?
Hands-on: Our demo stations
Alongside the presentations, attendees were able to experience our latest innovations live. At several demo stations, we showcased CIOS Voice to Action, CIOS AI Copilot, and CIOS AI Profiling, among others. The response was impressive. Voice to Action, in particular, got people talking. This technology enables advisors to trigger portfolio analyses, compliance checks, and reports by voice, without ever losing eye contact with the client.
6 Truths: Now in the White Paper
We have distilled a white paper from the insights of the keynote: 6 Truths about the Future of Investment Advisory. It summarises the most important theses. From time-to-value as the new competitive advantage, to the role of context in AI, through to hyper-personalisation as a necessity rather than an optional extra.
Additionally, there is a Platform Readiness Assessment containing 12 critical questions that show how future-proof a platform is set up.
→ White Paper: 6 Truths about the Future of Investment Advisory
Impressions from the Keynote
For those who wish to get an impression of the atmosphere, the demos, and the discussions: pictures and videos from the event are available on our keynote page.
