Envisioning Leadership in the Future

Finance operations are undergoing a quantum leap as AI-driven SaaS platforms and "agentic AI" automation take over routine and/or repetitive tasks. We have all heard of this at this point, but the next transitional revolution justifies "quantum leap". One side of my brain does not like using the term quantum leap because it can almost hear my 14 year old arguing that quantum behaviors at the atomic and subatomic particle level like a superposition, or even uncertainty principle, are not a great analogy for an emergent concept like financial operations. But, he digresses (eventually), and the other side of my brain remembers enjoying the tv show when I was a kid and I use the term anyway. In this case, allow some analogy that is both fascinating and at least a little non-intuitive to build the mental model in your mind. Everything is changing in ways that are difficult to explain, but software has evolved from a tool to a teammate. Now we need to lead differently.

Orchestrate outcomes by determining what you want to own

Advanced AI agents now handle data-intensive chores and knowledge processes that needed a subject matter expert yesterday. Matching trades, processing confirmations, onboarding loans, and more, and they complete the work far faster and more accurately than traditional methods. For example, agentic knowledge process automation platforms like DeepSee.ai can automate much of the "fund and security research and trade reconciliations" that weighed on the day of analysts (Deloitte.com). We're seeing AI-enabled reconciliation over 90% faster with error rates plummeting. Leading providers are embedding intelligent agents into finance workflows so that humans cover exceptions only. In this new paradigm, the role of leadership must shift from supervising tasks to orchestrating outcomes == defining the goals (speed, accuracy, client experience, and adaptive leadership), and aligning people+AI to achieve them.

AI & Agentic Orchestration in Finance Workflows

AI and cloud-native platforms and SaaS tools are already transforming middle and back-office work, not just by automating tasks, but by orchestrating outcomes. Accenture's - Dominic Stanyer describes "intelligent agents" as software that autonomously pursues a specific goal and, when properly governed, can choreograph entire workflows, learn from past performance, and self-improve. Their Capital Markets team built an intelligent work orchestration platform with ServiceNow and DeepSee that creates a digital twin of key processes, coordinates task allocation across a library of out-of-the-box agents, and enforces the auditability finance requires (Accenture CM Blog).

Resolving Standard Settlement Instruction (SSI) mismatches. Instead of an analyst juggling systems and emails, the platform orchestrates agents and models that are fit-for-purpose to infer root cause, recommend the correct instruction, template outreach to the counterparty, classify replies (and structure attachments), and confirm closure, all in a single pane of glass. The result is controlled, end-to-end exception handling with human review only when needed. This is exactly the kind of outcome-level automation capital markets operations have been chasing.

This approach also aligns with the broader shift in enterprise control planes: ServiceNow is rolling out agent-powered workflows and an AI Control Tower to centrally govern models, agents, and processes—supporting secure, explainable, and auditable automation at scale (research.isg-one.com).

The surge in automation we're seeing means leaders can no longer manage each task; instead they must set the destination and empower AI-assisted teams to navigate there.

Leaders as Orchestrators of Outcomes

Modern finance leadership is moving from a task-management mindset to an outcome-oriented philosophy. Forward-thinking executives design North-Star goals (e.g., faster close cycles, lower risk, better customer insights) and align technology and talent to those outcomes. As Sia Partners emphasizes, strategy should be outcome-first: "define business outcomes" like rapid innovation or reduced risk, and achieve them through a combination of technology and workforce (Sia Partners). In this model, employees are no longer task executors but orchestrators of value. My wife does exactly this in her dance studio. Working with each team member to ensure they know what value their work achieves, then reviewing metrics and potential outcomes with ChatGPT and her roadmap to have everyone focus on this orchestration of value in marketing, sales, and operations (and they use LLMs to complete those tasks at times as well). One industry survey found 81% of firms are reskilling workers to supervise AI agents to shift them from repetitive work to insight-driven roles. Sia Partners observes that "the workforce moves from being task executors to orchestrators of value, a cultural leap as significant as the technology itself." Effective leaders provide vision and align teams, but let AI deliver the work it can today. As they say, leaders must "set bold outcomes, empower employees as orchestrators, and reskill at speed" because ultimately "technology won't transform your business, people will."

The Neuroscience of Visioning and Foresight

Casting and communicating a compelling vision is not just feel-good rhetoric. Importantly, it's rooted in brain science. Neuroscience shows that imagining the future engages many of the same brain circuits as real experience. For example, when we vividly imagine a goal, sensory and memory areas (like the visual cortex and hippocampus) activate as if we were experiencing it (Science of Imagination - Medium). Critically, our prefrontal cortex (the seat of executive functions and planning) also takes part in these mental simulations. Research highlights a neural mechanism as outlined in The Neuroscience of Leadership - lrsuccess.com:

when we imagine a better future, the prefrontal cortex engages with the mesolimbic dopamine system to shift from defense to design

In plain terms, painting an attractive future triggers dopamine-driven motivation, pulling the brain out of reactive "survival mode" and into creative, goal-directed thinking. The brain's default mode network - a web linking memory, planning, and self-reflection - is most active during daydreaming and scenario building, effectively blending "what you already know with what could be". Savvy leaders tap into this: by articulating a clear, emotionally resonant vision (for example, "becoming the go-to fintech automation orchestration provider by 2027"), those leaders literally rewire their teams' brains toward ambition and focus. Leading with a vivid vision harnesses our neural appetite for reward and meaning, enhancing executive foresight and alignment.

Governance, Trust and Responsible AI in Finance

Robust oversight is essential as finance adopts AI. Human judgment must guard every critical decision (Harvard). Best practices include:

• Human-in-the-loop design: Automated workflows should flag exceptions for people.
• Bias and error safeguards: AI models must be rigorously tested for bias and hallucinations.
• Transparency and explainability: Building trust requires understanding AI’s “why”.
• Ethical oversight and accountability: Clear roles and policies keep AI aligned with values.

The future of finance will be defined not by technology alone but by how leaders and people wield it. Executives who understand how AI reshapes workflows, who paint a compelling vision, and who enforce responsible human-AI collaboration will accelerate transformation and build resilient, innovative organizations. The leap to agentic AI is real: as Sia Partners as an industry guide concludes, it “is not defined by algorithms, but by how leaders and employees work together to reshape their organizations”. By orchestrating purpose-driven teams and AI solutions around bold outcomes, finance leaders will drive the next wave of value creation – ensuring that amid all this change, people stay at the center of leadership.

#HumanCentricLeadership #FinanceLeadership #AgenticAI

More about the author:

Nick Baguley is an AI visionary and transformative leader known for pioneering breakthroughs at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and financial innovation. From shaping national Big Data initiatives at the White House OSTP and NSF to spearheading the development of Experian Boost, driving nearly $1B Mastercard acquisitions, and now transforming finance with Knowledge Process Automation as CTO at DeepSee.ai, Nick’s career has consistently been about enabling positive disruption. With deep strategic clarity, unmatched technical acumen, and a human-centric vision, he empowers organizations to embrace change, redefine possibility, and achieve scalable impact.