All articles by Douglas Blakey

Douglas Blakey

Trump’s attack on federal regulators will punish regional banks

Yerbol Orynbayev warns heavy-handed measures will only play into the hands of the big four banks. If this chaotic approach continues, it could inadvertently ramp up regional and community banks’ customer churn, jeopardising their survival

“US Tariffs Could Force European Startups to Relocate” – Interview: Happy or Not CEO

Miika Mäkitalo, CEO of Finnish customer feedback analytics company HappyOrNot, tells RBI editor Douglas Blakey: “Nearly half of our business is in the US. The potential effects of tariffs are significant.”

International Women’s Day: sector expert comment

It is a day to highlight and celebrate what women have achieved but also a reminder that equality remains a work in progress. Banking and payments industry commentators give their take on what IWD means to them

Interview: Dynatrace’s Martin Bradbury on UK banks’ unplanned tech systems outages

IT failures at major UK banks total over 800 hours or 33 days in the past two years. The Treasury Select Committee enquiry into UK bank IT outages should serve as a wake-up call to lenders says Martin Bradbury

M&A outlook for banking – 2025 a time for cautious optimism: KPMG

RBI editor Douglas Blakey discusses the prospects for banking M&A with Peter Torrente, US Head of Banking & Capital Markets at KPMG

Striking the balance between innovation and regulation of AI in UK financial services

UK bank leaders must engage with policymakers to ensure that AI regulations strike the right balance between promoting innovation, safeguarding economic stability and ensuring consumer protection is not jeopardised, argues Harry Swain

AI in financial services must be prioritised

Simon Patteson highlights the striking omission of critical industries including financial services from the UK government’s AI Action Plan

Welcome swing back to the black at Metro Bank

After a troubled six-years, there is a good news story to report from Metro Bank. But the bank today is very different to the one founded by the incomparable Vernon Hill

Saudi Arabia’s digital banking leap with STC Bank and D360 signals a major shift in the market

Blandina Szalay assesses the significance of the launch of two new digital banks in Saudi Arabia

The future of work and layoffs in financial services

The financial services industry is rapidly evolving, but not in a way that benefits workers, explains Yonja Ozbengu