2016 has been a big year for the Sibos team. Over 8,300 delegates, and a record 201 exhibiting institutions, joined us at Geneva’s Palexpo to network and discuss the direction of change in financial services.</p> For me, one of many highlights was Bertrand Piccard’s closing address; an inspiring look at how to overcome obstacles and achieve the impossible. If you didn’t attend, I would urge you to watch the recording of the session</a>.</p> It was the perfect conclusion to a transformative week, which was fuelled by a sense of optimism about the future. We’re pleased to say that the conference sessions were more popular than ever, with conversations about cyber, industry collaboration and the intriguing relationship between man and machine taking centre stage.</p> Looking ahead to next year’s Sibos, we’ll be returning to Toronto after a very successful debut there in 2011. The event will take place amidst extensive celebrations, with 2017 marking Canada’s 150 year anniversary. Over those 150 years, the Canadian banking system has emerged as one of the world’s strongest, safest and most respected.</p> The team and I have recently returned from a week-long site visit as the planning for Sibos 2017 Toronto ramps up. The Metro Toronto Convention Centre</a>, known as MTCC, is particularly well-suited to an event of this scale. It’s the only venue to have hosted both a G20 and a G7 summit, so it certainly has the pedigree that we look for when selecting our host.</p> Importantly, the MTCC is within walking distance of the official Sibos hotels, but also the majority of Toronto’s attractions. In fact it sits at the heart of the Entertainment District, so you’ll have lots of opportunities to explore this vibrant and multi-cultural city. It’s also right next door to the CN Tower, which is a must-see.</p> Another feature of the city is its excellent transport links, which have now been further enhanced by the new Union Pearson Express service. This will get delegates from Pearson Airport to the centre of Toronto in just 25 minutes. The service runs every 15 mins – a great option to bypass the traffic!</p> During the site visit, we carefully considered the floor plan – the layout of the venue is central to a great delegate experience. Sibos will take place across both the North and South buildings, which are connected by a bridge that will become an experiential event in its own right.</p> Keep a close eye on sibos.com</a> for further updates as we enter the new year. For now, we can confirm that we will continue to build out the ‘country lounge’ concept, following the introduction of the Swiss Lounge in Geneva. There will also be a floor dedicated to Canada’s thriving FinTech ecosystem.</p> Sales for the 2017 exhibition</a> are moving fast. Very fast. So get in touch with Viviane Holemans now if you would like to be an exhibitor in Toronto.</p> I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all, as part of the Sibos community, for your contributions and involvement this year. We look forward to working with you on a successful Sibos 2017 Toronto. Enjoy the holidays!</p> Some of the photos from our Toronto site visit</p> </p> </p> </p>