David G. W. Birch has been confirmed as the keynote speaker for one of the most anticipated sessions at EBAday, focusing on digital money, digital assets, digital identity, and the future of banking.
Encouraging payments professionals and executive bankers to adopt new perspectives, Birch will share insights on the economic and political impacts of the shift toward digital money.
In 2023, Claudia Olsson, an alumna of the Young Global Leader program by the World Economic Forum and founder and CEO of Stellar Capacity, served as EBAday’s challenge speaker. This keynote provides an innovative thinker with the opportunity to address contentious issues within the payments and transaction banking sector. Olsson discussed ‘value in a connected world,’ drawing from her research on the influence of new technologies on citizens, society, and global markets. She is a highly sought-after speaker on exponential technologies, future trends, leadership, and governance.
Birch has been recognized as one of the top 30 fintech influencers of 2022, ranking among the most influential figures in London’s fintech community, and is considered Europe’s leading commentator on emerging payments. He contributes to Forbes and Financial World magazine and has written for various publications, including the Parliamentary IT Review and The Financial Times. Birch has also been a media commentator on electronic business issues, appearing on BBC television and radio, Sky, and numerous global channels.
In 2022, Finextra discussed evolving trends in digital identity with Birch. He emphasized the importance of consumer control over personal data, contrasting it with biometric identification methods that can raise concerns about surveillance and security. He noted, “Giving customers control I see very positively… there’s a lot of negatives” associated with relying solely on facial recognition technology.
Birch also addressed the future of digital identity, stating, “Digital identity is a keystone… If the identity side is sorted out, payments are easy.” He highlighted significant developments on the horizon, such as the potential for unified authentication standards supported by major tech companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft, which could greatly simplify online access and transactions.
For more information and to register for EBAday, click here.