Grant Thornton’s Jack Kelly discusses his role as a tech consultant and the biggest trends organisations are thinking about.
The constantly evolving realm of technology means it’s an exciting industry to be in, but that doesn’t just apply to the technologists themselves or even just those working in technology companies.
The ever-changing landscape means organisations often need to bring in technology consultants to help them manage and transform their business and prepare for tech trends that are coming down the line.
Jack Kelly is a technology consultant at Grant Thornton, having come from the recruitment side of the house as part of the company’s graduate programme. In his role, he specifically focuses on the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), which will take effect on 17 January 2025. “Our team helps financial institutions ensure they comply with DORA before this date,” he told SiliconRepublic.com.
“In my role, I’ve been actively involved in conducting gap assessments for various clients. This involves reviewing documents across different DORA domains, such as ICT risk management, incident management and cyber response, to evaluate their compliance. Additionally, I assisted in drafting detailed gap assessment reports, highlighting the gaps and suggesting remediation actions.”
With the growing need of advisory services around the topics of AI, automation and cybersecurity regulations such as DORA, Kelly gave us an insight into how these emerging and evolving trends are affecting his line of work.
What role does technology play in your role as a consultant?
Technology facilitates our daily operations and communication. Our team relies on digital collaboration tools for our daily calls, where we discuss our tasks and plan our actions.
Additionally, we use technology to conduct workshops with clients, enabling us to effectively present our progress, collaborate on solutions and address any issues in real time.
Technology is integral to every aspect of my role, from conducting assessments and remediation to maintaining seamless communication and collaboration within our team and with clients.
How have you upskilled to adapt to the increase in digital transformation?
Transitioning from recruitment to consulting required me to adapt my skillset to meet the demands of digital transformation, particularly in the context of DORA.
As part of the technology consulting team, I had to quickly familiarise myself with the complexities of ICT risk management, incident management and cyber response. This involved upskilling in areas such as regulatory compliance, IT risk assessment and cybersecurity, which are critical to ensuring that financial institutions can meet the requirements of DORA.
In addition, I’ve had to develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills to identify and address gaps in clients’ digital resilience. The shift has also pushed me to enhance my communication and collaboration abilities, as we work closely with our clients.
Since transitioning, the support I’ve received from my team has been instrumental in my growth, as they’ve provided guidance, shared knowledge and fostered a collaborative environment that has accelerated my adaptation.
What are the biggest challenges you face in your role?
One of the biggest challenges in bringing technology into our industry, particularly in the context of DORA, is ensuring that institutions can adapt their existing processes and systems to meet the new requirements. The need to thoroughly assess and remediate gaps in compliance before DORA takes effect adds to the complexity.
The challenge lies not only in implementing new technologies but also in integrating them smoothly with existing frameworks while ensuring that all stakeholders are aligned and fully understand the necessary changes. Additionally, the continuously evolving regulatory landscape makes it challenging to stay ahead of these changes and anticipate their impact on technology.
Another challenge is the resistance to change within institutions. Implementing new technology and processes to meet DORA compliance often requires a cultural shift, as both employees and management must adapt to new ways of working. Overcoming this resistance and ensuring that everyone is on board with the changes can be difficult, especially when it involves significant adjustments to established processes.
What tech trends do you see having the biggest impact in consultancy?
As institutions prepare for DORA, they are adopting advanced ICT risk management tools and cybersecurity solutions. This includes integrating AI-driven threat detection systems and automated incident response platforms, which help organisations quickly identify and mitigate risks.
Another key trend is the automation of compliance processes. Tools that automate compliance monitoring and reporting are becoming essential, as they enable financial institutions to stay ahead of regulatory requirements.
Financial institutions should explore different compliance automation tools that align with their specific needs, such as those offering features like real-time monitoring, reporting and alerts.
They must also ensure that the chosen tools integrate seamlessly with their existing IT infrastructure and other systems.
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