SAS Finance Analytics School for Students

Opening & setting the scene
Adriana Rojas, SAS

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions – How banking and finance CEO’s win in the AI era
Over the last 10-15 years, many banks invested significant sums into digital transformation programmes, but have they achieved the desired outcomes for their shareholders and their customers? To success in the AI era, banking leaders need to ensure they find the missing piece of the puzzle to manage risk, unlock new levels of efficiency and deliver outstanding customer experience.

Paul Ridge, SAS

Why technology Matters: Building the Future with SAS
Learn how AI and analytics are transforming finance, and get inspired to start your career journey with SAS.

Anselmo Marmonti, SAS

Break

SAS Experts on Risk - Part 1
From Data to Decisions: Building end-to-end risk models for modern banking
This session explores how modern banks design, develop, and deploy risk models across the full lifecycle. From data and development to deployment and monitoring.
It highlights how combining traditional and AI-driven approaches helps improve performance, strengthen regulatory readiness, and support better decision-making.
Participants will gain practical insights into building more agile, efficient, and innovative risk processes with SAS.

Sandra Sorza Hernandez, SAS

SAS Experts on Risk - Part 2
Fragmented to Integrated: Achieving AI-Enhanced Integrated Balance Sheet Management
Balance Sheet Management has always been core to profitability, resilience, and trust - but as volatility rises, adaptation, agility, and integration have become imperatives. The shift is already underway. Banks are moving toward integrated insights, forward-looking scenario analysis, and AI-supported decision-making. In a world defined by uncertainty, the ability to steer financial outcomes holistically and intelligently is fast becoming a bank's most important differentiator.

Martim Rocha, SAS

Break

Young Talent Panel: Journey of early career professionals with SAS
Discover how early career professionals are building impactful careers in risk, analytics, and banking with SAS

Daniel Čulák - Cofidis, Cristian Luca Mirea - UniCredit Bank, Diego Senso - SAS, Belén Rodríguez Llorente - Santander

Moderator: Alina Luchian - SAS

Step into the journey from hackathons to consulting and feel how these intense experiences spark your curiosity and mirror the real world of consulting.

Gaëtan Blécon, Deloitte

Close
Adriana Rojas, Alina Luchian, SAS

Welcome & recap
Adriana Rojas, SAS

Model Risk Management in the Era of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence is a cross-cutting risk factor that impacts various areas, from reputation to core business operations. Therefore, it amplifies pre-existing risks, making it necessary to expand organizations’ risk management frameworks. Only in this way can this new challenge be addressed sustainably, enabling the full potential of these methodologies to be realized. One of the key elements in this regard is the proper management of Model Risk, a topic that will be explored in greater depth during the session.

Ignacio Bocos, Caixabank, Spain

How banks predict what you need before you ask
Discover how banks use data and AI to predict your needs and personalise every interaction. Join Carmen to explore real-world analytics in action.

Carmen Elena Banescu, Unicredit Bank, Romania

Break

Credit Risk Automate Decisions
Discover how banks automate credit risk decisions using data and analytics to make faster, smarter outcomes. Join Florentin to explore how technology is transforming decision-making in modern finance.

Florentin Codin, Head of Risk Modelling, Nexent Bank

Nobody Knows the Future: Lessons from 40 Years of Decisions

The world changes faster than we expect. Over four decades, Mark Thundercliffe has lived through financial crises, technological revolutions, the rise of the internet, AI and major shifts in organisational decision making. His core lesson is simple: nobody knows the future. Success comes from curiosity, adaptability and the ability to make good decisions amid uncertainty. In this session, he shares stories and insights about leadership, risk, technology and change. As AI reshapes work, the challenge is learning how to think and thrive when change is the only constant.

Mark Thundercliffe, SAS

Break

Customer / Expert Panel discussion: Risk in Action - Real-world strategies from global financial experts
How are today’s leading financial institutions tackling risk? In this interactive panel, industry experts will share practical strategies, emerging trends, and the vital role of analytics in decision-making, offering students a unique opportunity to connect theory with real-world impact.

Fabian Serrato, Banamex; Edouard Ruffier D'Epenoux , VISA

Moderator: Sandra Sorza Hernandez, SAS

Geopolitical Risk & Banking: Navigating Uncertainty in a Fragmented World
Discover how geopolitical events shape financial risk in the banking industry. In this session, you’ll gain real world insights into how banks navigate uncertainty and leverage analytics to drive smarter decisions in an increasingly complex global landscape

Hervé Phaure, Deloitte

Closing Day 2
Adriana Rojas, SAS

Welcome & recap
Adriana Rojas, SAS

Why consider a career in Finance & Risk Analytics with SAS
Explore how a career in finance, powered by SAS, can put you at the forefront of solving real-world challenges like fraud detection, risk modeling, and regulatory compliance through the power of AI and analytics

Glyn Townsend, SAS

Hands on use case – Part 1: data & analytics lifecycle
A financial analytics use case that provides a brief overview of all steps in the data and AI analytics life cycle. Introduction to the data and AI life cycle, the use case and data access.

Jos van der Velden, Grégoire de Lassence, SAS

Break

Hands on use case – Part 2: exploration & first analysis
Initial data exploration and a first analysis.

Jos van der Velden, Grégoire de Lassence, SAS

Break

Hands on use case – Part 3: modeling, pipelines & recommendations
Modeling pipelines, model operations, and learning recommendations.

Jos van der Velden, Grégoire de Lassence, SAS

Closing & call to action for students
Discover next steps, including how to continue building your finance analytics skills, access free SAS training resources, and connect with career opportunities in the financial sector.

Adriana Rojas, SAS