Core banking modernization is not about shiny new tech. It is about upgrading systems without breaking uptime, trust, or compliance. In this episode of TechDogs Discover Dialogues, Nikhil Sonawane speaks with Mike Stawchansky, EVP and CTO at Finastra, about practical modernization playbooks, AI in mission critical banking, and how to scale reliability across global engineering teams.Mike explains why modernization starts with measurement, why compliance needs to be built into the foundation, and why incremental change using the Strangler Fig approach beats big bang rewrites for core systems.We also discuss AI in banking, where it adds value today, why it should complement core systems rather than replace them, and why production automation still requires human checks and the four eyes principle.In this episode, we cover:• How to modernize legacy banking platforms without disruption by measuring what exists first • Why non-functional requirements must be explicit before migration or re-architecture • Compliance by design and how to make it difficult to do the wrong thing in production • Why big bang rewrites are risky for core banking and why Strangler Fig works better • Where to start modernization: user journey, adoption, and what actually improves customer outcomes • The modernization mistake many teams repeat: delaying tech debt until it becomes urgent • AI in mission critical banking: where it adds value, and why it cannot replace deterministic core systems • AI governance: where to draw the line on automation and why humans must stay in the loop • How global engineering teams stay aligned on reliability, delivery standards, and ownership • Reliability culture: breaking the “throw it over the wall” model across engineering, DevOps, and support • Leadership lessons for sustaining momentum during long transformation cyclesKey takeaways:• Measure first. Modernization should preserve or improve reliability, not reduce it. • Modernize incrementally. Strangler Fig reduces risk and builds trust through small wins. • AI complements core systems. Its probabilistic nature makes deterministic banking cores difficult to replace. • Keep checks in production. Treat AI like any engineer. Use validation and the four eyes principle. • Communication is the scaling factor. Clear, explicit communication and playback prevent misalignment in global teams. About the Guest:Mike Stawchansky is EVP and Chief Technology Officer at Finastra, where he leads technology strategy with a focus on product and infrastructure modernization and cloud transformations for mission critical financial services platforms. He brings deep experience across platform engineering, reliability, and large scale modernization, with a practical operating mindset focused on measurable baselines, shared accountability, and execution at scale.🔔 Subscribe to our channel now: https://tinyurl.com/TDYTSub🔔 Subscribe to stay ahead of enterprise tech trends: https://www.techdogs.com/newsletter 🌐 Visit us at: https://www.techdogs.com