Executives and alumni from the financial sector discuss the future of banking at the Industry Alumni Event

On March 12, alumni in the banking sector gathered at the Graduate School’s Madrid campus to participate in the Banking Sector Event. Under the topic “Regulatory topic , Technological Disruption, and the Promotion of New Growth Models,” the event has established itself as a forum for reflection and networking on the sector’s key trends.

The workshop with a roundtable José Antonio Álvarez, vice president and external director at Banco Santander, and José Sevilla, non-executive chairman of Unicaja Banco. The session was moderated by Eduardo Ávila, director the Master’s Program in Banking and Financial Regulation at the University of Navarra.

The session addressed some of the main challenges facing the current financial system, ranging from the impact of geopolitical uncertainty to the growing influence of alternative financing—such as private lending and private equity—in contrast to the traditional role of banks. The speakers also discussed the differences between Europe and the United States in the development capital markets, noting the lack of incentives for deadline saving deadline Europe, as well as the future of payment systems, marked by the discussion stablecoins and the digital euro.

As José Antonio Álvarez stated: “A true capital market cannot be developed in Europe without first promoting deadlinesavings.”

The main focus of meeting the breakout sessions, designed as opportunities for dialogue and networking around three core topic: Investment Banking (with an emphasis on advisory services), Commercial Banking, and Corporate Banking (with an emphasis on search funds). Although participants are primarily alumni of the School Economics, these sessions also bring together professionals from the fields of Communication, Engineering, and Law, enriching the diversity of perspectives.

The event brought together a wide range of participants, from young professionals to executives with extensive experience, and reaffirmed its goal building a professional community to share knowledge foster relationships within the sector. As Álvaro Gutiérrez (COM’08), a participant in meeting facilitator of the breakout session on investment banking, noted: “The sessions featured a wide range of generations and professional backgrounds, from risk management to finance and business, which brought different perspectives and greatly enriched the discussion. In the end, we all speak the same language share the same passion, which makes it easier to understand and connect with people who reflect that same vision.”

To strengthen this network, we have launched the a LinkedIn community, where participants can continue the conversation, share job opportunities, and propose initiatives for future gatherings.