On November 12, 2024, Kate Bullman, VP of European Sales and Global Partnerships at GDS Link, joined a distinguished panel at the annual FTT Festival in London to tackle a timely question: how do financial institutions manage risk in an era defined by relentless complexity? The “Managing Risk in Complexity” session brought together Chief Risk Officers from across the industry including Starling Bank, Tide and Rippling, to address the challenges and opportunities of today’s risk environment.
Kate’s perspective struck a balance between technological innovation and practical accountability, offering a grounded view of what effective risk management looks like. “The due diligence that vendors like GDS Link are being put through by banks and most prospects is increasing more and more,” she noted. “The time and resource required to manage not only the due diligence, but ongoing requirements is significant.” For Kate, this wasn’t a complaint but a call to action. As institutions demand more from their vendors, the stakes for third-party risk management have never been higher.
GDS Link, Kate explained, takes on much of that responsibility for its clients. By ensuring seamless integrations and vetting data providers, the company helps financial institutions focus on their core goals without being bogged down by operational roadblocks. “We shoulder the burden so our clients can make fast, informed decisions,” she said.
The panel also explored the increasing role of artificial intelligence in risk strategies. Kate shared insights on how data is transforming decision-making processes. “No longer do people just want to use traditional credit bureau data to make a decision,” she said. “They want alternative data, open banking, and tools that simplify historic manual processes.” While she acknowledged AI’s potential, Kate also pointed to its risks. “As the data sources get more varied, the complexity of maintaining and integrating them becomes massive,” she explained, underscoring the need for transparency and careful implementation.
An important part of the debate was the customer experience, and the importance of balancing risk with a seamless customer journey. Kate made it clear that customer expectations for simplicity and speed can’t be ignored. “Credit risk decisions don’t sound like the most exciting customer journey,” she admitted, “but it’s the very same customer who’s used to simplicity in everything else they do. Expectations of financial institutions are high—and they should be.”
As the session wrapped, Kate left the audience with a clear takeaway: managing risk isn’t about eliminating uncertainty. It’s about equipping organizations with the tools, strategies, and mindset needed to navigate it effectively.
For organizations ready to rethink their approach to risk, GDS Link offers a roadmap to navigate this new reality. To explore how GDS Link can transform your risk management strategy, connect with Kate and start the conversation today.
Connect with Kate
At GDS Link, Kate leads the company’s efforts to provide tailored credit risk solutions in Europe. With extensive data analytics and decision systems expertise, Kate works closely with clients to ensure they optimize workflows and leverage innovative tools for better decision-making and improved operational outcomes.
About GDS Link:
GDS Link empowers lenders to navigate the increasing complexities of modern lending with precision and confidence. Our advanced data integration and automated decisioning platform enable smarter, faster decisions that drive growth and optimize risk management across the entire credit lifecycle. With a platform that connects over 200 data sources and integrates them with complex credit criteria and custom quantitative models, GDS Link streamlines complex decision-making, enabling you to lend more and risk less, ensuring you stay ahead in a competitive market and seize every opportunity.
