Expo Dubai: Swiss Financial Centre presents two high-ranking panels

Governments across the globe have earmarked billions of dollars for investments in the decarbonization of their economies. Wealthy nations have additionally pledged to deliver 100 billion US dollars per year in climate finance to developing countries by 2023. But how relevant are Swiss banks, insurers, and expert authorities when it comes to achieving carbon neutrality and zero net emissions? The first panel discussion entitled "Financing the transition to a carbon-neutral economy" will extrapolate on this topic.

Experts from the insurance industry (Swiss Re and Zurich), banks (Swiss Bankers Association and the Asset Manager Association Switzerland) and international bodies (International renewable Energy Agency) will discuss their respective roles in addressing climate change, even though they are not themselves heavy carbon emitters. Is there for instance a need for collective corporate action and how such collective action in the financial sector develops right now. What types of solutions does the sector offer to finance and mitigate risks resulting from natural catastrophes and climate change? Is there a risk of greenwashing by the financial industry? What is Switzerland doing to combat and prevent potential greenwashing? This panel discussion can be viewed here on March 23:

Livestream (08:00-9:20 CET time / 11:00-12:20 UAE time)

 

How digitalisation contributes to innovation and sustainability

The digitalisation of the financial sector is the other theme on the agenda of the Swiss Finance Day. The rapid digitalisation brings about a sea of change for the entire Swiss financial centre. The technological developments witnessed are driven by numerous innovations, including more powerful mobile end-user devices, improved availability of big data and blockchain or crypto technology. These disrupting changes not only facilitate new innovative business models, but also require innovation-friendly framework conditions in the fields of blockchain technology and green fintech.

But are Swiss banks and insurers able and interested in using these new technologies at hand in order to remain on top of the international competition? How do these new technologies actually impact the Swiss financial centre renowned for its stability, security and trust and how does that fit with innovation and sustainability? Is the Swiss government doing its utmost to facilitate the Swiss financial centre’s efforts to embrace these changes? The second panel entitled "The Swiss financial centre's leading contribution to innovation and sustainability" will dwell into these questions and focus on the disruptive opportunities the ongoing digitalisation of the financial sector bring about.

Representatives from four Swiss banks (Credit Suisse, UBS, Lombard Odier and Banque Cantonale de Genève) will be on stage together with the Swiss State Secretary for International Finance, Daniela Stoffel. The Swiss government does indeed closely monitor the ongoing digitalisation and works in close coordination with the financial sector and academia. The panel on the Swiss financial centre’s leading contribution to innovation and sustainability can be viewed here on March 23: 

Livestream (14:30-15:45 CET time / 17:30-18:45 UAE time)

 

Meet the panelists:

The Panelists on transition to a carbon-neutral economy: Iwan Deplazes (Asset Management Association Switzerland), Veronica Scotti (Swiss Re), Peter Englund (Zurich), Thomas Gottstein (Credit Suisse) Francesco La Camera (International Renewable Energy Agency IRENA), Mercedes Vela Monserrate (Moderator)

 

 

The Panelists on Innovation and Sustainability: Arnaud Leclercq (Lombard Odier), Daniela Stoffel (State Secretary), Blaise Goetschin (Banque Cantonale de Genève), Ali Janoudi (UBS), August Benz (Swiss Bankers Association)

 

Read more on the Swiss Financial Day at Expo Dubai: Finance Day | finance.swiss