The Sibos Academy – what’s in store? A Q&A with Nancy Murphy

Nancy Murphy, Assistant Director of the SWIFT Institute, outlines what to expect from the Sibos Academy programme, the new Red Thread concept and her advice to delegates as they plan their Sibos week.

What’s the focus of this year’s Sibos Academy programme, are there new initiatives for 2021?

The Sibos Academy brings thought provoking content, led by academics and researchers, to the Sibos audience. This year the Sibos programme will take attendees on a journey via the new Red Thread concept across four game changing themes - AI, CBDC/digital assets, identity/trust and sustainable finance. Delegates can attend sessions that provide an introduction to the topic, followed by panels and debates on current views and future vision, and then detailed deep dives. They will gain knowledge over the four days, and leave the conference fully informed on the topic and the associated key issues.

The Sibos Academy is hosting the 30 minute overview ‘introduction to’ sessions, followed by longer panel discussions. We’re covering key topics such as: Introduction to Digital Identity - Are you really you?; Our Digital Future: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?; Transformative Technology and Getting the Human Angle Right; What is Sustainable Finance? and What is Quantum Computing?

Which Red Thread theme are you particularly looking forward to?

It’s too tough to choose just one! Sustainable finance is a topic very close to my green heart. It will be an invaluable debate on what more the industry can do to drive a better future. The threads around digital future and transformative tech are really fascinating too, focusing on AI, identity/trust and digital assets. The pace of change in tech is so rapid, and we need to keep aware of the real cost/benefit. Every advance in tech also brings potential risks, perhaps creating new opportunities for fraudsters, or privacy concerns. Understanding the full picture is vital to make the right choices.

What do you want delegates to take away from this year’s Sibos Academy programme?

There are a lot of important things happening in our industry and the world around. The Sibos Academy programme should give you a good understanding of what the digital future holds, what to be aware of and how the financial industry has the power to drive a sustainable future. Delegates should come away with the knowledge they need to make a difference. With knowledge, every one of us can be a force for positive change.

Can you give us a flavour of the speakers you will feature?

We always seek out the leading experts for each of the topics we’re covering, blending speakers from top academic and financial institutions. This year our speakers include:

Professor Andrei Kirilenko , Cambridge Judge Business School, expert in the intersection of finance, technology and regulation. He’ll share his views on the digital future and talk with Dr. Ekaterina Safonova on the risks of digitalisation. Andrei will also lead a panel of experts discussing digital banks, digital assets and digital regulation. Professor Vasant Dhar , from the Stern School of Business, NYU, a leading artificial intelligence research and data scientist will focus on when should we trust AI? He will present the Introduction to Transformative Technology – Getting the Human Angle Right and then lead a discussion on the topic with top academics and bankers looking at who is responsible when AI is deployed. Alan Lim of the Monetary Authority of Singapore to present on digital identity, the basics on what it is, and how it can be used. Brad Carr of the Institute of International Finance is moderating a panel that includes Sopnendu Mohanty , Monetary Authority of Singapore, on the applications of digital identity. Dr. Allinettes Adigue of the Global Research Institute and Sherry Madera of the London Stock Exchange will discuss What is sustainable finance? Professor Andrea Morello , University of New South Wales for a live Q&A, to answer your questions on quantum computing.

The SWIFT Institute Student Challenge takes place on Wednesday during Sibos Week. What can we expect from the students taking part this year?

You can expect WOW! We’re featuring four exceptional teams from India, answering the challenge of ‘How can the Indian financial community increase the adoption and use of digital trade transactions to reduce/eliminate paper-based trade?’. The solutions are all innovative, and most importantly, implementable. The teams have 10 minutes each to present their ideas – the students’ knowledge of the industry and technological know-how is incredible - this is not to be missed.

The teams come from:

Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research, Mumbai (two teams) Jagdish Sheth School of Management, Bangalore (JAGSOM, formerly IFIM) S P Jain School of Global Management, Mumbai

The challenge takes place at 11:00 am SGT (05:00 am CET) – be sure to tune in, or catch the session on demand.

What’s your advice for delegates, to help them get the most from their digital Sibos experience?

It’s essential to plan, and follow the Red Threads for a full experience. The ‘my list’ function on Sibos.com is a really great way to flag the sessions you don’t want to miss. Also remember that it is possible to see it all - sessions will be made available on demand after the live broadcasts.

I’d also recommend to keep an eye out for the deep dive sessions - small group discussions on topics such as identity and trust, delighting the digital customer, and the changemaker sessions where delegates can connect with conference speakers and peers. These new networking sessions recreate the benefits of an in-person Sibos in the digital world – connecting people with shared interests to drive debate and new business relationships.

Top tip! Register now and using the ‘Session type’ programme filter, select ‘Sibos Academy’ to explore all the sessions mentioned above. You can also filter by Red Thread topic.