Leading the SAS Finance Analytics School for Students turned out to be much more than organizing lectures, it became a journey into how SAS shapes the future of finance, fraud prevention, and ethical AI. Here’s what truly surprised and inspired me along the way.
When I was challenged to lead the SAS Finance Analytics School for Students (SAS FAS4S), I thought I knew what to expect: a mix of guest lectures, panel discussions, and a few hands-on workshops. I was absolutely ready. But what I didn’t anticipate -what truly left me inspired- was just how profoundly SAS is shaping the finance industry.
Listening, Learning, and Leading
Coming from a sales background, I’ve always believed that listening is where true understanding begins. By listening to my Sales and Presales colleagues, I realized the best way to approach this initiative was to understand why our customers are so loyal to SAS and what SAS is giving to the finance industry in ways that inspire the next generation of professionals. And it wasn’t just finance. Around the same time, another group of students joined the Life Science Analytics Summer School, discovering how analytics and AI are transforming healthcare and pharmaceutical innovation. Together, these two summer schools became a shared journey of learning, collaboration, and curiosity across industries.
A glimpse into the depth of SAS’s Financial reach
During those three immersive days, I learned firsthand how SAS doesn’t just support analytics, it powers critical decisions that safeguard money, integrity, and trust.
Fraud fighting at scale
From banks to government institutions, SAS’s AI-driven systems continually detect fraudulent activity with precision. Real-time models help reduce fraud and false positives dramatically, enabling institutions to respond proactively to emerging threats.
Intelligent, transparent decisioning
Tools like SAS Viya allow institutions to monitor workflows with full governance and transparency, critical in regulated environments like banking and public agencies.
Revolutionizing risk and regulation
Through intelligent AI and risk modeling, SAS empowers banks to predict liquidity skews and market threats, protecting institutions and, ultimately, stakeholders.
Tax fraud detection: protecting public revenue
I was astonished to discover that government bodies use SAS Tax Compliance to catch tax evasion early, disrupting schemes before they spiral. Now that’s AI that matters.
Learning through experience, not just slides
Our students didn’t just hear about innovation, they lived it.
Highlights included:
- AI powering fraud prevention: In Ian Holmes’s session, students saw AI techniques designed for high-risk domains.
- Panel discussion: A great opportunity to meet SAS young talent and experienced professionals in the finance field.
- Enforcement & compliance challenges: Explored by Mihai and Alexandra, grounding discussions in real-world regulations.
- Public-sector modernization: Led by Cristina and Ana, showing how AI improves efficiency across tax and public finance.
- Finance operations deep dive: Clark Lawson demonstrated how analytics drive the daily work of a modern building society.
- From data to insights: Vasile’s methodical approach to the analytics lifecycle bridged theory and practice beautifully.
- Skill-Builder Roadmap: Introduced by André, outlining how to continue the fraud analytics journey.
- Visual Exploration: Louis showed how to visualize patterns emerging in financial data.
- Career Motivation: Glyn turned abstract concepts into career possibilities in finance analytics.
- Real Fraud Modeling: Facilitated by Nithin and Amir, perhaps the most engaging session. Students built dashboards and predictive models themselves, creating real insights and making data-driven decisions.
Why SAS’s role went beyond my expectations
I always knew SAS was a leader in analytics. But now I see that SAS is everywhere….
in the moves banks make, in the systems that fight fraud, in the software that powers modern finance, and in ethical innovation itself.
What’s Next, for me and for the Students
I return from this experience both humbled and energized. My goal now is to help students turn this journey into reality. The upcoming SAS Workshop for Students is another step forward, bridging insight and action through hands-on, fraud-focused modeling.
I’m also exploring the idea of launching a SAS Specialization in Finance, but that’s a challenge for 2026. Stay tuned!
Finally, if you were part of SAS FAS4S, or are simply curious about how analytics can transform your financial journey, know that there’s so much more to discover. Stay curious. Stay analytical. And above all, stay engaged.
Couldn’t join us live?
You can still dive into the key moments and insights anytime, on demand:
Let’s stay connected! If you have questions about SAS FAS4S or simply want to stay updated on upcoming initiatives and opportunities for students, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn.
