Preface

Indonesia just joined the BRICS club - you know, that powerhouse group with Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Pretty big deal, right? It's like we've been invited to sit at the cool kids' table in the global economy. But here's the thing - this isn't just about bragging rights. For those of us in banking, especially on the tech side, this means game time.

Think about it. Our banks are now playing in a bigger league. We're not just handling local transactions anymore; we're talking about cross-border money flows, investments coming in from all directions, and yeah, a whole new level of regulatory headaches to deal with. Fun times!

And let's talk about the elephant in the room - tech disruption. It's coming at us like a freight train. One minute we're getting our heads around AI for better customer service and fraud detection, the next minute everyone's buzzing about blockchain. Remember when IT was just about keeping the lights on and making sure the systems didn't crash? Those days are long gone, my friends. Now we're expected to be innovation ninjas, cybersecurity guardians, and digital transformation champions all rolled into one.

Here's where it gets interesting. Throughout this book, we're going to share some real war stories - both wins and face-plants - from banks around the world who've been there, done that. We're talking practical stuff here, not just theoretical frameworks (though we've got those too, if that's your thing). Want to know how to balance innovation with those pesky compliance requirements? We've got you covered. Curious about how to actually make AI work for your customers without breaking the bank? We'll dive into that too.

But here's what makes this book different: we're not just going to throw information at you and wish you good luck. We've packed it with hands-on exercises and GenAI prompts that you can use with your team right away. Think of it as your playbook for turning cool ideas into actual results.

The world of banking is changing, and Indonesia's seat at the BRICS table is our ticket to being part of that change. Whether you're a CIO trying to figure out your next big tech bet, or a division head wondering how to keep up with all this transformation stuff, we've got your back. We're going to walk through this together, sharing insights, strategies, and maybe a few laughs along the way.

So grab your favorite beverage, get comfortable, and let's talk about turning your bank into a tech-savvy powerhouse that's ready for whatever the future throws at us. Trust me, it's going to be an interesting ride!