Navigating the Sovereignty-Innovation Paradox: Effective AI Implementation in Financial Services 

Sponsored by Red Hat
Tuesday 10th March 2026
The Ivy City Garden, Dashwood House, 69 Old Broad St, London EC2M 1QS

As financial services organisations accelerate their AI adoption—with 47 per cent already deploying or piloting agentic AI systems—they face a fundamental strategic tension: how to move quickly in an intensely competitive landscape whilst managing increasingly complex sovereignty, compliance, and resilience requirements. This roundtable brings together senior leaders and practitioners to share real-world experiences, challenges, and emerging solutions.

FStech’s recent survey of financial services professionals sponsored by Red Hat revealed striking divergences in approach: whilst 41 per cent say data sovereignty is critical to their AI strategy, 30 per cent have decided against adopting enterprise open source solutions entirely. Nearly a third prioritise storing sensitive workloads in-country, yet organisations cite higher costs, skills gaps, and integration challenges as significant barriers. Meanwhile, 22 per cent admit they don't currently have a formal sovereignty strategy at all – even as they pursue AI innovation.

This roundtable moves beyond the survey findings to explore the "how" behind the statistics. We'll examine the practical trade-offs organisations are making: between speed and control, innovation and compliance, cost and resilience. Recent disruptions to hyperscale cloud providers have elevated sovereignty from a regulatory concern to an operational imperative, yet the path forward remains far from clear.

Topics for discussion:

• Learning from failure: Reflections on missteps and lessions in sovereighty and AI implementation.
• Skills and capability: Addressing expertise gaps, talent strategy, and upskilling for AI and sovereighty.
• Open source strategy: Evaluating enterprise open source adoption, avoidance, and organisational trade-offs. 
• Compliance automation: The role of AI in navigating multi-jurisdictional regulation and associated risks.
• Near-term priorities: Strategic focus for the next 18 months to balance sovereignty with innovation.

Timings for the evening:

18:30 – 19:00        Welcome and refreshments 
19:00 – 20:00        Introduction to fellow guests and roundtable discussion 
20:00 onwards     Complimentary three-course dinner

REGISTER NOW!

Brought to you by FStech