The rage over regtech is real. In response to growing customer demands, emerging financial crime threats, and attempts by regulatory bodies to manage both of these developments, the field of regulatory compliance has never been more topical in financial services.

To this end, we interviewed banking and financial services compliance veteran Tracy Moore. Director of Thought Leadership & Regulatory Affairs at Fenergo, Moore joins the Finovate blog to provide her perspective on the regulatory environment for banks, fintechs, and financial services companies in 2025.

As part of Finovate’s commemoration of Women’s History Month, we also discuss issues of gender diversity in banking and financial services, and the role of mentorship in helping foster future leaders in the industry.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and the work you do at Fenergo?

Tracy Moore: I began my career in corporate legal training, specializing in finance and treasury transactions. My journey took me to Europe, where I transitioned into banking, spending much of my career in legal and compliance roles at global financial institutions. Upon returning to the U.S., I continued this path at a super-regional bank, gaining extensive experience in regulatory compliance and financial crime risk management.

Today, I serve as the Director of Thought Leadership & Regulatory Affairs at Fenergo, the global leader in Client Lifecycle Management (CLM) technology for financial institutions. In this role, I focus on financial crime risk management, regulatory change, and digital transformation, helping institutions solve for complex regulatory environments while enhancing operational efficiency.

I am deeply passionate about influencing industry change and driving technological advancements that make the financial sector safer and more resilient. My work involves collaborating with global regulators, financial institutions, and technology providers to develop innovative solutions that protect the industry against financial crime. I help connect regulation and technology to shape the future of compliance and risk management in today’s financial landscape.

What is it about the field of banking compliance that you find most interesting professionally?

Moore: I find it fascinating how geopolitical events shape the global financial industry, influencing not just regulatory frameworks but also presenting new challenges, such as financial crime and evolving risk landscapes. Today’s economy is so interconnected, and this means that financial institutions must constantly shift to address challenges such as sanctions, emerging threats, and evolving compliance requirements.

What truly interests me is the delicate balance financial institutions must strike meeting regulatory expectations, staying ahead of increasingly sophisticated bad actors, driving revenue growth, and ensuring safe financial services for their clients. Achieving this balance requires a combination of strategic foresight, innovation, and collaboration across the industry. Everyday has a new perspective and new challenges.

How has banking compliance changed over the course of your career in the industry?

Moore: Looking back over the past 25 years, the evolution of banking compliance has been nothing short of dramatic. When I started my career, compliance was often seen as a back-office function, more about checking boxes than driving change. Fast forward to today, and compliance has become a core pillar of financial institutions, shaping everything from risk management to customer experience.

One of the biggest shifts of course has been technology advancements. Alongside this, the sheer pace and complexity of regulatory change. Events like 9/11, the 2008 financial crisis, and major geopolitical shifts have completely reshaped the regulatory landscape. We’ve moved from more localized, paper-based processes to a hyper-digital, data-driven, and globally interconnected approach to compliance.

As a woman in this industry, I’ve also witnessed the growing role of diverse leadership in compliance and risk management. The field has evolved beyond traditional legal and audit backgrounds to welcome technologists, data analysts, and strategic thinkers, many of whom are women bringing fresh perspectives to a historically male-dominated space.

Issues (and innovation) in banking compliance have never been more top of mind. How have we arrived at this point, and is it a good thing for banks and their customers?

Moore: We’re here because the stakes have never been higher. Over the past two decades, a mix of financial crises, evolving threats, digital disruption, and geopolitical shifts has pushed compliance to the forefront. Regulators have responded with increasingly complex expectations, bringing the role of compliance into strategic planning for financial institutions.

This pressure has fuelled innovation.

AI, automation, and data analytics are transforming compliance, reducing manual processes, improving risk detection, and enhancing the customer experiences. Banks are now able to onboard clients faster, monitor activity in real time, and anticipate threats before they escalate.

For banks, it’s both a challenge and an opportunity. Compliance is tougher than ever, but those who embrace technology can gain a competitive edge. And for customers stronger compliance means better security, smoother transactions, and more trust in the system.

Seeing this shift firsthand is what lead me to make the decision to leave the traditional compliance role in banking and join Fenergo because I knew technology would be the driving force behind the future of compliance, and I wanted to be part of this transformation.

How do AI and automation create new compliance challenges for banks? In what ways can firms use these technologies to address compliance issues?

Moore: AI and automation can streamline compliance, but they also raise concerns both from regulators and banks themselves. Many institutions are skeptical, worrying about black-box decision-making, regulatory scrutiny, and potential biases.

The key challenge is explainability. Regulators need to understand how AI-driven decisions are made, so firms must prioritize transparency, clear documentation, and strong oversight.

That said, when used responsibly, AI can enhance risk detection, automate manual tasks, and improve compliance efficiency. The solution lies in communication by working with regulators to ensure AI models are interpretable, auditable, and aligned with compliance standards.

What areas of banking compliance do you think deserve more attention than they are getting?

Moore: Emerging digital assets and global regulatory alignment are two areas that need far more attention in banking compliance. The rapid rise of crypto, tokenization, and digital payments has outpaced regulatory frameworks, leaving financial institutions in a tough spot. How do you innovate while staying compliant in an environment where the rules are still being written? Without clear, consistent guidelines, banks are hesitant to fully engage, creating uncertainty for the entire industry.

At the same time, jurisdictional differences make compliance incredibly burdensome in today’s global economy. Financial crime doesn’t stop at borders, but regulations do, forcing banks to navigate a patchwork of requirements that slow down operations and increase costs. More global alignment and collaboration between regulators could ease this burden, ensuring that compliance is both effective and practical in a world where money moves faster than ever.

And lastly, the evolving nature of financial crime. Criminals are getting more sophisticated, using everything from deepfake identities to crypto mixing services to evade detection. Compliance programs need to move beyond traditional rule-based approaches and embrace real-time, predictive intelligence to stay ahead.

What are your thoughts on the progress made—or not made—toward greater gender diversity in banking in recent years? Are you optimistic about the future of women in banking, particularly in areas like compliance?

Moore: Women in banking, especially in compliance, have made progress, but not nearly enough. Too often, diversity is overlooked as a business advantage instead of recognized for the value it brings. In today’s geopolitical and financial environment, organizations need diverse perspectives to navigate risk and drive innovation, yet those perspectives are still dismissed.

Despite this, I am optimistic. Women are smart, resilient, and persistent. We continue to prove our expertise in ways that cannot be ignored. Compliance is an area where women thrive because it demands strategic thinking, problem-solving, and leadership under pressure.

Real change will happen when companies move beyond surface-level efforts and embrace diversity as a competitive advantage. Women will keep breaking barriers, whether the industry is ready or not.

Mentorship can play a key role in helping women entering financial services or launching fintechs. Did mentorship play a significant role in your early career? What message would you give to banking and financial services professionals when it comes to sharing their insights and experience as mentors?

Moore: Mentorship has been invaluable in my career. I have always sought out mentors and sponsors—both men and women—who could guide my development and challenge me to grow. Beyond that, I have chosen a personal board of directors: female professional leaders across various industries who have provided insight, support, and perspective at every stage of my journey.

For those in banking and financial services, mentorship is more than just giving advice or sharing a coffee. It is about opening doors, advocating for talent, and sharing real, honest experiences. The next generation of female leaders is watching and learning. It is up to us to make sure they feel supported, empowered, and ready to step forward.

Photo by Scott Webb