Case Study
How Lloyds Banking Group Is Empowering Leaders with AI | Executive Education by Cambridge Spark
Client profile
Lloyds Banking Group is one of the UK’s leading financial-services organisations, providing retail and commercial banking, insurance, pensions and savings through household brands. With heritage stretching back over 325 years, it supports millions of customers across the UK and aims to be the bank of choice for modern, digitally enabled banking.
Setting the Foundation for AI-Driven Transformation
Lloyds Banking Group has placed people at the centre of its AI strategy. As the organisation looks ahead to a future shaped by rapid technological change, it recognises that the success of any AI initiative depends on equipping colleagues with the right skills, behaviours and mindset. As shared during the launch of the Leading with AI programme, upskilling sits “at the very top” of the bank’s priorities, driven by the belief that AI will be not just a tool, but a transformative force across financial services.
To reimagine how AI can enhance operations, decision-making and customer experience, Lloyds believes its leaders must be confident and informed, able to guide their teams through change and spot new opportunities. As Ranil commented:
"You need to have leaders that really understand how to lead AI… and more importantly lead how we reimagine various aspects of banking."
Ranil Boteju, Group Chief Data & Analytics Officer, Lloyds Banking Group
The message throughout the launch event was clear: AI marks a shift as significant as the defining technological eras that came before it. In the words shared during the session, it is expected to be “a game-changer… even more so than mobile and digital,” with potential impact “as transformative to banking and to society as electricity and steam.”
A Bespoke Programme Designed for Strategic Impact
To support this ambition, Lloyds Banking Group partnered with Cambridge Spark to develop a tailored executive education programme delivered in Cambridge. The longstanding relationship between the two organisations (including previous collaboration on data science bootcamps) meant the curriculum could be shaped around the bank’s strategic goals and the practical realities of leading teams in a complex, fast-moving environment.
The learning experience combined academic insight, practical examples and open discussion. Leaders engaged with expert practitioners described as “some of the brightest minds in the UK, if not the world,” gaining a clearer understanding of how AI is already reshaping industries, and how it could shape the bank’s future.
Crucially, the programme didn’t remain theoretical. The focus on real applications, ethical considerations and leadership behaviours meant participants were able to draw direct connections to their day-to-day responsibilities. Many spoke about the energy in the room and the value of stepping away from routine pressures to think differently. One participant summed it up simply:
“It’s invigorating, one of the rare occasions where being in a classroom has felt energising.” Karen Rossi, CIO of Enterprise Services, Lloyds Banking Group
Strengthening Leadership Capability and Confidence
A defining outcome of the Leading with AI programme was the shift in mindset among participants. Leaders described feeling better prepared to take action immediately, with a clearer sense of how AI could support problem-solving, modernisation and customer value. Several commented that they could return to the business “the very next day” and begin applying what they had learned.
The discussions also addressed one of the most common concerns around AI, its impact on jobs. Rather than presenting AI as a replacement for human work, it underscored the importance of developing new skills and staying adaptable.
“You won’t lose your job to AI… but to someone else who knows AI.” Ranil Boteju, Group Chief Data & Analytics Officer, Lloyds Banking Group
This perspective helped reframe AI as an opportunity for professional growth and a catalyst for continuous learning.
Lloyds Banking Group recognises data and AI skills as “critical future skills” and emphasised the importance of building this expertise in-house to deliver on its promises for customers. This focus on developing talent aligns with the bank’s ambition to position itself as an employer of choice in the data and AI space.
Building the Foundations for Sustainable AI Adoption
Throughout the programme, one theme remained constant: technology can only deliver value when people have the confidence and capability to use it well. Leaders reflected on the need for responsible adoption, thoughtful experimentation and a shared understanding of both the opportunities and the risks.
This alignment is what will ultimately enable the bank to embed AI in a way that supports customers, improves processes and enhances decision-making. The partnership with Cambridge Spark has helped create this foundation.
“You need to work with trusted partners to deliver something fantastic. That’s what we’ve achieved here today.” Tiffany Manteaw, Programme Lead Data & AI Culture, Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Banking Group sees this as just the beginning. By empowering senior leaders first, the organisation is creating momentum for AI-enabled transformation at scale, ensuring teams across the bank are ready to embrace new ways of working and unlock the full value of future technology investments.
“To realise value from a technology investment, it starts with your people.” Dr Raoul Gabriel Urma, Founder & CEO, Cambridge Spark
This commitment to upskilling, reskilling and continuous learning will enable Lloyds Banking Group to “leap forward” together and build a future where AI enhances both the organisation and the experience it delivers to customers.