Since 2008, Banco Santander has hosted this annual gathering, bringing together bankers, academics, policymakers, supervisors and other stakeholders for a dialogue on the role of business and banking in driving sustainable economic growth.

This conference has become even more important at a time of increasing political and economic instability, not to mention the profound impact technology continues to have on businesses and society. There is much disruption in the world, yet without growth our ability to navigate it is severely limited.

This year we hope to examine some of the key ingredients to ensuring our economy can continue growing – and grow faster – even amidst disruption. We will begin by looking at some of the shorter term and immediate impacts on growth, including new political cycles beginning in 2024 in the US, Europe and South America; questions about a structural shift in global interest rate levels; and conflicts and geopolitical tensions around the world, in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

We will reflect on the longer-term dynamics that are changing the world: the impact of AI, blockchain and of other transformative technologies on our lives; fundamental changes to demographics and immigration; energy security and the transition; as well as other challenges to the international economic order. We will seek to examine the role that banking and financial services must play (in a reactive and proactive way) to continue to support growth around the world.