The Italian banking association, Associazione Bancaria Italiana (ABI), has been fostering research and innovation in Italy’s banking industry for almost two decades through ABI Lab, a consortium of 160 banks and 65 IT companies. Launched in 2002, the lab produces in-depth analysis on the main trends and topics relating to technology, organisation and innovation.
More recently, in May 2019, the banking association set up its own innovation unit. “This is the reason that we are a step ahead of other banking associations [in innovation] – we can leverage the analysis generated in ABI Lab,” says Silvia Attanasio, who spent 17 years at the lab before moving across to the newly created role of head of innovation at ABI.
