In this episode of The Banker’s Bookshelf, host Paolo Sironi and guest Khrystyna Kushnir discuss insights from the IBM report, Banking for Small and Medium Enterprises: Serving the World Economy. The report highlights the evolving needs of SMEs, including access to finance, market entry, and business support, with a notable focus on technology integration. While bankers emphasize…

In this installment of The Bankers’ Bookshelf – guest and host roles mix in a discussion exploring the transformation of banking in the platform economy, focusing on embedded finance and conscious banking. Banks are shifting from traditional product-centric models to value-added services, leveraging data to offer personalized, outcome-driven solutions, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises…

In this episode of The Bankers’ Bookshelf, Paolo Sironi hosts Richard Turrin, author of “Cashless,” as part of the Bankers’ Bookshelf series. They discuss the shift towards a cashless society driven by Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and fintech innovations. Turrin explains how CBDCs could reduce reliance on credit cards, lower transaction fees, and streamline commercial…

In the latest episode of “The Bankers’ Bookshelf,” host Paolo Sironi converses with Brett King, the originator of the Breaking Banks brand, about King’s upcoming book “Branch Today, Gone Tomorrow.” This book, a refreshed edition of his 2011 release, examines the dramatic reduction in physical bank branches over the past decade, driven by the rise…

In this episode of The Bankers’ Bookshel, host Paolo Sironi speaks with Dr. Jobst Landgrebe and Professor Barry Smith about their book, “Why Machines Will Never Rule the World: Artificial Intelligence without Fear”. The guests argue that artificial intelligence (AI) cannot achieve true intelligence or consciousness due to fundamental mathematical and philosophical limitations. Dr. Landgrebe explains that AI,…

In the latest episode of Breaking Banks Europe’s “The Bankers’ Bookshelf,” host Paolo Sironi chats with renowned fintech author Chris Skinner about his book, Intelligent Money. Chris delves into the transformative impact of digital money and AI on financial services, predicting major changes by 2030. The conversation explores key themes like personalization, automation, and the…

In this episode of “The Bankers’ Bookshelf,” Paolo Sironi interviews fintech expert Efi Pylarinou about her new book “The Fast Future Blur” and its chapter “Thinking Like An AI Native.” They discuss how AI can help businesses navigate complex, interconnected changes in technology and society. Pylarinou explains the transition from traditional to AI-native business models,…

In this episode of “The Bankers’ Bookshelf,” host Paolo Sironi discusses the paper “AI Revolution: Productivity Boom and Beyond” with Christian Keller, Head of Economics Research at Barclays Investment Bank. The paper examines AI’s potential to drive significant productivity gains across industries, addressing the “productivity puzzle” where digital advancements haven’t translated into expected growth. Keller…

In the latest episode of The Bankers’ BookShelf, host Paolo Sironi engages in an insightful discussion with renowned economist Arnoud Boot. Boot, a professor of Corporate Finance and Financial Markets at the University of Amsterdam and a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, delves into the European Central Bank’s Working Paper,…

In a dynamic conversation on the Bankers’ Bookshelf podcast, Paolo Sironi and Edwin Saliba from Economist Impact delve into the future of banking through qualitative scenarios and quantitative data. They explore Economist Impact’s report “Banking in 2035: Three Possible Futures,” outlining five Mega Trends shaping banking, including digital transformation and economic fragmentation. The discussion focuses…

The Bankers’ BookShelf is back, and this week Paolo Sironi invited Erin Taylor and Anette Broløs – Co-founders of Finthropology to delve into the essence of finance beyond mere numbers. They argue that for most people, finance serves to achieve life goals and maintain social relationships, emphasizing the human aspect of financial transactions. The conversation highlights the…

In the second episode of THE BANKERS’ BOOKSHELF hosted by Paolo Sironi, Mario Nava (Director General of DG REFORM for EU Commission) and Thorsten Beck (Director of the Florence School of Banking and Finance at the European University Institute) discuss the recent research “Digital Finance in the EU: drivers, risks, and opportunities”. The episode delves…