"The digital transformation of Banco Português de Fomento (BPF) cannot be measured by the number of systems, applications or tools that are implemented. It is measured through the levels of adoption and the monitoring of efficiency gains that new solutions bring. Technology enables us, but people are the ones who deliver real value, every day."
David Branco, Coordinating Director of Information Technologies, BPF
At BPF, technological transformation is not an end in itself, but rather a means to achieve economic impact, strengthen companies’ confidence and improve the execution of public policies.
However, behind every modernised system, digitised process or innovative solution, there are teams that work tirelessly, learn, adapt and strive to deliver value more efficiently. Therefore, when we talk about digital transformation, we are inevitably talking about people.
In the past year, BPF has embarked on a journey of technological renewal. We have adopted more modern and agile development models and introduced new tools that enable us to build applications more quickly, securely and collaboratively. This technological evolution will be essential to respond to numerous challenges: better integration with commercial banks, simplification of financing processes, increased traceability, strengthened security and improved data quality to support decision-making.
However, no technology, no matter how advanced, generates impact if it is not adopted, understood and used by the teams who work in the organisation every day. True transformation happens when people see value in change, and when technology is effectively placed at the service of their work—not to complicate it, but to simplify it.
That is why we believe that the path to success lies in the creation of multidisciplinary teams, continuous upskilling and close collaboration between the technology area and business areas—commercial, compliance, risk, legal, etc.—involving from day one those who will be the future users and stakeholders of new solutions.
The guiding principles are simple:
- Ensure focus on the customer journey, whether the user is a BPF Group employee, a company or a commercial bank
- Invest in the automation of processes and decisions by configuring and creating automated rules and/or using artificial intelligence solutions
- Ensure the reuse of components and products so that they can address multiple use cases
- Prioritise the centralisation of data and its availability across the entire application ecosystem, while respecting data confidentiality and user access levels
- Finally, ensure data security and traceability
What will ultimately determine our success is our ability to mobilise talent, foster innovation and create the conditions for each team to do better what they already do well. The future of BPF will be increasingly digital, but it will continue to be deeply human. More than technology, it is people who drive BPF forward. It is with them and for them that we want—and are building—the future.
