On Thursday, 7 December 2023, DataNews announced its CIO of the Year. This award is presented to an individual with an outstanding track record in the management of information technologies, demonstrating innovation and leadership.

The NBB is delighted by this outstanding achievement and congratulates An on this well-deserved recognition. Following on the heels of the Bank’s certification last week as a “Pioneering Employer 2024” in recognition of our efforts to ensure employee engagement, development and well-being, this latest award underscores the National Bank’s commitment to continued investment in innovation, systems and data, as well as in the recruitment of talented personnel.

Recognised leadership
Following voting and deliberation by the jury, the National Bank of Belgium (NBB) is proud to announce that An Swalens, the head of its IT department, has been named DataNews CIO of the Year for 2023. An plays a crucial role in the development and implementation of the Bank’s innovative IT strategies.

In her own words
“I would like to express my deep gratitude to each and every member of my team. This award would not have been possible without their passion, expertise and constant commitment. Together, we have defined a clear vision and strategy for our digital transformation. The core applications that support our work to ensure safe payments and cash are being updated with new technologies that meet the highest security standards. Our hybrid cloud guidelines are ready, as are our new data platform and bank-wide automation plans. These are successful and promising projects which drive innovation. It is an honour to work with such talented teams, and I dedicate this award to them.”

IT at the NBB
Implementing new technologies in a regulated environment such as at the NBB requires clear, detailed choices. The Bank’s infrastructure is based on a number of cross-cutting platforms and a new hybrid cloud. These solutions guarantee sustainability and flexibility. The various technologies used are selected based on an analysis to identify the solution offering the most possibilities.

IT staff account for around 14% of the Bank’s total workforce (250 out of a total of approximately 1,800).

Three major projects in the pipeline
In the coming years, the Bank will face a number of major challenges, including three large-scale projects designed to:

• ensure continued investment in innovative technological solutions
• guarantee the security and integrity of our data
• learn how to manage artificial intelligence (AI)