In Conversations with Swathi: A Dialogue with Ohm Hareesh Kundurthy, Technical Director at Santander

Today, I have with me one of the Technical Directors at Santander Bank in the US. With a wealth of experience driving digital transformation in the banking sector, Ohm brings deep insight into both the technology and leadership required to innovate at scale.

Swathi: Thank you, Ohm, for giving me this opportunity to share your thoughts with my audience today. Hearty welcome to my blog!

Ohm: Thank you for having me on your blog.

Swathi: You've built a remarkable career in the banking sector and continue to contribute to it. What inspired you to choose this field initially, and what keeps you motivated to stay and evolve within it today?

Ohm: I never set out to be in finance—in fact, I wanted to become a UI/UX designer. But life had other plans. Four months into my first banking project, I told my team lead, honestly with a little embarrassment, that I had no clue what was going on in trainings or meetings. Someone once told me that the first two years of your career are the best time to build a strong foundation. That really stuck with me. So I rolled up my sleeves and committed to learning everything I could. That mindset shaped the rest of my journey.

Swathi: If you look back 10–15 years, what did "technology in banking" mean then, and how has your view evolved since?

Ohm: Earlier, technical know-how was often gated/limited by access to specific tools, infrastructure, or enterprise-grade software, which in turn depended heavily on where you worked. However, with the advent of the cloud, that has shifted dramatically. Technology has become more readily available. Today, even if you're not at a big firm, you can spin up cloud services, build apps, and demonstrate proficiency without needing deep infrastructure budgets. It’s leveled the playing field, letting individual talent shine regardless of work roots or sector.

Swathi: I remember when I left banking a few years ago, people would often ask me, 'Why would you leave? Banking pays well!' That was five years ago. In your view, does that perception still hold true today?

Ohm: A lot of people talk about pursuing passion, chasing money, or seeking fame. But there’s not enough conversation about passion without skill, paychecks without burnout, or fame without complications. I strongly believe expertise matters. Building and refining your core expertise should guide your career development. Rather than chasing vague ideals, focus on what you want to master, and let your goals evolve around that depth of skill.

Swathi: Many of us in the tech community often assume that banks still rely heavily on outdated technology stacks that aren't commonly used today. What would you say to someone who holds that perception, and what advice would you give to those considering a tech career in the banking sector?

Ohm: People often confuse new technology with innovation. But innovation, at its core, is about solving a real problem for a real user. If you solve a problem for one person—and it turns out a million others share that problem—that’s when you’ve built something truly innovative. Everything that follows—optimization, scaling, performance tuning—is execution. My advice? Don’t let shiny technology cloud your ability to see real problems. If you can’t spot problems, you can’t show innovation, & Problem solving has nothing to do with the sector — whether it’s banking or another industry.

Swathi: While many organisations are embracing modern data architectures like unified platforms, some remain cautious. From your perspective, what factors typically drive that hesitation - is it regulatory, cultural, or something else?

Ohm: Modern data architectures like unified data platforms play a significant role in enabling innovation at scale, helping organizations move from insight to impact quickly. So there’s no arguing their foundational role in business innovation. But here’s the reality: for business leaders, IT spend is just cost—unless it removes growth barriers or unlocks new revenue streams. That’s why tech adoption always needs an ROI lens—and the courage to accept sunk costs from the current state.

Swathi: In one of your recent interviews with IBTimes, you mentioned, "Architecture is less about stacking the latest technology, it's more about filtering the signal from noise." I really liked that perspective. Could you share how one should apply that mindset when evaluating new technologies and trends?

Ohm: The IBTimes journalist published an article about my work based on her own independent review. I’d encourage your readers to read the piece, as it offers a strong summary of the answer to your question.

That said, I’ll highlight two quotes from the article that encapsulate my perspective:

“Technologies age fast. But methodologies age well.”

“Build systems that offer business clarity, even when technology changes.”

Let’s apply this lens to Agentic AI adoption. If you’re using Agentic AI to solve a genuine business problem—even if it includes a human-in-the-loop—you’re on the right path. But when the goal shifts from solving a real problem to something like "100% elimination of human intervention," we need to pause.

That’s not always a true business requirement. It may stem from competitive pressure, cost-chasing, or trend-driven ambition. It’s critical to ask: Is this truly a business need, or just a response to noise in the ecosystem? The value of technology should always be measured by its ability to deliver clarity, outcomes, and meaningful impact, not just by how futuristic it sounds.

Swathi: AI is transforming how businesses operate, and banking has its complexities, as you just mentioned. Where do you see AI making a real impact in banking?

Ohm: AI is reshaping banking too — what's needed is an innovative use of microservices, domain-specific micro LLMs, and federated architectures.

Take SoFi or Affirm, for example. These aren’t just fintechs with slick front ends—they’re built on modular, AI-driven architectures that align tightly with business functions. Their success is built on embedding intelligence into every micro-journey: underwriting, fraud checks, compliance, and personalization. That’s the playbook.

In traditional banks, AI will have the most meaningful impact when it's applied at the edges of the business, where decisions are made in real-time, where context matters, and where data is domain-rich. That’s where micro-LLMs shine. They're smaller, more adaptable, and less opaque (more explainable) than massive centralized models. Combine them with federated learning architectures, and now you're enabling smarter decisions without centralizing sensitive data, key for regulated industries.

In short, the future isn’t just AI-first—it’s architecture-first. Banks that invest in flexible, federated, and service-aligned architectures will be the ones who can use AI not just to optimize but to reimagine banking

Swathi: I have been hearing the term "data democratization" (making data more accessible across organisations) a lot lately. From your perspective, what does a true data democratization look like in the banking environment, and how would companies ensure it doesn't come at the cost of security or compliance?

Ohm: It’s about enabling the right people to access the right data at the right time, without needing to go through multiple layers of gatekeeping. From a business intelligence viewpoint, the goal is to empower business users’ self-service access to make fast decisions, which are more informed by supporting data. Giving everyone access to all data is chaos, or overly rigid systems slow the business down. It’s a balance between the level of automation of the guardrails on how you expose data, which needs executive buy-in, Strong metadata management, Policy-based access control, Data masking, Federated data governance & so on.

So yes, it’s hard to apply—but only worth it when done well and when your end users are ready to leverage it.

Swathi: As someone who sees tech cycles come and go, how do you stay curious and keep learning?

Ohm: Survival is the fundamental necessity of all business. We simply have no choice — we either adapt and adopt, or we get replaced. But adaptation shouldn't be driven by the next shiny version of a tool or software. It has to be guided by lasting methodologies that create resilience and clarity. Tactical decisions may solve today’s problem, but only strategic frameworks ensure we’re still relevant tomorrow.

Swathi: Looking back on your journey, what's that one decision that you made as a tech leader that you are particularly proud of? What did it teach you?

Ohm: Honestly, it’s rarely a single breakthrough decision. It’s usually a series of micro-decisions stitched together that create lasting impact. Gradual shifts in strategy, rather than sudden pivots, give teams space to adapt, react, and internalize the vision. What I’ve learned is this: the real unlock comes when the entire team aligns with that vision. That alignment is what drives momentum, not just the brilliance of any one decision.

Swathi: One last question as we wrap, has there been a piece of advice or a mindset that consistently guided you throughout your career?

Ohm: It’s incredibly important to stay grounded and treat everyone with respect and fairness. I didn’t just learn that from mentors or books; I learned it the hard way, through my own mistakes.

Ohm, thank you once again for generously sharing your insights and perspectives.

Conversations like these remind us that great leadership isn’t about chasing trends, it’s about having clarity, curiosity, and the courage to evolve. Ohm’s journey from uncertainty to expertise and his grounded yet visionary perspective on technology offer inspiration for anyone navigating change in the tech world.

If you are a technologist, a leader, or someone who loves thoughtful conversations over a warm cup of chai, stay tuned for more editions of “In Conversations with Swathi.”