- Germany's leading information services provider.
- Manages data on 6M companies, 68M individuals.
- Prioritizes human-validated data over AI for core scores.
- Views strict regulation as a catalyst for innovation.
Josephine Ackerman, CMO and Head of Strategy at Shufa, shared insights into the company's foundational role in Germany's data landscape and its forward-thinking approach to technological advancements and regulatory changes. Speaking at CEX Mind the Tech Berlin, Ackerman detailed how Shufa, with a century of experience, continues to evolve while maintaining its commitment to objective data and privacy.
Shufa stands as Germany's premier information services provider, housing critical data on approximately six million companies and 68 million individuals. This vast repository underpins essential services across diverse sectors, including banking, telecommunications, online retail, and housing, primarily for creditworthiness assessments, fraud prevention, and KYC (Know Your Customer) processes. Ackerman emphasized Shufa's role in providing reliable, validated information that industries depend on for crucial decision-making.
In an era dominated by AI discussions, Shufa maintains a distinctive stance on its integration. Ackerman clarified that while AI is leveraged internally for process efficiency, it is deliberately excluded from the company's core base score creation. This decision stems from a deep commitment to transparency, objectivity, and the avoidance of bias. Shufa relies on its proprietary database of objective, validated information and proven statistical methods, ensuring that its credit scores remain unbiased and explainable, a critical factor in sensitive financial assessments.
Looking ahead, Ackerman highlighted Shufa's proactive and positive outlook on impending European regulatory changes. Rather than perceiving regulation as a threat, Shufa embraces it as an opportunity. With a 100-year history, the company positions itself as a reliable partner, developing solutions that help clients achieve compliance effectively. Ackerman underscored that well-defined, precise regulations are not impediments but rather catalysts for innovation, enabling companies to design better solutions from the ground up and even forge unique selling propositions around compliance.
“We see regulation always as an opportunity and not a threat.”
- Josephine Ackerman, CMO and head of strategy and private clients at SCHUFA Holding
