As the glitter of Christmas fades and we step into a bright New Year, January brings with it a sense of renewal and opportunity. While many are embracing resolutions and fresh starts, we at Z/Yen are excited to build on the successes of 2024 and deliver another year of engaging content, insightful events, and meaningful connections. We would like to thank you, our readers and participants, for being part of our journey. Your support and engagement continue to inspire us, and we look forward to reconnecting with you through our upcoming programme of events, webinars, and publications. Be sure to check out our webinar exploring opportunities in Seoul on Wednesday 15th and our exciting Pub Tour in the City of London on Thursday 30th. Here’s to a prosperous and productive 2025!

Wishing you all a happy and successful start to the year.
Sasha Davis (Manager, FS Club) & The Team at Z/Yen

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Events & Webinars

• Events

A Tour Of The Historic Pubs Of The City Of London Thursday, 30 January 2025

• Webinars

An Update On EU Financial Services Legislation & Associated Initiatives Thursday, 09 January 2025

Financial Centres Of The World 2025: Why Seoul & How To Start With Invest Seoul Wednesday, 15 January 2025

The Psychology Of Worry: How To Stop Worrying & Love The Future Tuesday, 21 January 2025

• Past Events & Webinars

Community Chest: The City Of London - The World's Coffee House Wednesday, 11 December 2024

The Esop Centre’s newspad, is a monthly publication providing in-depth coverage of the main international news in the field of employee share ownership. Read this month’s newspad in full.

FS Club News

Busan Finance Center: Busan Port to Become Global Logistics Giant with $9.75 Billion Investment: The Korean government will invest 14 trillion won ($9.75 billion) by 2045 to upgrade Busan Port, aiming to boost its container handling capacity and establish it as a leading logistics hub in the region. The plan includes expanding the port’s capacity to accommodate 66 vessels, up from the current 40, and increasing the total berth length from 18.8 kilometers to 25.5 kilometers. Sustainability is a key focus, with plans to integrate facilities powered by renewable energy and introduce green power infrastructure for ships. The government also seeks to attract global shipping companies to the port’s hinterland, generating new cargo and fostering economic growth. These efforts aim to position Busan among the world’s top three ports while ensuring a resilient and competitive logistics system amid global uncertainties and climate challenges.

Seoul Fintech Lab: Seoul Financial Hub, managed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, is currently inviting esteemed overseas financial institutions to join our global financial epicenter in Yeouido, Seoul. Benefit from exclusive office space, expert consultation on market entry, and unparalleled networking opportunities. Stay ahead with insights into the Korean Financial market. For further details about Seoul Financial Hub, click here. Moreover, a webinar on January 15th, 2025 will be launched by Seoul Metropolitan Government to introduce the Seoul city as a global financial hub and the role of Invest Seoul as a foreign investment agency.

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Financial Services Commission Mauritius: Mauritius Hosts the 3i International Conference: Pioneering Insurance, Investment, and Innovation: Mauritius hosted the 3i International Conference, a landmark event organised by the Insurers Association of Mauritius in November 2024. This global gathering brought together insurance leaders, disruptors, and investors to explore the pivotal themes of Insurance, Investment, and Innovation as essential drivers of resilient societies and sustainable communities. The three-day conference showcased emerging trends from sustainable investment strategies and digital transformation to regulatory advancements and risk management. The conference also fostered collaboration among stakeholders and emphasised the insurance sector's role in shaping a sustainable future. Through dialogue and shared insights, the event reaffirmed Mauritius' commitment to advancing as a premier international financial centre and a hub for for innovation and international connectivity in financial services and insurance.

Northeastern University London: Northeastern University London is the European hub of Northeastern’s global experiential research university network. Our portfolio is expanding across 2025, supported by an award from the Office for Students, including the launch of an Accounting Finance Manager degree apprenticeship in April. The apprenticeship is accredited by the Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). This BSc (Hons) Applied Accounting and Finance incorporates critical knowledge and skills on sustainability, AI and ethics. During National Apprenticeship Week 2025 (10th February - 16th February) we will be celebrating the achievements of apprentices around the country, and the positive impact they make to communities, businesses and the wider economy. NU London will be holding an event on our state-of-the-art campus, consisting of panel discussions exploring topics around AI and digital innovation, presentations from apprentices and the opportunity to network with like-minded professionals. Register your attendance to find out more on how NU London’s apprenticeships are helping to bridge technological skills gaps within organisations. "Innovation through experience: How apprentices are driving digital transformation registration", Wednesday 12th February: 2:30pm – 5:00pm - Register here.

Bridgeworks: Black Friday and Cyber Monday: Sales May Rise, But So Will Cybercrime: The 7 days after Black Friday 2023 saw online retail sales decline by 1.9%. For the IMRG, the UK eCommerce Association wasn’t far off, predicting a fall of 2% that year. Despite this, it reports that Cyber Monday was the strongest trading day, with a 5.6% year-on-year increase in e-commerce sales – “followed by Tuesday, which also showed positive growth.” IMRG says the challenges that the Black Friday and Cyber Monday period faced included the fact that not everyone would have had their monthly pay cheque. There is also the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, which has impact both e-commerce and in-store retail sales. Yet, there is hope for the 2024 season. Firstly, most people will have been paid by 29th November 2024, which IRMG believes could boost online trading activity, and they predict that Cyber Monday will remain stable. It recommends that retailers use FOMO (fear-of-missing-out) messaging to stimulate sales [...] Read the full article here.

GFT Financial Ltd: GFT wins AWS Global Innovation Partner of the Year and EMEA Industry Partner of the Year – Financial Services: GFT has received two 2024 Geography and Global AWS Partner Awards, which recognise leaders around the globe that are playing key roles in helping their customers drive innovation and build solutions on Amazon Web Services (AWS). GFT was named winner of “Innovation Partner of the Year, Global” which recognises organisations that deliver innovative consulting, professional, managed, and value-added resale services and also won the “Industry Partner of the Year - Financial Services, EMEA” category. The latter award recognises the AWS Partner in the EMEA region who best provides cloud-based offerings to help accelerate innovation for banks, insurance companies, capital market firms, and payment processors of all sizes, from among the top partners with AWS Financial Services Competency. Read our full press release here. Banking Tech Awards: GFT, Engine by Starling and Salt Bank win for digital banking innovation: GFT has triumphed at the prestigious 2024 Banking Tech Awards having won the Best Use of Tech in Retail Banking prize. This accolade emphasises GFT’s global leadership in digital banking on modern platforms and our transformative collaboration with Engine by Starling and Salt Bank, which has set a new benchmark in digital banking innovation. The winning project involved building and launching a digital banking platform in 12 months for Salt Bank, leveraging Engine by Starling’s advanced SaaS-based cloud-native technology. This platform enabled Salt Bank to streamline operations, significantly enhance customer experience, and introduce innovative financial products tailored to modern consumer needs. Read more about this success here. New GFT Banking Disruption Index reveals mounting worries amongst UK banking customers about IT outages at financial institutions: As digital banking becomes the norm, over a third (34%) of Brits are worried about the potential of IT failures at their banks, and 25% now keep cash on hand as a precaution against outages. This trend reflects the growing uncertainty consumers feel about the reliability of digital financial services, as the availability of in-person banking continues to decline. Read our press release and download the full report here. New GFT thought leadership paper on ‘Data Remediation’: How can businesses manage and control their data while remaining compliant? Find out by reading our new GFT thought leadership paper on ‘Data Remediation’ to discover the first steps to a world-class data capability. Download here. Our latest blogs: How to make a success of Gen AI in 2025 by Todd Adams - LINK. AI's dark side - mitigating security risks by Scott Holman - LINK.

NayaOne: How NayaOne Helps Enterprises Adopt Generative AI: NayaOne simplifies Generative AI (Gen AI) adoption for enterprises by offering a platform that delivers comprehensive support at every stage—from experimentation to full-scale implementation. What sets NayaOne apart is its secure sandbox and pre-vetted AI tools that allow enterprises to test, validate, and deploy Gen AI solutions swiftly and safely. By leveraging synthetic data and hands-on learning, NayaOne helps organisations reduce the risk of AI hallucination, bias, and compliance issues, all while fostering innovation. Enterprises can unlock new levels of efficiency, from automating tasks to enhancing decision-making with data-driven insights. With faster time-to-market, NayaOne enables businesses to reduce costs, boost productivity, and deliver personalised customer experiences. Don’t Let Your Competition Leave You Behind. Visit NayaOne today or schedule a consultation to explore how the platform can accelerate your Gen AI adoption and deliver transformative results.

Astana International Financial Centre: Kazakhstan’s securities market has grown significantly over the last years, with several major IPOs taking place in the country. Retail investors are becoming increasingly engaged with Kazakhstan's securities market due to the need to diversify their investments, improved access, and growing financial literacy. The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) has had an important role in the development of investment funds in Kazakhstan. In addition to contributing to the growth of assets under management and the number of funds in the country, the AIFC jurisdiction offers new authorised firms an opportunity to enter the market. More information on special report on «Fund Management in Kazakhstan» presented by the AIFC.

C2Zero: Looking for a unique gift? With Carbon Cancellation Certificates from C2Zero, you can give the gift of preventing carbon (CO2e) emissions—for yourself, your loved ones, and the planet. It’s simple: visit carbon.uk.c2zero.net. Starting at under £18 (including VAT) for 200kg of carbon, this gift makes a real difference! Learn more at www.c2zero.net/campaign/c4s-by-c2zero.

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The Z/Yen App is now available on iOS and Android

Our new Z/Yen App is the place for FS Club Members to stay informed and engaged with the latest insights from the world of finance, technology, and beyond. With our intuitive app, you can register for upcoming events, dive into our reports, watch recordings of past sessions, and even listen to podcasts on the go.
The app is free for Sponsors and Paid Members of the FS Club - $60 per year. If you have any questions please contact Sasha Davis. Join a community of forward-thinking professionals who are shaping the future of finance and technology. Stay informed, stay connected, and stay inspired with Z/Yen.Scan the code below with your smartphone to download the app:

Z/Yen Launches Ethical AI Course with CISI Register Here

The Chartered Institute For Securities & Investment, in collaboration with Z/Yen Group and Professor Michael Mainelli, have launched a Certificate in Ethical Artificial Intelligence. The short online course deals with the core definitions and global developments in the field of AI, associated ethical dilemmas, and the implications for financial services. Find Out More

The Chartered Institute For ITBCS Foundation Certificate in the Ethical Build of AI This course introduces the key issues in ethical AI and equips you to design and build AI ethically, navigating risks from security to human rights.

Pamphleteers Blog

The Pamphleteers Blog features considered thoughts – somewhere between a knee-jerk editorial and a full-blown piece of research. "Write for today and not for tomorrow."

Made Me Think
Shann Turnbull:

• Fixing Democracy By Democratising Capitalism

Of Great Interest
Professor Michael Mainelli:

• New Lands A-Midshore – Dublin & London

FS Club Bulletins - Keep Track Of Your Commercial Interests

FS Club provides up to 1,000 weekly bulletins on a variety of topics from Inflation, to Inter-Bank Lending, to the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. Register here.

• Solar Flare
• Europe

Best Of The Finanser

Stirred My Thoughts:

• What is the secret sauce of #Revolut’s success?

Grabbed My Attention:

• Regulate the regulator

Membership & Sponsorship
FS Club is the premier global executive knowledge network for technology and finance professionals. Great events, research, and social functions build a buzz for Members and a valuable partnership for Sponsors. Membership of the FS Club is a great way to enhance your professional development, grow your network and profile, and get backing for your ideas, contact: sasha_davis@zyen.com