Transforming lending in the Benelux region:
key trends, challenges, and opportunities
1 July 2025
In a recent webinar with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Deloitte, we explored how banks in the Benelux region can build resilience in a rapidly changing lending landscape. Teun van der Veeken (Mambu) was joined by David Ruis (Deloitte Netherlands) and Julien Defosse (AWS) to discuss the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities for banks as they navigate digital transformation, regulatory change, and evolving customer expectations.
This is an edited transcript of the conversation. You can watch or listen to the full webinar on demand.
What are the biggest challenges facing traditional lenders or banks in today’s environment? What’s slowing them down compared to other market players?
David Ruis (Deloitte): One of the main obstacles still is legacy technology. Many large banks have developed their systems over decades, which makes it difficult to quickly adopt the latest innovations or achieve hyper-personalisation at scale which requires commitment to significant change. Overcoming this requires not just new technology, but also a clear strategy and strong motivation to drive meaningful transformation and possibly even a number of incentives which really push for this change.
Julien Defosse (AWS): Regulation is another significant challenge and is becoming increasingly complex, especially in Europe. New rules such as GDPR, DORA, and the upcoming EU AI Act are raising standards for data privacy, cybersecurity, and operational resilience. Banks need to develop unified compliance strategies while also adapting to local requirements. Additionally, initiatives like open finance and the upcoming FIDA framework will help standardise data sharing and create a more integrated and competitive ecosystem. While this also adds another layer of complexity for banks to manage –overall it’s a good thing.
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