The Role of AI in Risk Management and Compliance - with Miriam Fernandez and Sudeep Kesh at S&P Global Ratings

As financial services accelerate their digital transformations, AI is reshaping how institutions identify, assess, and manage risk. But with that transformation comes an equally complex web of systemic risks, regulatory challenges, and questions about accountability. In this episode of the AI in Business podcast, host Matthew DeMello, Head of Content at Emerj, speaks with Miriam Fernandez, Director in the Analytical Innovation Team specializing in AI research at S&P Global Ratings, and Sudeep Kesh, Chief Innovation Officer at S&P Global Ratings. Together, they unpack how generative AI, agentic systems, and regulatory oversight are evolving within one of the most interconnected sectors of the global economy. The conversation explores how AI is amplifying both efficiency and exposure across financial ecosystems — from the promise of multimodal data integration in risk management to the growing challenge of concentration and contagion risks in increasingly digital markets. Miriam and Sudeep discuss how regulators are responding through risk-based frameworks such as the EU AI Act and DORA, and how the private sector is taking a larger role in ensuring transparency, compliance, and trust. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/e2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj’s flagship ‘AI in Business’ podcast! If you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!