Jonathan Fieldman is the COO of fintech software provider Broadway Technology

Do you expect investments in fintech to rise, plateau, or trail off in 2018?
Investment will increase as companies look to both replace short-term decisions driven by the need to comply with regulatory requirements and start to have the ability to focus on non-regulatory technology decisions. We expect to see an increase in the number of existing systems being replaced with long-term sustainable solutions aimed at modernizing their global system architecture, increasing transparency, and gaining an edge in the market.

What changes do you expect to see in regards to infrastructure in 2018?
In 2018, we will see many banks rethinking their global system architecture with a focus on cost reduction, modernization, and selectively buying vendor products that enable their small elite technology teams to focus on innovation and creating an edge in the market. There will be a focus on integration, leveraging technology and teams across assets, creating more openness and modularity in systems.

What do you expect to be the skill sets most in demand in 2018?
System, data, and integration architects who have deep roots in technology are needed to help banks navigate the rapidly evolving high tech landscape. Tech-savvy business leaders are needed to define the vision for the bank in ways that maximize leverage that can be obtained from modern technology. High-caliber developers and quants to implement cutting-edge service and profit-oriented solutions – it will be small highly skilled teams working with strategic technology partners that lead the industry in innovation.