Ian Watson Joins Celent as Head of Risk

Boston, MA – February 3, 2023 – Celent, a leading research and advisory firm focused on technology for financial institutions globally, is pleased to announce that Ian Watson has joined as a research director, heading Celent’s global Risk practice.

“Ian Watson’s experience with strategic transformation, paired with his knowledge of risk management, will help drive Celent’s cutting-edge research focused on helping financial institutions use technology to manage risk,” said Daniel W. Latimore, CFA, Chief Research Officer at Celent. “Ian’s focus on applied technologies for financial institutions enriches Celent’s risk practice, which evaluates the technologies that FIs use to manage risk across the industry, including those in banking, capital markets, insurance, and wealth management.”

A seasoned global leader with more than 20 years in the technology industry consulting to banking and insurance clients, Ian Watson’s experience includes management consulting, sales transformation and ecosystem development. He developed the strategy for establishment of IBM’s industry platforms in Banking and Insurance, developed IBM’s data anonymization utility, Truata, for the European market with Mastercard, and helped launch and scale IBM’s Blockchain unit. During his consulting career, Ian led the development of IBM's global microfinance offering that brought variable-cost, best-in-class business processes to microfinance institutions. Ian started his career in IBM’s Institute for Business Value, publishing research studies on how technology is changing the financial services industry.

At Celent, Ian’s research will focus on bringing a deeper technology focus to risk management research. Ian has a keen interest in how governance, risk, and compliance (GRC technology) can build better cross-unit, holistic views of enterprise risk. His research will also delve into how to realize greater efficiency in third-party risk management.

“After an initial focus on financial risk, banks and insurers are now using AI and cloud to wring step changes in cost and effectiveness to operational risk management,” says Watson. “This is an opportunity for FIs to deliver on long-held aspirations to build a cross-functional, cross-silo approach to operational risk.”

Based in Boston, Ian comes to Celent following more than 20 years with IBM (most recently as vice president of strategy & transformation, IBM Global Markets), where he ran strategy and led market development for several business units within IBM. Ian holds an MBA in organizational change from Columbia Business School and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Columbia College. He worked for Merrill Lynch and Glencore prior to earning his MBA.

About Celent

Celent is a research and advisory firm dedicated to helping financial institutions formulate comprehensive business and technology strategies. Celent publishes reports identifying trends and best practices in financial services technology and conducts consulting engagements for financial institutions looking to use technology to enhance existing business processes or launch new business strategies. With a team of internationally experienced analysts, Celent is uniquely positioned to offer strategic advice and market insights on a global basis. Celent is a division of the Oliver Wyman Group, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marsh McLennan. [NYSE: MMC]. For more information, visit www.celent.com. Follow Celent on Twitter @Celent_Research.

Media Contact:

Shanta Hareesh

shareesh@celent.com