Geert van Kerckhoven Interviewed by Handelsblatt - Q3 2025

"Digital processes offer numerous advantages, but they also only serve specific target groups"

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In a recent interview with Handelsblatt, our CEO and Co-Founder Geert van Kerckhoven explored how we see the future of digital mortgage processes and the role of artificial intelligence in banking. Speaking about the rapid shift to digital, he emphasized that while technology brings clear efficiency and usability gains, it does not fully replace human advice in every situation—especially in complex, emotionally charged, or highly individualized cases.

Geert underlined that digital workflows and AI-driven tools are particularly powerful for streamlining document checks and improving the overall customer experience. As he put it, “digital processes have many advantages, but they only serve certain target groups,” and “humans still have an important role when it comes to subsidies, renovations and trust.” In other words, our approach is not “AI instead of people,” but “AI and people together”: we use technology to handle repetitive, error-prone steps so that advisors can focus on nuanced conversations, long-term planning, and building trust with borrowers.

The conversation positions Oper as a partner for banks that want to combine cutting-edge digital capabilities with the human expertise their customers still value. It reflects our core belief that the best mortgage journeys are both intelligent and personal: powered by AI in the background, guided by people where it matters most.

Listen to the interview in German