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.
2023: Competing for Growth
2022: Growth in a fragmenting world
2021: Turning Point: Roles and Responsibilities in the post-COVID world
2020: Purpose in the next normal
2019: Banking on trust
2018: Responsible banking in an age of disruption
2017: Financial services in a digital economy
2016: Reinventing Banking
2015: New challenges for a new era
2014: Building resilence for a new cycle
2013: Building new foundations and advancing to banking union in Europe
2012: Global and local solutions for growth and stability
2011: A global financial system for a global economy
2010: The role of the financial system
2009: The new international financial system
2008: Towards a European retail financial services market