SIBOS Vienna – culture or chaos

Just arrived in Vienna , Austria for

SIBOS, the all payments focused conference run by SWIFT.

This year, there are around 7,500 people attending - not bad for a credit crisis.

For those who have not been here, it’s a week of whirlwind presentations, meetings, lunches, dinners, shows, chats, ideas, coffee … and drinking.

Lots and lots of drinking.

My everlasting memories of SIBOS are long discussions about SEPA, Supply Chains, Straight Through Processing, SWIFT, Services, Securities and then Wine.

Wine from 4:00 onwards, aperitifs around 7:00, dinner at 8:00, clubbing from 10:30, liquors at 1:00, breakfast at 4:00 and back for more networking at 7:00.

Did I say 'memories'?

Luckily, that is the behaviour of everyone else as, of course, I’m far more well behaved.

My agenda is opera, coffee houses, ballet, Mozart, Strauss, the Spanish Riding School and more. After all, we are in Europe’s finest city, Vienna. 

Vienna - a city of culture and sophistication.  Just what bankers and technologists want.  After all, the phrase 'culture and sophistication' and 'bankers and technologists' go hand-in-hand don't they?

Whatever, I intend to soak it all up.

I'll start with some Brahms & Liszt, and see where that takes me.

Will be here often adding a little thought to the week whilst

officially blogging on my proper pages in SWIFT.

Enjoy and have a great week, even if

Lehman's is leaning over sideways ... a bit like some of the attendees will be here this week.