The AI team at bancon is built on decades of real-world experience.
Leon van Zyl, Tech Lead for AI, began his journey with a computer science degree and a front-end developer role at Standard Bank in 2007. He quickly moved into SAP Core Banking and later took on leadership roles at companies including Standard Bank and EY. “I’ve been coding since I was 12 years old,” Leon says. “Even while I worked in SAP environments, I was always tinkering with other technologies, including blockchain and, later, AI.”
Walter Norris, Enterprise Architect and Senior AI Advisor, has worked in SAP consulting throughout his career, which began in 1998. With a background in software development, he progressed through team leadership and enterprise architecture roles. He sold his own company to Izazi before it was acquired by EY, and now he’s back working alongside many of the same trusted colleagues. “I still consult directly with clients and help lead our South African operations. I also have a deep passion for software development methodology and am proud to help drive our AI vision forward.”
Keith Charlton leads Program Management and Product Innovation at bancon. He plays a key role in identifying which AI ideas are viable and ensuring they are implemented across client projects. Earlier in his career, he led the technology roadmap for business banking products and delivered predictive automation tools that dramatically improved operational efficiency. “The turning point in my career came during a proof-of-concept project where we cut two days of manual dashboard work down to two hours,” Keith explains. “That’s when I realised AI isn’t just a support tool, it can fundamentally transform how we work.”
This growing team of seasoned experts is working to ensure bancon’s use of AI is purposeful, integrated, and sustainable. “This isn’t a one-person operation. It’s about building an entire capability,” emphasises Walter.
According to the team, AI is reshaping the banking industry on multiple fronts and we’re only at the beginning. “We’re seeing a fundamental shift in how banks think, operate, and interact with customers,” Leon says.
First, there’s strategy. AI is equipping banks with real-time competitive intelligence, trend forecasting, and data analysis at scale. “We’re seeing the rise of ‘agentic systems’ - intelligent assistants that help banks make decisions, not just execute them,” Keith notes. “The future of banking is one where AI is seamlessly embedded across every layer of the business.”
Secondly, AI is accelerating how banks implement change internally. “Banks traditionally operate multiple complex systems. When market demands shift, they need to respond fast and that means making IT changes faster than ever before,” explains Walter. AI is enabling teams to automate documentation, speed up coding with co-pilots and enhance quality assurance with intelligent reviews. “It’s not just about working faster, it’s about working smarter with fewer mistakes.”
Finally, on the customer side, AI is pushing the boundaries of personalisation. Instead of segmenting customers into broad groups, banks are moving toward individualised, real-time experiences. “AI can analyse everything - from your transaction history to your life stage and proactively recommend the next best action, for example suggesting a retirement product if it notices you don’t have one,” Leon says. “It’s deeply personal, proactive banking.”
For Leon and the team, AI is not just a trend - it’s a practical tool to deliver smarter, faster, and more strategic results across the financial services industry.
One area where this is already delivering measurable impact is in S/4HANA transformation projects, where bancon’s AI solutions are helping clients shorten implementation timelines, improve documentation quality, and boost decision-making across teams.
bancon’s flagship solution in this space is Zara, an AI-powered co-pilot designed specifically for SAP S/4HANA transformation teams. “Zara is built to support project managers, developers, and analysts through every phase of an S/4HANA upgrade,” Leon explains. “It gives technically accurate answers to complex transformation questions by drawing on public documentation, conversion guides, and bancon’s internal knowledge base. As a result, teams are able to move faster and make better decisions—significantly increasing productivity throughout the project lifecycle.”
This internal knowledge base, which is regularly updated with lessons learned from past projects, is one of bancon’s biggest differentiators. “We’re not just building a tool that scrapes public documents - Zara is infused with bancon’s delivery intelligence. That’s our edge,” says Keith. “We’ve embedded organisational intelligence into a tool that delivers every day.”
What sets the solution apart is its learning loop. A dedicated review team monitors AI interactions, validating quality and updating source materials to improve responses over time. “It’s not static,” Walter says. “It’s constantly evolving based on real-world use and expert input. That’s what makes it so valuable.”
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