Efma Announces Series of Study Tours for 2014

Senior retail bankers invited to visit most innovative banks in California and Spain in a series of study tours designed to provide exclusive insight into cutting edge operations

Efma, a leading non-profit retail banking association, has announced three week-long study tours: two in San Francisco and Silicon Valley; and one in Spain. The tours will take place in April, June and November 2014 and will allow senior banking executives from across the globe to join together to visit some of the world’s most innovative banks. They will also benefit from a number of exciting discussions and get to explore the local area.

“Bringing together knowledge and culture, the study tours allow participants to find out how industry leaders are meeting some of the biggest challenges facing the industry today,” explains Fatoumata Ly, Efma’s event coordinator. “Over the course of a week, participants will be immersed in the local culture of either San Francisco and Silicon Valley or Spain and will embark on a truly unique adventure. There are only 30 places available for each study tour, making for excellent networking opportunities and an exclusive, personal experience.”

The tours to San Francisco and Silicon Valley will take place from 26 April – 2 May and from 2-7 November. These tours will focus on the latest and upcoming advances in retail financial services in the region which is renowned for its innovation laboratories.

As part of the tour, participants will visit a number of US bank headquarters, spending time with the senior executives in charge of innovation, change management, digital transformation, online and mobile delivery and retail strategy. Additional meetings will take place with consultancy firms and research companies, as well as with experts who monitor all start-ups and innovative companies in Silicon Valley. Time will also be spent with innovation leaders from outside the industry, including LinkedIn.

The study tour to Spain, meanwhile, will take place from 1-7 June and will provide an opportunity to learn some of the secrets that have propelled both BBVA and Santander to international prominence and converted them into global players. Participants will also get to visit the innovation labs of multiple award winner Bankinter and meet la Caixa’s innovation team at its headquarters in Barcelona. Additional visits are scheduled to Bankia, Telefonica, Mapfre and Deloitte.

Attendees will also receive a free pass to Efma’s annual Banking on Innovation conference, hosted by la Caixa in Barcelona on 5-6 June, which will be attended by 200 bankers from almost 50 countries. Here they will take their places at an exclusive VIP dinner with all speakers. (www.efma.com/innovation)

For more information on Efma study tours, please contact Fatoumata Ly (fatou@efma.com).