Chuggin Financial Group Wins Special Award (Regional Contribution) at FDUA Awards 2026

Chuggin Financial Group (Okayama City, President Sadanori Kato) is pleased to announce that it has received the 'Special Award (Regional Contribution)' at the FDUA Awards 2026, hosted by the Financial Data Utilization Promotion Council (FDUA). This award recognizes financial institutions for their outstanding data utilization initiatives.

In line with the Chuggin DX Strategy formulated in May 2024, the company will continue to actively utilize data and AI to build a system capable of making optimal proposals tailored to each customer's needs and timing. By returning these benefits to the region, the group aims to contribute to the sustainable development of local communities.

[About the FDUA Awards]
A system that selects and honors companies that are practicing exemplary activities in the promotion of financial data utilization.

1. Award Details
Award Name: Special Award (Regional Contribution)
Initiative Name: Promotion of Regional Financial DX through Company-wide Data Infrastructure Development Centered on CRM

2. Judge's Comments (Excerpt)
The judges praised the steady promotion of company-wide data-driven management, starting from the sales planning domain, with data infrastructure development centered on CRM and human resource development as two core pillars. The design of a cross-departmental decision-making structure and the implementation of customer-oriented planning and non-face-to-face channel utilization were recognized as exemplary initiatives for regional financial institutions.

3. Our Group's Data and AI Utilization Initiatives
The group has been advancing the sophistication of sales and marketing using data, aiming to provide optimal services and proposals tailored to the life stages and needs of each customer in the region. Leveraging the knowledge gained from data and AI utilization, the group is also working on company-wide business process transformation (DX). Specifically, the group is building a data utilization framework as follows:
- Data Infrastructure Development and Advanced Analysis: Implementing data analysis platforms (SAS Viya, Snowflake, etc.) and expanding non-face-to-face customer touchpoints (apps, email, etc.). The group is also aggregating and visualizing data scattered within the bank and conducting advanced customer analysis and needs prediction using AI to realize personalized guidance for each customer.
- Human Resource Development for Data Utilization: Aiming to improve the digital skills of all employees and promote organizational transformation towards data-driven decision-making. Additionally, the group is expanding the number of personnel capable of advanced data analysis.
- Cross-departmental Collaboration: Exploring a transition to an organization where departments with specialized knowledge can collaborate cross-functionally to create greater value.
- Effect Verification and Improvement: Establishing a system that allows for continuous improvement and the planning of better products and services, rather than treating initiatives as one-off measures.

The group views this award as recognition of its customer-centric value provision efforts and the continuous practice of data utilization that supports them.

Going forward, the group will further enhance its data and AI utilization to improve the value provided to customers and contribute to the sustainable development of local communities.

[About the Chuggin DX Strategy]
The group formulated its DX strategy in May 2024, aiming to co-create a prosperous future with the region and its customers through the use of digital infrastructure and collaboration with co-creation partners. A key theme is the advancement of operations through data utilization. By developing digital infrastructure, the group is working to realize a 'high-speed utilization cycle' that consistently supports everything from problem discovery to the verification of measure effectiveness with data.