A new year is all about new beginnings, as evidenced by our revamped web presence. However, the tidings aren't as glad for the financial industry in general and 2009 is already shaping up to be one of the toughest years we've ever faced.

It's pretty much agreed that things are going to get worse before they get better. The genie is now well and truly out of the bottle and the contagion is spreading rapidly. Moving on from its breeding ground in finance the recession is now biting hard elsewhere in the economy, with the high street and the auto industry also feeling the crunch.

Layoffs also look to be a big feature. While up to now these cuts have often hit bankers and traders, there are worrying signs that IT departments could be next in line for pruning. UK bank Barclays recently announced the termination of 400 technology staff, a development that will have many IT professionals looking nervously over their shoulders.

But it is important that we don't get overly disheartened. It is an undeniable fact that technology is far too important to the modern financial services industry to be completely neglected. Quite the contrary, IT is going to be integral if the business is going to emerge from its current malaise fit to face the future. If you want to be wildly optimistic, you could even look at our current situation as an opportunity. Times of great hardship can act as a crucible for progress, concentrating minds and pushing the best people on to greater achievements.

The major lesson of last year was to expect the unexpected, and that certainly looks set to hold true for 2009. What do you think we're going to be talking about in six months' time? What's worrying you and where are you going to be concentrating your efforts? Let us know, and we'll do our best to address your concerns.