Agile and regulatory change don’t have to be at odds. Learn how Delta Capita enables financial services firms to deliver complex, compliance-driven projects faster and with greater confidence.
Contributor
Connie is an Agile Delivery & Product Specialist (SAFe® POPM, AgilePM) with over 8 years experience in regulatory transformation and client lifecycle delivery.
In today's financial landscape change isn’t just constant, it’s mandated. From evolving AML and ESG obligations to ongoing digital transformation, firms face relentless pressure to adapt and to do so efficiently. However, legacy delivery models are often too siloed and too slow to keep up, driving up both cost and risk.
This is where Agile delivery shines: not just as a set of frameworks or tools, but as organisational capability. At Delta Capita, we don’t just help clients run Agile ceremonies. We help them build the behaviours, mindset, and delivery structures needed to deliver continuous value, even in the most tightly governed environments. Our Agile model is tailored for financial services, balancing flexibility with the structure that regulatory stakeholders expect.
The transformative impact of Agile in regulated environments is evident:
Standard Bank used the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) to transform IT delivery across its Corporate and Investment Banking division, increasing productivity by 50 percent and reducing time-to-market for a new cross-border payments capability from 700 days to just 30.
Barclays experienced a 300% increase in throughput, a 50% reduction in code complexity across 80+ applications, and enhanced team morale after implementing Agile practices at scale.
Cisco reported a 40% decrease in critical and major defects and a 14% improvement in defect removal efficiency through Agile development and continuous delivery.
These examples show what Agile can achieve. The next question is how it translates to the realities of compliance-driven change.
Agile and compliance are often seen as incompatible, but in reality, they can strengthen one another. Agile enables early engagement with control functions, faster feedback loops and continuous risk visibility, all of which are critical in regulated environments.
Delta Capita’s Agile model integrates compliance throughout the delivery lifecycle treating it as a continuous consideration rather than a final checkpoint.
Our approach includes:
This structure allows for faster feedback cycles with compliance stakeholders, earlier identification of regulatory gaps and smoother handoffs to control functions. It supports transparency, reduces rework and delivers measurable cost savings by improving efficiency and shortening delivery timelines.
In a global Know Your Customer (KYC) platform enhancement for a Tier 1 investment bank, Delta Capita deployed Product Owners across key workstreams to accelerate delivery and address regulatory priorities. Working in Agile squads, the team delivered high-impact functionality and improved operational resilience.
Key outcomes included:
At another Tier 1 bank, Delta Capita supported a payments operations transformation focused on aligning the back office with a new Agile delivery model already adopted by the front office. The engagement centred on streamlining processes, improving ownership, and enhancing performance tracking.
Key outcomes included:
Together these engagements illustrate that Agile delivery in financial services can drive both regulatory alignment and operational excellence that translates into measurable business value.
Delta Capita’s value doesn’t stop at delivering projects. We support clients in maturing their Agile capability long-term through Agile Maturity Assessments, coaching support for delivery teams, and tailored training programmes for Product Owners, Scrum Masters, Business Analysts, Project Managers and other key roles.
We also establish Agile Capability Centres which are dedicated internal hubs that define Agile standards, provide enterprise-wide guidance and enable consistency across teams. These centres ensure that Agile ways of working are understood, adopted and scaled across the organisation.
Agile isn’t just for technology or product teams. It’s a delivery model that financial services firms can and should apply to regulatory, operational, and strategic change.
At Delta Capita, we bring the delivery structure, Agile expertise and financial services domain knowledge needed to help you adopt Agile in a way that works in regulated environments. We understand the complexity of aligning delivery with governance, and we help clients strike the right balance between flexibility and control.
If you're looking to scale Agile with confidence and build lasting capability, we’re ready to help.
Let’s talk about making your next regulatory programme Agile. Visit our Transformation & Change Hub here and get in touch today.