Navigating the shifting sands of geopolitical developments and trade flows

Impact of US-China tensions on global trade routes and financial market integration - The rise of economic nationalism and tariffs and their implications for cross-border capital flows - Emerging trade corridors: Africa-Asia, Middle East-Europe, and Latin America connections - How geopolitical fragmentation is reshaping supply chains and investment strategies - The role of financial centres in facilitating trade finance amid political uncertainty - Sanctions regimes and their effect on international banking and payment systems - Opportunities for neutral financial hubs to bridge divided economic blocs - Managing currency volatility in an increasingly fragmented global economy

Outlook for the global economy 

Competition vs. collaboration between global financial centres to create economic growth

Comparative advantages of financial hubs - How regulatory frameworks and tax policies influence competitiveness - The balance between attracting business and maintaining robust regulatory standards - Collaborative initiatives: cross-border listings, mutual recognition agreements, and data sharing - The role of time zones and geographic positioning in serving global markets - Talent mobility and immigration policies as competitive differentiators - Infrastructure investment and technology adoption in different financial centres - Can competition drive innovation while collaboration ensures systemic stability?

Towards smart regulation: getting the balance right between risk and growth 

The US regulatory reset: implications for global financial services 

Overview of anticipated regulatory changes under the current US administration - Potential rollback or revision of Dodd-Frank provisions and capital requirements - Impact on international banks operating in the US market - Changes to securities regulation and their effect on capital raising and IPOs -The future of crypto regulation in the US and global spillover effects - How US regulatory shifts influence global regulatory convergence or divergence - Opportunities for non-US financial centres to attract business amid US policy changes - Managing compliance complexity for institutions operating across multiple jurisdictions

The future of climate finance: navigating the crosscurrents 

Climate change as a financial risk to the financial services industry - How should financial institutions manage their physical and transition risks? – Identifying and quantifying the economic impact of climate change on investment and loan portfolios - The latest developments in global and national regulation - Best practice disclosure - Reputational risks and opportunities – Impact of the anti-ESG movement and cost-of-living crisis on public and political priorities on net zero - Should fossil fuel extraction still be financed? - Which other activities should or should not be financed and why? - How should financial institutions navigate these powerful crosscurrents? - Is climate risk a systemic risk?

Themed lunch areas:

• Banking: capital, new entrants, technology and culture 
• Asset management: private markets, wealth management and sustainable investing
• Insurance: climate, AI and cyber risks
• Pitch stage open with series of short fintech pitches   

Themed lunch areas:

• Banking: capital, new entrants, technology and culture 
• Asset management: private markets, wealth management and sustainable investing
• Insurance: climate, AI and cyber risks
• Pitch stage open with series of short fintech pitches   

The European Capital Markets Union – Can progress be accelerated? 

The ongoing reform of the UK’s capital markets: is it on track to succeed?

The 'Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy' - Impact so far of the Edinburgh, UK Listing Rules, Mansion House  and short selling reforms - Developing a retail equity investment culture in the UK – Encouraging greater pension fund investment in the UK market – The role of PISCES in nurturing a pipeline of high-growth companies - Improvements to market structure: electronic trading, algorithmic strategies, T+1 and dematerialisation – Current and future reforms: a consolidated tape for bonds, the new prospectus regime and reviews of investor classification and securitisation rules - How will the UK stack up against its competitors once all these reforms are in place?

The explosive growth in private markets – opportunities and potential challenges 

Drivers of growth: low interest rates, search for yield, and diversification -The expansion of private equity, private credit, venture capital, and infrastructure funds - Valuation challenges and the lack of mark-to-market transparency in private assets - Liquidity considerations for investors and the development of secondary markets - Regulatory scrutiny of private markets: leverage, investor protection, and systemic risk - The democratisation debate: should retail investors have access to private markets? - Fee structures and alignment of interests between fund managers and investors - The role of private capital in financing innovation, growth companies, and the energy transition

Climate, nature and biodiversity: where next for market-based solutions? 

Pitch stage open with series of short fintech pitches 

International M&A: drivers, hot sectors and trends in acquisition finance 

Key drivers in global M&A in the current economic and political environment - How do these differ between the public and private markets? The latest regulatory developments, including merger control, the Takeover Code and the NSIA (and its international equivalents) - The increasingly important role of private equity and private credit in M&A - Hot sectors beyond Tech and AI - Latest trends in public to private transactions including the regulatory treatment of stub equity - The increasing importance of shareholders in the deal dynamic and the developing role of stewardship - The use of AI to streamline the dealmaking process - Exit strategies from portfolio companies: trade sales vs IPO

Financing the climate transition – London’s role as the global centre for transition finance 

The scale of investment needed to achieve net-zero targets globally - London's strengths: deep capital markets, expertise in green finance, and regulatory leadership - Transition finance vs. green finance: supporting high-emitting sectors on the path to decarbonisation - Development of transition taxonomies and credible transition plans - Blended finance models combining public and private capital - The role of development finance institutions and multilateral banks - Innovation in financial instruments: sustainability-linked bonds, transition bonds, and climate funds - Addressing the just transition: social considerations in climate financing 

The Bank of England’s approach to innovation in digital assets and payments 

The evolving international approach to the regulation of cryptoassets

Comparative regulatory frameworks: EU's MiCA, UK's approach, US fragmented regulation, and Asia-Pacific models - Key regulatory challenges: classification, custody, market abuse, and consumer protection - The debate over principles-based vs. prescriptive regulation for crypto - Licensing and registration requirements for crypto exchanges and service providers - Anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) in crypto transactions - Cross-border regulatory cooperation and the challenge of jurisdictional arbitrage - The impact of regulation on innovation and the location decisions of crypto firms - Lessons from regulatory enforcement actions and market failures 

Realising the potential of tokenisation for real world assets (RWA) 

Asset classes suitable for tokenisation: real estate, private equity, commodities, and debt instruments - Benefits: fractional ownership, enhanced liquidity, transparency, and reduced intermediation costs - Technical infrastructure: blockchain platforms, smart contracts, and custody solutions - Legal and regulatory considerations: property rights, securities law, and cross-border recognition - Market developments: pilot projects, institutional adoption, and infrastructure providers - Challenges to scaling: standardisation, interoperability, and market acceptance - The potential for tokenisation to democratise access to alternative investments 

Project Crypto: Leading America’s Future in Digital Asset Innovation 

Pitch stage open with series of short fintech pitches 

The future of money: stablecoins, tokenised deposits, CBDCs and the latest payment innovations

The stablecoin landscape: types, use cases, and regulatory frameworks - Tokenised deposits vs. stablecoins: differences, advantages, and institutional adoption - Central Bank Digital Currencies: design choices, pilot programmes, and implementation timelines - Cross-border payment innovations: reducing costs, increasing speed, and improving accessibility - The role of DLT in modernising payment infrastructure - Competition and collaboration between traditional payment systems and crypto-based alternatives - Privacy, security, and financial inclusion considerations in digital money - How will the coexistence of multiple forms of digital money reshape the financial system? 

What is next? 2030 Vision 

Mainstreaming digital assets: do they meet the requirements of institutional investors? 

Institutional investor perspectives: risk-return profile, portfolio diversification, and strategic allocation - Infrastructure requirements: custody, trading, settlement, and reporting - Regulatory and compliance considerations for institutional participation - Volatility, liquidity, and market maturity concerns - The role of digital assets in asset allocation frameworks and investment mandates - Fiduciary duties and the treatment of crypto in pension and endowment portfolios - Case studies of institutional adoption: successes, challenges, and lessons learned - The path forward: what needs to change for broader institutional acceptance? 

Themed lunch areas:

• Banking: capital, new entrants, technology and culture
• Asset management: private markets, wealth management and sustainable investing
• Insurance: climate, AI and cyber risks
• Pitch stage open with series of short fintech pitches   

Themed lunch areas:

• Banking: capital, new entrants, technology and culture
• Asset management: private markets, wealth management and sustainable investing
• Insurance: climate, AI and cyber risks
• Pitch stage open with series of short fintech pitches   

AI in financial services: From hype to implementation 

Current applications of AI: fraud detection, credit scoring, algorithmic trading, and customer service - Moving from pilot projects to scaled deployment - Data quality, availability, and governance as prerequisites for effective AI - Explainability and transparency: addressing the "black box" problem in AI models - Regulatory expectations for AI use in financial services: model risk management and accountability - The competitive advantage of AI: efficiency gains, enhanced decision-making, and personalised services - Ethical considerations: bias, fairness, and the impact on customers and employees - Collaboration between financial institutions, technology providers, and regulators 

Which global problems might AI solve and in what timeframe? 

International governance, regulation and standards for AI 

Overview of emerging AI regulatory frameworks: EU AI Act, UK approach, US executive orders, and China's regulations - The challenge of regulating a rapidly evolving technology: principles-based vs. prescriptive approaches - Risk-based regulation: categorising AI applications by potential harm - Standards for AI safety, robustness, and accountability - International coordination efforts: OECD AI principles, G7 initiatives, and UN discussions - The role of industry self-regulation and voluntary commitments - Balancing innovation with public trust and societal values - Ensuring that AI governance frameworks are interoperable across jurisdictions

Pitch stage open with series of short fintech pitches   

The AI leaders’ perspective: where will we be in 5- and 10-years’ time?

Predictions for AI capabilities: from narrow AI to more general intelligence - The trajectory of large language models and multimodal AI systems - AI in the workplace: augmentation vs. automation and the future of human-AI collaboration - Breakthrough applications on the horizon: autonomous systems, advanced robotics, and creative AI - The competitive landscape: leading AI companies, research institutions, and national strategies - Infrastructure requirements: computing power, energy consumption, and sustainability - Societal implications: education, employment, governance, and ethical frameworks - Ensuring AI development is aligned with human values and global challenges 

Cybersecurity and operational resilience: A board-level imperative 

The evolving cyber threat landscape: state-sponsored attacks, ransomware, and supply chain vulnerabilities – Recent high-profile cyber incidents in financial services - Regulatory expectations for cybersecurity and operational resilience: DORA, PRA/FCA requirements, and international standards - The board's role in cyber governance - Building cyber resilience: prevention, detection, response, and recovery capabilities - Third-party risk management - The intersection of cybersecurity and AI - Collaboration across the industry: information sharing, joint exercises, and collective defence - Investing in talent, technology, and culture to strengthen cyber defences