AI and Financial Markets: FM Field Trip Offers a Look Behind the Scenes

How is AI changing the landscape for banks, asset managers, and regulatory authorities? About two dozen international students in the master’s programs in Financial Management and Business Administration sought answers to these questions during a three-day study trip to Frankfurt am Main. They gained insights into current developments in the financial sector and met with alumni from Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, who shared their real-world experiences.

Under the theme “The Impact of AI on Asset Management, Innovation Ecosystems, and Governance,” FM program director Prof. Dr. Victor Randall organized the study tour. The tour included stops at Deutsche Börse Group, PwC, the Deutsche Bundesbank, Franklin Templeton, Hauck Aufhäuser Lampe, and J.P. Morgan.

To kick things off, the students gained insights at Deutsche Börse Group into the importance of modern financial market infrastructure and the growing role of AI in market processes and decision-making. FM alumna Karmen Margaryan, a senior associate in Deutsche Börse’s Market Surveillance division, linked the students’ academic knowledge to real-world industry practice.

At PwC, the focus was on AI applications in banking—ranging from risk analysis to open banking and new payment models. FM alumnus Ansar Ahmad, who heads the EMEA FridAI Initiative there, discussed how PwC supports business teams in building confidence in the adoption of AI.

Focus on Regulation and Digital Resilience

At the Deutsche Bundesbank, the students gained insights into the Bundesbank’s role within the Eurosystem and its position in the financial system. “Artificial Intelligence from a Regulatory Perspective” was presented by Senior Bank Director and FM alumnus Andreas Vogel. Particular attention was paid to the regulatory challenges posed by AI, as well as to topics such as operational resilience, cyber risks, and the European DORA framework. The opportunities and challenges of distributed ledger technologies (DLT) were also discussed.

AI in Wealth Management and Private Banking

The third day focused on the impact of AI on asset management and global financial services. Franklin Templeton demonstrated how AI, blockchain, and tokenization are transforming investment processes and client interactions. Christian Machts, Managing Director and Head of Germany and Austria, discussed the role of human-machine collaboration in investment processes.

At Hauck Aufhäuser Lampe, the students learned about the use of AI in private banking. The focus was on internal AI solutions for document management, knowledge acquisition, and client processes.

At J.P. Morgan, the students gained insights into the use of AI in financial reporting. Habib Farah, Executive Director, and Desislava Miteva, Vice President, demonstrated how AI makes reporting processes more efficient. FM alumnus Desmond Bortey Ahia, Legal Entity Controller, discussed how these tools are used in practice. He also reflected with the students on his career path since graduation.

Study Tour Combines Theory and Practice

Program Director Prof. Dr. Victor Randall was particularly pleased with the participation of Coburg alumni as speakers: “This involvement was consistently enriching and inspiring for the participants of the field trip, as it highlights the wide variety of career paths available to our graduates in the field of finance.”

The field trip highlighted that AI is increasingly becoming a core competency in the financial sector. At the same time, it became clear that technological innovation alone is not enough: regulation, trust, operational resilience, customer relationships, and responsible governance remain key success factors.

For the students, the study trip offered an opportunity to link academic knowledge with the practical realities of a changing financial sector.