Open Source in Finance Forum London 2026

The FINOS Distinguished Engineer (DE) Special Interest Group is a growing community with a clear mission: to develop and provide senior engineering leadership for socially impactful work and to support FINOS projects with experienced talent. Now progressing toward promotion into the main FINOS GitHub organisation, the DE SIG is shaping how Distinguished Engineers collaborate, learn and lead across financial services.

This panel brings together contributors who have been central to its early development. Peter Suggitt (NatWest Group) brings deep experience in engineering and transformation; Li Qun Taylor (NatWest Group) shares senior leadership insights on career progression and building inclusive pathways in technology; Anthony Kesterton (Red Hat) brings strategic expertise in complex enterprise‑scale challenges; Peter Thomas (Deutsche Bank) shares reflections on the DE SIG’s origins, early progress and how this relates to Distinguished Engineering at Deutsche Bank; and Mark Brotherwood (Davies), DE SIG founder, shares the vision behind its growth. le challenges; and Mark Brotherwood (Davies), DE SIG founder, shares the vision behind its growth. 

Hosted by Pooi Ling Cheong (NatWest Open-Source Program Office), the session will explore how the DE SIG fosters an open, supportive environment for senior engineers and aspiring DEs, broadens representation and contributes to socially impactful work. Attendees will gain practical ways to engage, grow and help shape this emerging community of senior engineering leads.