New research finds financial services leaders are facing rising complexity, with one in four saying they have not received suitable training for their roles.
Eighty-five per cent of senior leaders working in UK financial services say their roles have become more complex since 2020, according to new research from Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS).
The study also found that 25% of financial services decision-makers said they had not received suitable training to help them do their jobs well and manage effectively.
AMBS commissioned Censuswide to survey 500 managers, directors and C-suite executives across UK businesses. Of those respondents, 59 worked in financial services.
Across the full group, 73% said their roles had become more complicated over the past five years. The figure rose to 85% among financial services respondents.
Because the financial services findings are based on 59 people, they should be treated as survey evidence rather than a precise measure of the entire UK financial services workforce.
Cybersecurity and data risks lead the list
Financial services leaders were asked what had contributed to the increased complexity of their roles since 2020.
Cybersecurity and data privacy risks were the most commonly selected factor, cited by 38% of respondents.
The rise of remote working followed at 36%, while 32% pointed to new technologies such as artificial intelligence.
New regulation and legislation was cited by 24%. The same proportion said managing reputational risk in a 24-hour media and social media environment had added to the complexity of their roles.
The findings come as financial firms face changes across technology, regulation and cybersecurity.
The Bank of England’s Financial Stability Report in July 2026 said the growing use of AI in financial services could increase risks through areas including financial decision-making, financial markets, operational dependencies and cyber threats.
The central bank said financial firms are already using AI for areas such as research, coding support, surveillance and other operational tasks. It also highlighted challenges around understanding and controlling more autonomous AI systems.
Confidence is another concern
The AMBS research also asked financial services leaders about their confidence as business and management practices change.
Fifty-four per cent said they worry about remaining relevant and competent as the business and management world evolves.
A further 53% said they regularly doubt their judgment at work. AMBS said this compared with an average of about 40% among respondents from other industries.
The figures do not show why individual respondents felt less confident. However, they come alongside the wider finding that many financial services leaders believe their roles have become more complicated since 2020.
Financial analysis is the most requested training area
The research found a gap between the growing complexity reported by financial services leaders and the training they have received.
One in four respondents in the sector said they had not received suitable training to help them perform their roles effectively.
When asked which areas they would most like formal training in, financial analysis was the most common choice. Forty-four per cent included it among their top three training priorities.
Understanding AI and how to use it effectively was selected by 39%, while 36% chose managing digital transformation projects.
The results show that demand for training is not limited to new technology. Financial analysis ranked ahead of AI and digital transformation among the areas selected by respondents.
AI is adding another layer of change
AI is becoming a more important issue for financial firms as businesses introduce the technology into areas ranging from administration to research and decision-making.
The Bank of England has said AI can increase productivity and reduce the time needed for some knowledge-based tasks. At the same time, it has warned that wider adoption can create new operational and cyber risks.
In its July 2026 Financial Stability Report, the Bank said the financial sector’s use of AI is increasing across banks, insurers and financial markets. It identified the ability to govern AI systems and maintain visibility over their use as important challenges.
For financial services leaders, that means managing technology is increasingly connected with managing risk.
The AMBS survey also found that AI was not the biggest factor behind increased role complexity among financial services respondents. Cybersecurity and data privacy ranked higher, followed by remote working.
What AMBS says
Arif Khurshed, Professor of Finance at Alliance Manchester Business School, said financial services leaders face significant responsibilities because their decisions can involve money, trust and competition.
He said the increasing complexity identified by the research showed why organisations need to support leaders and provide them with appropriate tools.
AMBS said the research examined how business leaders are responding to greater complexity in their roles, including changes linked to technology, economic conditions and the wider business environment.
A small sample, but a clear signal
The financial services results are based on 59 respondents within the wider survey of 500 UK senior decision-makers.
That means the percentages should not be treated as representative statistics for every financial services leader in the UK. They do, however, provide a snapshot of how a group of finance-sector managers, directors and executives view the changes affecting their roles.
The wider survey also found that 73% of all respondents believed their roles had become more complex since 2020.
For financial services, the most frequently reported pressures were cybersecurity and data privacy, remote working, new technology, regulation and reputational risk.
The training findings add another part to the picture, with financial analysis, AI and digital transformation among the areas respondents most wanted to develop.
