ExCeL and London hosted Sibos, the world’s premier financial services event, for the first time, welcoming over 9,000 business leaders and 300 banking and financial-technology exhibitors from Sept. 23-26.
It was the largest audience and exhibitor participation in Sibos’s history—a huge accolade for London and ExCeL as a new destination and venue. The venue was transformed to meet the unique requirements of this event, including but not limited to:
- Discover Zone featuring more than 100 fintechs, SWIFT labs, a dedicated Innotribe stage and developer park
- Exhibition hall for over 200 financial institutions and financial services providers
- Keynote featuring high profile business leaders
- In-hall theatres, debating industry hot topics
- Sibos TV
- Well-being lounges, chat and connect spaces
Ahead of Sibos, ExCeL announced a significant investment in its technology infrastructure. The venue partnered with market leader, Ruckus Networks, to upgrade to the latest W-Fi standard (Wi-Fi 5). This will allow ExCeL to increase the number concurrent users (client devices) to 100,000, an increase of 300 percent, further enhancing the experience for Sibos delegates.
“Sibos is recognized globally as best in class in both the financial and B2B event communities,” says Jane Hague, head of business development at ExCeL London. “To underpin ExCeL’s ambition to be the home of world-leading events, it was hugely important for us to host Sibos.” She continues, “We are thrilled that this year will be the biggest and the best event in Sibos’s history and is testimony to London’s stature as a financial and technology powerhouse.”
Barbara Jamison, Head of Business Development Europe, adds: “London is a natural choice for Sibos and we are delighted to welcome over 9,000 business leaders, decision makers and experts to the UK capital for an inspiring week of talks, workshops and discussions which are destined to shape the future of the financial world. London is a city of creative energy that celebrates rich heritage, embraces diverse cultures, encourages free-thinking and is an inspirational global hub for innovation and talent. With over half a million professionals working in fintech and banking sectors, there has never been a better time for innovation, new ideas and technology. Sibos London is set to be a fascinating, world-class event.”
In addition to the main event, a host of fringe activity took place around the city, bringing together a huge number of venues, hotels, restaurants and transport partners to play their part. This will deliver a significant economic impact, demonstrating the importance of hosting large scale conferences like Sibos in London.
ExCeL London opened in November 2000, in an area of huge regeneration in London’s historic Royal Docks. Today, the venue hosts 300 events per year, welcoming 4 million visitors from every corner of the globe. Events hosted at ExCeL London generate £4.5bn in economic impact for London and support 37,600 jobs. Under the ownership of ADNEC, ExCeL London has seen significant investment in new facilities, including the opening of London’s International Convention Centre (ICC) and onsite hotel developments. For more info, visit www.excel.london.
