On 30 October 2025, industry leaders gathered at the Sheraton Hotel, Petaling Jaya, for INFOPRO’s executive forum, Strategic Credit Management: From Core Principles to AI Innovation. The half-day program brought together bankers, technologists, and risk experts to explore how AI credit scoring, consent-based data, and secure APIs are reshaping credit management across Southeast Asia, setting the stage for the evolving landscape of Open Finance Malaysia.
Why this forum felt different
From the first session, the tone was practical. We looked at how consented bank data, combined with a few well-chosen alternative signals, gives a fuller view of income, cash flow, and early risk. The focus was not on collecting more data but on using better data with clear rules and simple controls. The result is how AI credit scoring becomes truly reliable for customers, regulators, and internal teams.
Security and compliance were seamlessly integrated into every conversation, not a final checkbox. Presenters showed how encryption, logging, role-based access, and audit trails can sit inside day-to-day workflows. When controls are built in, product teams can move faster without losing trust. In summary, governance transforms from a barrier to a path of guidance.
The walk-through
1. The stage was filled with voices.
Our speakers included Chong Eng Kok and Desmond Ng from INFOPRO, Mike Dickinson from Brankas, Jeffrey Pinto from Acronis, Zahid Din from LSEG, Roslan Rais from INFOPRO, and Ruban Bala on digital trust and cyber risk. Each session built on the last, charting a clear path: Start small. Prove value with one use case. Then scale with controls that are simple to follow.
2. What Mike from Brankas shared.
Mike illuminated how Open Finance and alternative data can help lenders grow with control. He positioned Open Finance as the crucial bridge that turns raw data into actionable intelligence for lending. He outlined three clear areas. First, product improvement, where verified data helps design offers that fit real needs and reach the market faster. This includes using verified bank account data for real-time income and affordability checks, moving beyond traditional payslips. Second, using both internal and external data to create insights that support inclusion and better risk control. Third, user acquisition and engagement, where clean APIs remove friction in digital channels and improve conversion. These points are linked directly to our push for digital lending workflows that are fast, auditable, and kind to the customer.
3. AI in real life.
We then moved from theory to actionable steps, showcasing how AI delivers measurable impact. Eng Kok Chong of INFOPRO framed this as “The End of Guesswork,” where AI enables predictive and profitable credit decisions. The session provided a clear blueprint for implementation:
- Document AI in Action (APT-Doc): INFOPRO’s APT-Doc was highlighted as a key solution, revolutionizing document processing by replacing hours of manual checks for financial statements, IDs, and payslips with intelligent, AI-driven validation. In pilot programs, this has saved up to 70% of costs, cut processing time by up to 80%, and achieved over 95% accuracy.
- AI-Driven Decisioning (APT-Decision): The conversation then shifted to APT-Decision, which uses advanced AI to analyse various data sources, like behaviour patterns and other types of information, to get a complete view of This helps lenders unlock new opportunities by identifying creditworthy applicants often missed by traditional systems. Crucially, it provides transparent and compliant decisions with clear explanations, ensuring regulators and customers can trust the outcome.
- INFOPRO’s vision of an “Intelligent Credit Ecosystem” emphasized the power of integrating these tools. They create a seamless flow from data collection to intelligent action by combining their core SYNERGi platform with the AI-powered APT Suite. This transformation across the credit value chain ensures not only faster, more accurate decisions but also enhanced regulatory adherence and significant cost savings.
4. Security and trust in an era of AI-powered threats.
Jeffrey Pinto from Acronis highlighted that ransomware cases are soaring, with a nearly 70% increase in public victims in H1 2025. He detailed how AI is now a weapon for criminals, from North Korean operatives using deepfakes for infiltration to AI model vulnerabilities leaking sensitive data. Additionally, Acronis and our risk leads demonstrated how privacy and policy controls can make the journey feel safe without slowing it down. Customers witness the careful handling of their data. Auditors find evidence without hunting for it. Product teams keep momentum because security sits in every step of the build.
5. Human plus machine.
The engaging panel skilfully brought the threads together. Automate the high-volume, repeatable decisions. Assign people to handle the complex cases where context is important. This balance protects customers, supports staff, and keeps the portfolio healthy.
A Landmark Partnership to Accelerate Progress
A key highlight of the forum was when INFOPRO signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Brankas. Brankas brings strong Open Finance rails that provide the consented, verified data foundation essential for reliable AI scoring. INFOPRO brings its proven AI-driven analytics and deep banking experience. Together we aim to help banks modernize lending with better insights, quicker decisions, and more personal products. The partnership is a significant step forward for Open Finance in Malaysia, where the market is moving toward shared standards for consent, data protection, and API use. The news was further amplified by coverage in Fintech News Network—Malaysia and Philippines, Startup Rise – Asia News, and UpTech Media, underscoring the industry’s keen interest.
What delegates shared with us the key takeaways they are bringing back.
- Choose affordability over averages. Use Open Finance-powered cash-flow views and verified income to widen access while keeping losses in oversight.
- Treat models like products. Version them, monitor them, and make them understandable so people can trust the outcome.
- Make security part of the experience. Keep customers safe without adding heavy steps.
- Pick APIs that do the work. Leverage Open Finance APIs for standardized, consented data access, turning messy tasks into clean, auditable digital lending workflows from onboarding to collections.
Why does it matter now?
Open Finance Malaysia is moving from policy to everyday practice. Lenders that connect consented data with clear AI credit scoring, automate routine steps, and keep expert judgment for complex cases will move faster and serve customers better. That core belief ran through the whole forum and is the driving force behind our work with Brankas.
Explore the partnership at Brankas.
Read the coverage at Fintech News Network.
Read the coverage at Startup Rise – Asia News.
Read the coverage at UpTech Media.