Kelly Dearwester

Executive Board Member CoComply.ai

Kelly Dearwester is a seasoned technology and data executive with over 20 of experience and has worked across large scale (JP Morgan) and regional banks (Old National). He is known for his proven ability and thought leadership to guide organizations through complex integrations, regulatory demands, and technology modernization all while linking pragmatic technology investment directly with business performance. As a recognized voice in the field and trusted advisor, he is on multiple technology/data boards and speaks at Banking and Technology conferences on topics including Data Operating Models, Analytics, Data Governance, Engineering, and AI Organization Transformation.

✔ Proven banking growth impact Drove 3× organizational growth, record EPS, and expanded franchise value through data-enabled capital allocation, pricing, and risk insights.
✔ Regulatory excellence Delivered a zero-finding OCC exam and built governance that accelerates value vs. slowing delivery.
✔ Digital + AI modernization leader Cut CECL/ACL reporting time 35%, self-funded Salesforce automation improvements, and scaled analytics across 200+ systems.
✔ Global transformation & operational rigor Managed $500M+ portfolios, integrated 160+ assets into cloud platforms, and drove 20–75% efficiency improvements.
✔ Culture-forward leadership Creates empowered, business-aligned teams that elevate talent and drive rapid adoption.
✔ Purpose-aligned A veteran and community-rooted leader, deeply aligned with relationship banking values.

Day 1 Wednesday, April 22, 2026

5:00 PM Panel: Monitoring the Agents - Security, Access Management, and Compliance for Autonomous AI

Autonomous AI agents are increasingly being granted system access akin to human employees, creating a profound new layer of security and enterprise risk that most organizations are still struggling to manage. This session provides insiders' views on setting robust security frameworks and compliance standards, addressing the complexity of governing AI adoption that cannot be centrally controlled due to embedded vendor tools. Our panelists will detail the unique challenges posed by agent access—including defining authorization thresholds, managing access lifecycles, and implementing continuous monitoring to prevent data exposure and bad decisions. Attendees will learn essential processes required to balance rapid AI innovation against severe regulatory and security liabilities, moving past conceptual fears to establish clear, auditable governance rails for agentic capabilities.

Implement distinct authorization and access management practices for AI agents
Establish strong AI governance capabilities that integrate tightly with model risk management (MRM)
Develop a current, comprehensive AI policy that clearly references existing privacy, cyber, and regulatory obligations
Define clear security and monitoring metrics for AI agents

Check out the incredible speaker line-up to see who will be joining Kelly.

Download The Latest Agenda