London, EC1M 5NP United Kingdom
2023 woke us up to AI.
2024 got us experimenting with AI.
2025 proved what’s possible.
2026 is when wealth managers scale AI with discipline, confidence and measurable ROI.
Most firms are no longer asking whether AI matters. They are asking where it delivers real value, how to govern it properly, and how to move beyond pilots without creating new risk.
That is where the PIMFA AI Leaders Incubator Programme comes in.
Delivered in partnership with Publicis Sapient, this hands-on, one-day programme is designed for senior leaders in wealth and advice who need to turn AI ambition into practical, defensible action. It is not a conference, not passive learning, and not AI theatre. It is a working environment where firms test ideas, shape use cases, build business cases and leave with a clearer route to execution.
Cohort 1 in February 2026 has already shown what this can unlock.
Leaders with little or no coding experience from firms including Quilter, Evelyn Partners and Absolute Financial reported a 50% increase in confidence in sponsoring or constructively challenging AI initiatives inside their firms.
100% said the Incubator improved their ability to identify strong AI use cases and strengthened cross-functional collaboration.
75% said it improved their ability to prioritise AI initiatives based on risk and value.
What participants valued most:
- A more actionable way to think about risk and prioritisation
- Greater confidence to think bigger about AI, without losing control
- Practical tools to build a compelling business case
- A clearer blueprint for turning ambition into implementation
Cohort 1 left with more than inspiration. They left with a clearer grip on risk, a stronger business case for action and greater confidence in how to turn AI ambition into practical progress.
“A more actionable way to tackle risk and prioritisation.”
“Permission to think bigger about what AI could do, without losing sight of human oversight, validation and learning.”
“The right tools to build a compelling business case for AI, grounded in meaningful, practical value across the business.”
“A clearer sense that while AI can feel new and overwhelming, implementation is tangible and practical if you follow a blueprint, test, learn and build with intent.”
The Incubator is built to help senior leaders answer the questions that matter most:
- Where can AI genuinely improve performance?
- Which use cases are worth backing?
- How do we balance opportunity, risk and regulation?
- How do we build a credible business case for action?
As an Incubator participant, you’ll work alongside seasoned AI practitioners and peers to develop use cases, test ideas, strengthen governance thinking and build a more confident narrative for change inside your firms.
As a senior leader, you’ll leave the Incubator with:
- clearer, higher-value AI use cases
- stronger cross-functional alignment
- a sharper view of risk, value and prioritisation
- greater confidence to sponsor, challenge and lead AI initiatives internally
Who’s the AI Leaders Incubator for?
You’re a senior leader, not a coder. No background in IT or data science required. You’re the decision-maker in your firm, shaping digital strategy, driving innovation, and making the big calls on investment, risk, and transformation. You’re ready to turn data and AI into your next competitive advantage. The AI Leaders Incubator is built for senior executives who want to move beyond experimentation and make AI real, embedding it into operations, culture, and strategy to deliver measurable business results.
Enrolment
Enrolment is now open for Cohort 2 of the AI Leaders Incubator. Places are limited to one senior leader per firm and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that each applicant’s level of seniority will be reviewed by PIMFA and admission will be subject to our final approval.
Still have questions?
Please contact:
Philip Allen, Head of Learning
learning@pimfa.co.uk
25/06/2026
Arrival and Breakfast
Introductions and Agenda
Speakers
Richard Doherty
Richard leads the AI practice for Asset & Wealth Management at Publicis Sapient, a leading consultancy across financial services and digital business transformation.
With Over 20years of experience in technology and financial services, he helps firms navigate the complexities of aligning technology with business strategy, and delivering enterprise change that unlocks business value through driving revenue, saving costs and managing risk.
Richard's experience lies in advising leaders how to build future ready operating models, that leverage technology to drive innovation.
He specialises in delivering large scale technology & system implementation front to back, data overhauls, and technology focused change.
Richard works closely with both business and technology stakeholders to foster alignment that enables pace to market and sustainable transformation.
How to Ideate with AI
Most AI initiatives fail not because of technology, but because the wrong problems are selected. Discover a structured way to identify viable AI use cases; stress-test ideas against data, regulation, and delivery reality; and distinguish signal from hype
Participant Outcome
Attendees will be able to:
- Recognise what a strong AI use case looks like
- Understand what problems AI is well suited for and what to avoid
- Apply a framework to pressure-test ideas before investing time and budget
- Use AI as a decision-making partner to accelerate strategy
Coffee Break
Thinking about risk and value in an AI world: how to prioritise,
You’ll learn how to prioritise AI initiatives based on value, risk, and organisational readiness not enthusiasm
Participant Outcome
- Attendees will be able to:
- Identify and prioritise AI use cases aligned to your firm’s strategy and risk appetite
- Frame and define AI agents clearly to maximise ROI and adoption
- Measure and optimise impact using practical value-realisation frameworks
Bringing it to life: showcasing a well-shaped AI use case with Q&A
This session answers the final, critical question: What does a properly designed, operational, and defensible AI use case actually look like in practice? The aim is to make AI real, concrete, and interrogable, not abstract or aspirational.
Participants will experience:
- A walkthrough of an end-to-end, operationalised AI use case — from problem definition to deployment
- How the building blocks of an AI agent work together in context (LLMs, RAG, orchestration layers, MCP)
- How value creation and governance coexist through clearly defined guardrails, controls, and accountability
Outcome:
Participants leave with a concrete understanding of what a “good” use case looks like —— increasing confidence in sponsoring, governing, or challenging AI initiatives.
Speakers
Richard Doherty
Richard leads the AI practice for Asset & Wealth Management at Publicis Sapient, a leading consultancy across financial services and digital business transformation.
With Over 20years of experience in technology and financial services, he helps firms navigate the complexities of aligning technology with business strategy, and delivering enterprise change that unlocks business value through driving revenue, saving costs and managing risk.
Richard's experience lies in advising leaders how to build future ready operating models, that leverage technology to drive innovation.
He specialises in delivering large scale technology & system implementation front to back, data overhauls, and technology focused change.
Richard works closely with both business and technology stakeholders to foster alignment that enables pace to market and sustainable transformation.
Lunch
Hands-On Team Exercise: Building the Value Case & Prototype Concept
This practical session moves from theory to execution. Working in small groups, each team will:
- Define a clear business problem and corresponding AI solution
- Map business, commercial, client, and risk value
- Identify risks, controls, governance, and ownership
- Sketch a prototype or workflow concept
- Develop a concise, board-ready value case outline
This is not a theoretical exercise. It is designed to simulate real internal decision-making and scrutiny.
Outcome:
Participants leave with a credible AI use case definition and prototype concept that can be refined and progressed within their organisation.
Presentations, judging and prizes
This is where ideas meet scrutiny. Each team will present their AI use case and business case, not as a concept, but as something that could realistically be funded, governed, and deployed. You’ll be assessed on:
- Clarity of the problem and AI solution
- Strength of the value case, commercial, client, and risk outcomes
- Quality of controls, ownership, and governance
- Credibility under board and regulatory challenge
The judging panel will offer live feedback, challenge assumptions, and highlight what good looks like in practice. Prizes are awarded but the real value is seeing how your thinking stands up when interrogated.
Networking and Food & Drinks
Share experiences and insights with fellow incubator participants and exchange current challenges, ideas and opportunities in a more relaxed environment. Food will be provided from 16:30 onwards.
Richard Doherty
Richard Preece
Publicis Sapient
DA Resilience
Video / Call Link
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