“The service provider is dead, long live the co-creator” – Sopra Financial Technology presents provocative theories in the podcast “Tech und Tacheles”
News, 10/09/2025
“Those who just operate today will be replaced tomorrow.” In the latest episode of Tech & Tacheles, Thomas Heinz (Sopra Financial Technology) and Martin Stolberg (Sopra Steria) discuss why IT operations need to be rethought. Managed services, cloud sovereignty, AI, and quantum computing are at the center of the debate. Listen now on all popular platforms.
Nuremberg, September 10, 2025 – “The service provider is dead, long live the co-creator” – Thomas Heinz (Chief Growth Officer, Sopra Financial Technology) and Martin Stolberg (Head of Banking, Sopra Steria) kick off the seventh episode of our Tech & Tacheles podcast with this provocative thesis. The focus is on the question of how operations, technology, and managed services in the financial sector can be reimagined.
IT operations are more than just an engine room
During the conversation, it quickly becomes clear that IT operations are no longer just a technical task that runs in the background. Heinz and Stolberg emphasize that modern operating models are closely linked to a bank's strategic orientation. Cloud sovereignty, DevOps approaches, and new forms of collaboration such as BizDevSecOps bring operating units directly to the table with strategic decision-makers. A pure focus on monitoring and stability is no longer enough – concepts that consider scalability, security, and flexibility from the outset are in demand. Or as Thomas Heinz puts it: “Those who only operate today will be replaced tomorrow – by someone who thinks ahead.”
Cybersecurity in transition
Another focus of the episode is cybersecurity. While traditional banks often operate slowly, neobanks and fintechs are setting new standards in speed and the use of new technologies. The guests highlight how regulatory frameworks in Germany provide a certain safety net, but at the same time make it difficult to compete with international players. Artificial intelligence and quantum computing are fundamentally changing the rules of the game. Those who fail to prepare for this risk falling behind. Heinz and Stolberg paint a nuanced picture: large institutions are undertaking enormous security projects, while smaller and younger institutions can act more flexibly. The pressure is increasing for everyone equally, because threats are developing globally, rapidly, and without regulatory boundaries.
Managed Services 2.0
The two discuss the role of managed services in particular detail. For a long time, outsourcing was seen purely as a matter of cost and efficiency. Today, expectations are much higher: Managed Services 2.0 means modular, flexible, and scalable solutions that not only reduce costs but also actively enable innovation. A modern service provider must offer expertise that is lacking in-house, be able to operate technological platforms, and at the same time help shape innovation projects. Managed services thus create the scope for banks to direct budgets toward the development of new products instead of tying up resources in operations. When set up correctly, they become a growth engine by enabling co-creation and turning partners into real drivers of transformation.
A format with attitude
"Tech & Tacheles" is aimed at decision-makers at financial service providers. In each episode, guests draw cards with provocative statements from a “black box,” take a position, and engage in open and informed discussion. The podcast is hosted by Birgit Hass, Senior Marketing Manager at Sopra Financial Technology.
About the podcast
“Tech & Tacheles” is Sopra Financial Technology's podcast for the financial industry. External and internal experts talk about IT, technology, and banking—clearly, opinionatedly, and knowledgeably. No buzzwords, just attitude. If you're interested in learning more about "Tech & Tacheles", check out: https://www.sopra-financial-technology.com/de-de/insights/podcast
About Sopra Financial Technology:
Sopra Financial Technology GmbH offers regulatory-compliant operation of modular, scalable, and customizable applications in the financial services industry. The company combines traditional legacy systems with innovative products and services, incorporating modern cloud solutions in a high-performance operation and secure environment. With over 300 employees and headquarters in Nuremberg, the company is distinguished by its expertise in banking, regulatory affairs, solution orientation, and project management. Founded in 1983 as Sparda-Datenverarbeitung eG, Sopra Financial Technology GmbH has been part of the Sopra Steria Group since 2019, which has more than 50,000 employees in around 30 countries.
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Contact:
Sopra Financial Technology GmbH
Birgit Hass
Frankenstraße 146, 90461 Nürnberg
Telefon: +49 911 9291-0
E-Mail: communications.sft@soprasteria.com