--- title: "Outlook 2017: Debra Walton, Thomson Reuters" description: The introduction of disruptive technology does not mean firms have to abandon their legacy businesses. image: https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/borsa-italiana-focuses-on-derivatives-innovation-May-12-2022-09-33-17-59-AM.jpg --- ![websites-group](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/MarketsMedia_August2021/images/new-MMG-01.svg) [![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/MarketsMedia_August2021/images/dropdown-new-marketsmedia-logo.svg)](https://www.marketsmedia.com/) [![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/MarketsMedia_August2021/images/dropdown-menu-traders-redlogo.svg)](https://www.tradersmagazine.com/) [![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/MarketsMedia_August2021/images/dropdown-menu-bestexe-logo.svg)](https://www.bestexecution.net/) [![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/MarketsMedia_August2021/images/dropdown-menu-fidesk-logo.svg)](https://www.fixglobal.com/) [![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/MarketsMedia_August2021/images/dropdown-fixglobal-new-logo.svg)](https://www.fixglobal.com/) - [*Facebook*](https://www.facebook.com/MarketsMedia/) - [*Twitter*](https://twitter.com/marketsmedia) - [*Linkedin*](https://www.linkedin.com/company/markets-media-llc) - [Newsletter](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/outlook-2017-debra-walton-thomson-reuters#popup-newsletter) #### Want the latest news on securities markets -- FREE? Sign up to receive exclusive articles on topics including: - Equity market structure - Profiles of buy-side investment firms - The evolution of multi-asset-class trading - Regulation and its implications for markets - The search for liquidity in fixed income markets - The convergence of fintech and capital markets Select one or more newsletters you would like to receive: menu [![Markerts media](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/MarketsMedia_August2021/images/header%20logo.svg "Markerts media")](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/) - [Daily Email Feature](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/tag/daily-email-feature) - Daily Email Feature - Outlook 2017: Debra Walton, Thomson Reuters Search - [Home](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/) - [Trending](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/tag/trending) - [Featured](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/tag/daily-email-feature) - [Sectors](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/tag/sectors) - [From The Markets](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/tag/from-the-markets) - [AWARDS](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/tag/events) - [Newsletter](https://awards.marketsmedia.com/newsletter-sign-up) - [Newsletter](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/outlook-2017-debra-walton-thomson-reuters#popup-newsletter) Hide search Search - NewsLetter ![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/trading-up-occ-iex-select-board-members-citadel-lands-lieblich-573x379-Jul-07-2022-09-34-11-57-AM.jpg) [ON THE MOVE: Citi Hires Artie Ambrose;...](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/on-the-move-citi-hires-artie-ambrose-natalie-a-brown-to-mesirow) ![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Depositphotos_445735906_L.jpg) [Trading Adapts to ESG and Sustainable...](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/trading-adapts-to-esg-and-sustainable-investing) ![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/iStock-917493152-Jul-07-2022-09-34-19-09-AM.jpg) [Focus on FX Execution Connectivity](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/focus-on-fx-execution-connectivity) ![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Depositphotos_333839538_L.jpg) [TRACE Turns 20](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/trace-turns-20) 01.02.2017 By Rob Daly Daily Email Feature # Outlook 2017: Debra Walton, Thomson Reuters 01.02.2017 By Rob Daly ![Outlook 2017: Debra Walton, Thomson Reuters](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/borsa-italiana-focuses-on-derivatives-innovation-May-12-2022-09-33-17-59-AM.jpg) [Share](https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://articles.marketsmedia.com/outlook-2017-debra-walton-thomson-reuters) [Tweet](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=US+ETFs+Have+Record+Net+Inflows&url=https://articles.marketsmedia.com/outlook-2017-debra-walton-thomson-reuters) [Share](https://www.linkedin.com/cws/share?url=https://articles.marketsmedia.com/outlook-2017-debra-walton-thomson-reuters) This entry is part 16 in the series [Outlook 2017](https://www.marketsmedia.com/series/outlook-2017/)   *Debra Walton is global managing director, customer proposition at Thomson Reuters Financial and Risk.* **What is the most important lesson of 2016?** I think the overriding lesson this year was to expect the unexpected, and realize that technology will enable increasingly rapid cycles of disruption. For me, disruption is a radical form of change that occurs not just when a new technology arrives on the scene or when a visionary sees potential in it to reinvent or reshape an existing business, but when those who feel the pressures of disruption begin to disrupt themselves. You see it happening at some of the top tech companies, and it won’t be long before other sectors join the trend. The biggest disruption in finance is coming on two fronts: digital currency and financial technology, or fintech. Bitcoin, once seemingly a fringe approach to transferring money, is now seen as a disruptive force that banks may eventually widely use, especially in conjunction with blockchain or distributed ledger technology. Meanwhile, fintech firms are paving new ground in mobile payments, peer-to-peer lending (which seeks to disintermediate the banks), and crowdfunding, in which individuals can fund startups and potentially reap rewards. Banks will need to meet these new market forces head-on and counter with their own offerings or with strategic deals. Many are launching in-house incubators to stay on the forefront of new trends. ![Debra Walton,Thomson Reuters](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) Debra Walton, Thomson Reuters Large banks have strong legacy businesses that are valuable to millions of customers and which won’t easily be displaced. But in today’s landscape, these institutions need to change their mindset to gain some of the agility and nimbleness of startups in order to meet new customer demands. They can do so by breaking down silos, increasing transparency and the flow of data, and looking squarely at the future. Instead of feeling encumbered by their size, firms need to take advantage of it by operating as platform companies and embracing partnerships, even with rivals. In other words, banks don’t need to abandon their legacy businesses and customers, but they do need to pay close attention to shifts in the financial space so that they can begin to anticipate change instead of being forced to react to it. Thomson Reuters has been a platform company for some time (we consider ourselves one of the world’s oldest fintechs), as have some of our peers. Our embrace of open data and our effort to build a world-class partnership network will allow us to offer financial services firms the widest possible variety of tools—including data, analytics, and apps—to help them stay ahead of disruption, and perhaps become disrupters themselves. [Share](https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://articles.marketsmedia.com/outlook-2017-debra-walton-thomson-reuters) [Tweet](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=US+ETFs+Have+Record+Net+Inflows&url=https://articles.marketsmedia.com/outlook-2017-debra-walton-thomson-reuters) [Share](https://www.linkedin.com/cws/share?url=https://articles.marketsmedia.com/outlook-2017-debra-walton-thomson-reuters) ![email](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/Markets%20Media/email.svg) ### NEWSLETTER SIGN UP And receive exclusive articles on securities markets ### Related articles 1. [![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/EMCA-WINNERS.jpeg?width=376&height=250&name=EMCA-WINNERS.jpeg)](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/european-markets-choice-awards-2022-the-winners) Latest News ## [European Markets Choice Awards 2022 – The Winners](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/european-markets-choice-awards-2022-the-winners) On 5 June Markets Media held its first in person European Markets Choice Awards event in London. 07.06.2022 By Markets Media 2. [![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/trading-up-occ-iex-select-board-members-citadel-lands-lieblich-573x379-Jul-07-2022-09-34-11-57-AM.jpg?width=376&height=250&name=trading-up-occ-iex-select-board-members-citadel-lands-lieblich-573x379-Jul-07-2022-09-34-11-57-AM.jpg)](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/on-the-move-citi-hires-artie-ambrose-natalie-a-brown-to-mesirow) Daily Email Feature ## [ON THE MOVE: Citi Hires Artie Ambrose; Natalie A. Brown to Mesirow](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/on-the-move-citi-hires-artie-ambrose-natalie-a-brown-to-mesirow) The weekly recap of new hires, promotions and job changes in capital markets trading and technology. 07.05.2022 By Anna Lyudvig, Traders Magazine 3. [![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/339299_345359258874293_1089957387_o.jpg?width=376&height=250&name=339299_345359258874293_1089957387_o.jpg)](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/summer-trading-2012-10-years-on) Latest News ## [Summer Trading 2012, 10 Years On](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/summer-trading-2012-10-years-on) A look back at a Markets Media event from a decade ago. 07.05.2022 By Traders Magazine [![MarketsMedia](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/MarketsMedia.svg "MarketsMedia")](http://marketsmedia.com) - [About us](https://www.marketsmedia.com/about-us) - [Careers](https://www.marketsmediagroup.com/careers) - [Contact](https://www.marketsmediagroup.com/contact) - [Advertise](https://www.marketsmediagroup.com/advertise) - [Newsletter](https://awards.marketsmedia.com/newsletter-sign-up) - [Corporate Site](https://marketsmediagroup.com) - © 2026 Markets Media Holdings LLC - - Terms & Conditions - Privacy Policy {{ standard\_footer\_includes }}