In the final session of EBAday 2024 in Lisbon, Debi Bell Hoskings moderated a closing panel featuring Thomas Egner, secretary general of the Euro Banking Association; Wolfgang Ehrmann, chairman of the board at the Euro Banking Association; Sophie Giorgi, head of payment system and infrastructure relationships at Credit Agricole; and Luis Simões, managing director/EVP of banking operations at Novobanco.
During this session, the panelists summarized their highlights from the event and discussed what lies ahead for EBAday, including the announcement that next year’s conference will be held in Paris.
Hoskings emphasized that collaboration and orchestration in payments were key themes at this year’s landmark conference, with extensive discussion on these topics across various panel sessions.
Egner noted that the discussions within the industry were particularly strong, focusing on collaboration not only among banks but also across different sectors, covering issues such as fraud, Request to Pay, and ISO 20022 compliance. He stated, “Harmonisation is one part of this process change where lots of things need to be done. Before you can engage in a conversation, you need a joint understanding. We must come together, define our goals, and then we can achieve significant progress.”
Giorgi highlighted regulation as a major topic of consideration during the conference, expressing enthusiasm for the solutions discussed in the panels. She mentioned that instant payments and cross-border payments had emerged as particularly hot topics over the past two days. “It was fascinating to see how regulation now intersects with cross-border issues,” Giorgi said. “My most important takeaway is identifying what steps we need to take. The regulatory landscape is demanding, but we’re also reflecting on what we have accomplished, which is valuable as we’ve gained a lot of insights.”
Simões added that the ongoing flood of regulation is a central theme in most discussions.
Ehrmann concluded the session by thanking all attendees, hoping they leave with a wealth of insights. “Many exciting innovations are on the horizon,” he remarked. “And there’s a golden rule from German football: After the game is before the game. So, after EBAday is before EBAday. Safe travels home, and I look forward to seeing you next year in Paris.”