Sathishkumar Palanisamy started his process automation journey as robotic process automation (RPA) was emerging as an effective way to automate business processes. This new technology sparked his interest, and he began to explore a wide range of solutions within business process automation, cloud technologies, open-source platforms, enterprise architecture, and process improvement techniques.
This growing interest in automation and his training in enterprise architecture played a pivotal role in shaping his career which now entails creating hyperautomation strategies, reference architectures, and defining and enabling architectural frameworks.
"At Discover, I am able to drive the organization technology strategy and architecture to align with business objectives and foster scalable growth, largely through a focus on automation," says Sathishkumar.
Bringing together architecture and automation
As an Expert Enterprise Architect, Sathishkumar designs and implements end-to-end automation strategies across the enterprise using advanced technologies like machine learning, robotic process automation (RPA), business process management (BPM), model notations, and Intelligent document processing (IDP). These automation platforms use advanced technologies to streamline both simple and complex business processes, augment human capabilities, and drive seamless digital transformation across the organization.
As a result of his work, Discover technologists can focus more time on creating innovative technology that helps customers and less time on repetitive human tasks.
The future of automation is AI
Sathishkumar is excited about the way that AI is set to change the automation and architecture landscape, particularly through the ongoing research into Agentic AI and Process & AI Orchestration. These areas are at the forefront of transforming how financial services are automated and optimized.
Agentic AI, which focuses on autonomous decision-making capabilities, is currently in the research phase. This is designed to perform tasks with minimal human intervention, learning from real-time data and adapting its decisions to evolving circumstances—offering unparalleled efficiency and adaptability. In the fintech and payments sectors, this has the potential to revolutionize fraud detection, compliance, and personalized financial services.
"The integration of Agentic AI is particularly transformative, enabling autonomous systems to drive real-time decision-making and improve business agility. Coupled with open-source adoption and cloud-agnostic architectures, these advancements are reshaping the fintech landscape—creating more dynamic, future-proof ecosystems. Enterprise architecture is key to orchestrating these technologies, ensuring seamless integration across platforms, and driving next-gen innovation in fintech industry," says Sathishkumar.
Additionally, Process & AI Orchestration is actively being explored to seamlessly integrate various AI models, automation tools, and systems into a unified, intelligent workflow. The goal is to orchestrate complex, multi-step processes across platforms, enabling businesses to automate end-to-end operations while ensuring consistency and adaptability across dynamic environments.
While these technologies are still being researched, they hold immense promise for future-ready financial ecosystems, offering greater agility, improved customer experiences, and streamlined operations. This blend of cutting-edge research in Agentic AI and AI orchestration lays the foundation for a new wave of intelligent automation that will power the next generation of fintech innovations.
Enjoying life outside of work
When not working, Sathishkumar enjoys being outdoors--hiking, going on long drives, and embracing nature. He's a big fan of DIY home projects, always finding new ways to improve his space. He also enjoys spending time with friends and family.
He is actively engaged in working with the community and contributing towards the technology, automation and fintech industry by being a part of numerous organizations including the British Computer Society (BCS), The Chartered Institute for IT, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and Technology Business Management (TBM). He also serves as a Board Member and Ambassador for the Intelligent Automation Advisory Board Member and has volunteered as a judge at the Globee Awards. Sathishkumar enjoys speaking at conferences and sharing his knowledge with others.
