WEEKLY EDITION BY MARINA MOUKA

Welcome to your latest CFO's Weekend Digest, your go-to source for the week’s top insights and updates tailored for finance leaders.

◼ NG’s AI lead says the hype cycle is over. Here’s what really matters now.

◼ Direct Line’s CEO and CFO are stepping aside as Aviva’s £3.7bn takeover nears completion.

◼ UK tax reforms trigger wealth migration fears, but is the millionaire “exodus” real or overstated?

EXCLUSIVE

What ING’s Chief Analytics Officer learned after a year of testing AI

After a year of testing generative AI, ING’s Chief Analytics Officer Bahadir Yilmaz says the hype is over—it’s now about outcomes. In this exclusive interview, he shares how ING is applying AI in targeted areas like KYC, lending, and mortgage services, with a strict focus on improving client experience. Forget flashy tools: the bank is doubling down on what adds real value, emphasizing trust, speed, and access over novelty. For finance leaders, the message is clear—AI must serve strategy, not drive it.

NEWS

Direct Line’s CFO & CEO to exit post-Aviva merger completion

Direct Line’s CEO Adam Winslow and CFO Jane Poole will step down following the insurer’s £3.7bn acquisition by Aviva, with Aviva executives Jason Storah and Stephen Pond set to take over. The leadership shake-up comes amid CMA scrutiny and job security concerns, as Aviva eyes £2,300 job cuts for cost synergies. Winslow’s abrupt 16-month tenure ends with the integration, marking another major shift in Direct Line’s turnaround efforts and governance overhaul.

INSIGHTS

Britain tops global millionaire exit list after tax raid

Britain is forecast to lose 16,500 millionaires in 2025 — the highest of any country — amid non-dom and inheritance tax reforms, according to Henley & Partners. Critics, however, question the data’s validity and warn against overreacting to a 0.6% outflow. While official figures suggest a more modest shift, the perception of a “wealth exodus” is already affecting politics, property sales, and broader debates over the UK’s economic competitiveness and long-term tax policy.