Conference
AFME's European Financial Integration Conference 2026
19 - 20 May 2026
/
The Westin Grand Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, GermanyDay 1 - Tuesday, 19 May 2026
13:30Registration and networking
14:00Welcome remarks
Speaker
Adam FarkasChief Executive Officer, AFME
14:10
Keynote address byClaudia Buch, Chair of the Supervisory Board at the ECB
Speaker
Claudia BuchChair of the Supervisory Board, European Central Bank
14:40
Panel discussionThe banking supervisory architecture and its role on integration
Overview
- EU supervisory architecture and integration: going hand in hand?
- Where could banks experience improvements (predictability, proportionality, cross border efficiency, faster supervisory cycles)?
- Reducing fragmentation inside the Banking Union - which bottlenecks most hinder cross border banking today. Role of supervision.
- Reflecting the simplification priorities and competitiveness considerations into the supervisory framework.
- Making the SSM more integrated and agile - how will reforms to the SREP improve supervisory convergence and reduce compliance friction?
- How can national authorities and EU authorities strengthen mutual trust and mediation tools.
- Where can ECB/SSM processes become faster, more predictable to cut execution risk for crossborder groups?
Moderator
Arved KolleManaging Director, AFME
Speakers
Henning BergerPartner, White & Case
Jessica KaffrenMember of the Management Board, COO, J.P. Morgan SE
Michael TheurerMember of the Executive Board, Bundesbank
15:25Networking break
15:55
Keynote addressOne Single Market: Goods, Services and Capital
Speaker
Gabriel MakhloufGovernor, Central Bank of Ireland
16:25
Panel discussionCompetitiveness of the banking sector in Europe
Overview
- What does “competitiveness” mean for the European banking sector? Where should we see tangible improvements first?
- Banking Union and integration - Which priority actions to build a singlemarket and unlock real crossborder synergies?
- Simplification - How can we reduce complexity while maintaining resilience?
- What areas – from complex capital stack to resolution requirement, from market risk to liquidity requirements – need to be in focus when considering issues which have a negative impact on competitiveness?
Moderator
Jacqueline MillsManaging Director, Head of Advocacy, AFME
Speakers
Karen BRAUN-MUNZINGERMember of the Board, SRB
Christopher CantHead of Banks Strategy, Autonomous Research
Elena CarlettiProfessor of Finance, Bocconi University
Joerg HessenmuellerChief Technology and Operations Officer for Europe, and Standard Chartered Bank AG
Jaime Pérez RenovalesGroup General Counsel, Banco Santander
17:30Closing remarks
17:45Drinks reception
Day 2 - Wednesday, 20 May 2026
08:00Registration and networking
08:45Welcome remarks
Speaker
Adam FarkasChief Executive Officer, AFME
08:50
Keynote addressUnlocking Europe’s Savings and Investment Potential: A View from the European Insurance and Pension Regulator
Speaker
Petra HielkemaChairperson, EIOPA
09:20
Panel discussionA successful SIU strategy
Overview
- What are the priorities for the SIU strategy? What would a concrete success look like for the SIU at the end of this EU legislative term in 2029?
- The Market Integration and Supervision package – is it progressing with adequate momentum and in the right direction?
- Mobilising private capital - beyond public resources, which levers are most effective in the next months and years? How can European innovative companies be financed and scaled up?
- Securitisation as a litmus test - what actions are essential to revive issuance and demand? Is the level of ambition adequate?
Moderator
Laura NoonanSenior Reporter, Global Finance, Bloomberg News
Speakers
Stefano CappielloDirector General Financial Regulation and Supervision, Ministry of Economy and Finance
Nelius De GrootHead of Markets International and Markets Chief Operating Officer., BNY
Susana de Antonio HorcajoHead of Primary Markets, BME/SIX
Samuel RileyChief Executive Officer, Clearstream
Harald WaigleinDirector General, AT BMF; Chair EU FSC
10:20Networking break
10:50
Keynote address byMário Centeno, Economist and former Governor of the Bank of Portugal
Speaker
Mário CentenoEconomist and former Governor of the Bank of Portugal
11:25
Panel discussionDLT and digital assets
Overview
- Can an integrated capital market be easier to achieve for digital assets?
- What would future FMIs look like? How to promote standardisation and interoperable infrastructures?
- What role should central banks play in this transformation? What impacts from the ECB work on the Pontes and Appia projects?
Moderator
Peter TomlinsonManaging Director, Equities Trading and Post Trade, AFME
Speakers
Christoph HockHead Tokenisation & Digital Assets
Mattias LevinActing head of unit, European Commission – DG FISMA
Dimitri PattynDeputy Director General, European Central Bank
12:10
Panel discussionDigital Innovation and Integration
Overview
- How could digital innovations – from AI, big data and quantum computing - interact to promote deeper and more integrated financial markets?
- Cybersecurity and resilience
- Sovereignty considerations (CADA proposals)
- Digital simplification
Moderator
Stefano MazzocchiManaging Director and Deputy Head Advocacy, AFME
Speakers
Mattias LevinActing head of unit, European Commission – DG FISMA
Stephen MartinHead of Financial Services Compliance and Security for EMEA and APAC, AWS
Cornelia TomczakManaging Director, Protiviti
12:55
Lunch & Learn with State StreetBeyond the Iran War: Takeaways for Global Investors?
Overview
- Join Elliot Hentov, Ph.D., Chief Macro Policy Strategist at State Street Investment Management, and his colleagues, for a Lunch at Learn session on Wednesday 20 May, to discuss the broader macro and geopolitical landscape and what impact we see on markets.
12:55Networking lunch
13:55
AFME Voices Live from EFI 2026:A discussion with Rodrigo Buenaventura, Secretary General, IOSCO
Speaker
Rodrigo BuenaventuraSecretary General, IOSCO
14:30
Panel discussionIntegration in EU securities markets: what balance between market forces, regulation and supervision?
Overview
- Integrated supervision of EU security market supervision: how to build it? Opportunities and challenges of supervisory centralisation
- Experience so far in the use of convergence tools.
- Lessons from the SSM experience
- Ensuring an agile rulebook. Reflecting the simplification priorities and competitiveness considerations into the supervisory framework
Moderator
Remi KirecheDirector, Advocacy, AFME
Speakers
Andrea GentiliniHead of Market Infrastructures Division (CSSF), Chair ESMA PTWG
Sven KasperInternational Head of Public Policy, State Street
Paloma MarínVice Chair, Spanish National Securities Market Commission, CNMV
15:20Networking break
15:50
Panel discussionThe need for EU financial integration in light of global economic developments
Overview
- Fragmentation vs integration: evidence and latest trends
- Impact and economic benefits of a successful implementation of the SIU strategy
- Global dynamics and their impacts on European financial integration
Moderator
Jim RusagaraAssociate Director, AFME
Speakers
Marco ButiTommaso Padoa Schioppa chair at the Robert Schuman Centre, EUI
Laurent MaurinHead of Economic Studies Division, Economics Department, European Investment Bank
16:30
Keynote address byMaria Luis Albuquerque, Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investments Union, European Commission
Speaker
María Luis AlbuquerqueCommissioner for Financial Services and the Savings Investments Union, European Commission
17:00Closing remarks
17:10End of conference and drinks
Date19 - 20 May 2026
Learn more about membership here.
All registrations are subject to AFME approval.
Event highlights
Why Attend
- Meet influential policy-makers, regulators and business leaders
- Build contacts through streamlined networking
- Hear from leading industry experts
- Showcase solutions in the sponsor booths
Who Attends
- Senior banking and capital market professionals
- Supervisory authorities
- EU policy makers
- Consultancies and advisories
- Law firms
- Think tanks
- Other financial services and infrastructure representatives
Event Statistics
- 300+ attendees
- 40+ speakers
- 10+ countries represented
- 10+ hours of high-level content
- 7+ hours of dedicated networking
Why Attend
- Meet influential policy-makers, regulators and business leaders
- Build contacts through streamlined networking
- Hear from leading industry experts
- Showcase solutions in the sponsor booths
Who Attends
- Senior banking and capital market professionals
- Supervisory authorities
- EU policy makers
- Consultancies and advisories
- Law firms
- Think tanks
- Other financial services and infrastructure representatives
Event Statistics
- 300+ attendees
- 40+ speakers
- 10+ countries represented
- 10+ hours of high-level content
- 7+ hours of dedicated networking
"Great speakers in a well-curated line-up of speeches and panels. Great networking opportunities."
- Anonymous"Very good selection of top-class speakers who really had something to say."
- Anonymous"Great organisation, good structure and interesting panels. Excellent thought-provoking speakers."
- Anonymous
