Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) are today hosting their 2025 National Banking Conference Banking in a Changing World at the Round Room at the Mansion House where over 200 delegates from across the banking and financial services industry along with regulators and policy makers have gathered to discuss key trends in retail banking in Ireland, the step change needed to unlock housing supply at scale, and the priorities of the sector to support customers to transition to sustainable economic activities.
Scale of change in the banking sector is unprecedented
Opening today’s conference, Susan Russell, President of BPFI and Chief Executive of the Retail Ireland division of Bank of Ireland Group said: “The scale of change on our collective agendas in the banking sector is unprecedented. Retail banks are contending with a growing regulatory agenda which can create real operational pressure, and the EU’s current focus on regulatory simplification – without compromising financial stability – is consequently welcome. We’re all operating in a more changeable external environment with regard to international trade, as are our customers. And along with all this, digitalisation is reshaping how our customers want to bank and how we need to serve them, while also protecting them from new and fast-evolving risks.”
“In that context, fraud remains an ever-present threat. As our services become more digital and more seamless, so too do the tactics of those who seek to exploit consumers. There is a responsibility on all of us, particularly sectors offering a channel for criminals to target consumers, to do more to prevent fraud before it happens. The financial services sector is the last line of defence – it should not be the only line of defence. This problem is not going to go away but neither will our leadership in championing change to better protect our customers.”
Ms Russell concluded: “At the heart of all of this – regulatory change, geopolitical flux, technological transformation, and consumer protection – is the customer. Our relationship with them is of paramount importance. We serve millions of people every day, from everyday banking to big life moments like buying a home, starting a business, saving and investing for the future, and weathering the unexpected. Our ambition must be to stay in lock step with our customers as their needs evolve.”
The BPFI National Banking Conference for 2025 will feature a keynote address from Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe as well as a fireside chat with Sharon Donnery, member of the European Central Bank (ECB) Supervisory Board. Panel discussions include housing, sustainability and reflections from the chief retail banking officers from Bank of Ireland, AIB and PTSB