Conclusions for the Future: How Can Financial Leaders Make It Happen?

Abstract

The challenges for the leaders of tomorrow’s financial institution are thus quite clear. While there will always be room in some sectors of fund management and investment banking for the start-up or niche institution, most leaders will confront the problems of driving an increasingly large, complex organisation which contains enough inherent internal conflicts and stresses to nullify even a strong leader’s efforts to achieve its strategic goals. Leaders must address the inevitable three-dimensional matrix imposed by the nature of the business: product specialists, each with their own culture and traditions; clients with their own preferences and the need to adapt central offerings for these preferences; and usually geography, with national or local traditions which must be respected.