Student Insight: Lynne Fox, Professional Diploma in Digital Transformation

“I found the content highly relevant and could easily apply it to my role in financial services”

Lynne Fox recently completed the Professional Diploma in Digital Transformation in Financial Services with IOB. We speak with Lynne about her learning experience and favourite aspects of the programme.

Lynne also discusses how the programme’s practical approach helped her recognise emerging risks and strengthened her understanding of how innovation is changing banking operations and services.

Hi Lynne, thank you for speaking with us. Can you tell us a little about your current role and your career journey in financial services?

Sure, I am in my current role as Senior Manager in Operational & IT Risk in PTSB a couple of years, having rejoined PTSB nearly seven years ago. Over the past 26 years, I’ve built my career in financial services risk—starting my career in PTSB in branch banking, where I moved then to Bank of Ireland to mortgage credit underwriting, gradually moving into second line oversight and assurance roles across mortgages, personal lending and SME and leading out on a number of significant change programmes.

Since rejoining PTSB seven years ago, I have led credit, compliance and operational risk assurance testing teams, drove and enhanced Risk and Control Self Assessment (RCSA) processes and the Operational Risk Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Processes (ICAAP), and held responsibility for governance frameworks and climate risk oversight. In my current role as an Operational Risk Senior Manager, I oversee the bank’s key operational risks, undertake independent assurance reviews, track and report risk trends through key risk indicators, support the business with their RCSAs and management of their overall risk.

You recently completed the Professional Diploma in Digital Transformation in Financial Services. What made you interested in taking the programme?

I was really interested in this programme as the whole banking industry is rapidly changing, with digital technologies reshaping and evolving how the bank runs operationally and how it delivers services and products to our customers. For me, it was really important to get an understanding of these evolving technologies and how they impact financial services, and operational risk, especially as a key element of my role is overseeing change risk in the bank I work in.

Can you tell us about your experience of the programme?

Overall, my experience of the programme was very positive. I found the programme content extremely relevant and up to date, with engaging lectures that brought the content to life. I could immediately apply what I learned to my current role, helping me build a much clearer understanding and gain insights on how to approach digital transformation in a financial services environment.

What was your favourite aspect of the programme?

My favourite aspect of the programme is how the three modules give a different lens on digital transformation in financial services, they are also really closely interlinked with each other, with each one building on the previous module. The final module then brings everything together and you get the chance to put the theory that you have learned in the first two modules further into practice by using the transformation toolset and developing a digital transformation business case. This was great for me as I was directly involved in digital change where I work so I was able to apply the theory first-hand.

The programme is delivered online – how did you find balancing the programme with your work and other day-to-day responsibilities?

Personally, I loved that the programme is delivered online, it was spread across a mix of mid-week and weekend lectures, and because they are recorded, they are also available to playback at any stage throughout the course. I found this element really beneficial as it meant I could re-listen to key content when working on my assignments. I also found that there is plenty of time provided to get the assignments completed, and really good direction given by the lecturers which helped when balancing a really busy home life, and work life with the lectures and assignment completion dates.

How do you feel the programme will help you in your role and career journey?

Working in risk, it’s important that I stay up to date with the technologies and trends that are shaping the financial services industry, as it helps me to better identify and prepare for emerging risks, especially as things are evolving so rapidly. Completing the Digital Transformation in Financial Services programme has allowed me to do that and has strengthened my understanding of how innovation is changing banking operations and services so that I am better able to support the bank adopt digital transformation safely, which will give customers greater control, access and a better service overall.

How would you sum up your experience in one sentence?

Completing the NFQ Level 9 Professional Diploma in Digital Transformation in Financial Services was an extremely rewarding experience for me — I found the content highly relevant and could easily apply it to my role in financial services even though I don’t work directly with digital transformation. The content was excellent and there was a well-proportioned balance of study and workload.

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