The SIBOS Blog

Nov 16, 2021

From Swift to Sloth

I had a fascinating conversation the other day, and shouldn’t share it here but hey, it’s my blog. I was talking about my understanding of SWIFT and how Yawar Shah, Chair of the Association, is killing it. I must admit, it had not occurred to me re the politics of SWIFT, until that discussion, as…

Feb 11, 2021

The start-up I should have started

Fintech

I often feel bad for not having started a FinTech start-up myself. It’s not that I haven’t thought about it or had the ideas, it’s more to do with that I like to talk and write rather than do anything. Those who can’t, teach! Nevertheless, it’s not like I haven’t started businesses – the Financial…

Aug 31, 2017

What makes DBS different?

Case Studies

I just had a whirlwind visit to Indonesia to support DBS in the rollout of their digibank service there. It was a very short visit, but a packed evening of presentations and discussions. Part of the time was spent with Piyush Gupta, the CEO, who I’ve been watching for some time now. Piyush has surrounded…

Oct 13, 2015

#Sibos #Innotribe’s Future of Money Debate: A Burning Platform or Co-operatition?

Although I'm missing this year's SIBOS, I'm grateful to FSClub sponsor VocaLink for providing this summary of the session I would usually co-moderate: The Innotribe session next up at 11am on Day 1 of Sibos 2015 addressed the ‘Future of Money’. It examined if banks are sitting on a burning platform that will be disrupted…

Oct 12, 2015

Missing #Sibos #Innotribe

This is a tough week. I’ve been involved with two banking tradeshows for a long time: SWIFT’s SIBOS and BAI’s Retail Delivery. They’re both great events, and I normally attend both, as they’re usually in different weeks. This year, for the first time in my memory, they’re in the same week! And, to the point,…

Sep 22, 2015

The Finanser Interviews: Gottfried Leibbrandt, Chief Executive Officer, SWIFT

This week the Finanser talks with Gottfried Leibbrandt, CEO of SWIFT about cryptocurrencies, bitcoin, Ripple and all things blockchain. How do you see value exchange on the internet changing the game for banks and for infrastructures like SWIFT? Let’s take a step back so that I can give you my overall perspective. I always like to…

Nov 14, 2014

Will Bitcoin replace SWIFT?

So I made a slightly provocative comment, as it turned out, during my keynote at PaymentsNZ. It was picked up and referenced by Richard Meadows in yesterday’s article: “[Skinner] said the coding behind virtual currency Bitcoin could also prove to be enormously transformational, potentially even replacing the SWIFTnetwork for inter-bank payments”. This created a lot…

Oct 10, 2014

The importance of cryptocurrencies and the blockchain to banks (and everyone)

We had a revival of the Innotribe from SIBOS on Monday, by gathering the great and the good to discuss cryptocurrencies at the Escalator, an incubator for new fintech start-ups in East London run by Barclays Bank (if you want a primer on this, see Learn Cryptography). The session was led by Richard Brown, Executive…

Oct 7, 2014

Suits or jeans, canapés or pizzas? The fintech shuffle moves on …

I had a realisation over the past two weeks of conferences. Having attended Finovate, SIBOS, Innotribe, a Financial Services Club meeting on cryptocurrencies and several dinners with bankers, we are at an impasse. It’s the meeting of two tribes, and the tribes do not mix well. One tribe is full of suits, fine wines, Michelin-star…

Oct 5, 2014

The Finanser’s Week at #SIBOS: 29th September – 5th October 2014

Here are the blog entries in sequence from the start to the end of the week at #SIBOS #innotribe … Before the madness begins [#SIBOS #SIBOS2014 #Innotribe] So here we all are, descending on Boston's seaport area for SIBOS 2014. It seems strange to arrive here and be greeted by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse*…