(This article was first published on LinkedIn here)

From 29 Sept - 2 Oct 2025, Sibos Frankfurt welcomed over 12,500 banking and tech attendees, alongside 500 speakers and 200 exhibitors - making it one of the largest gatherings in the event’s 46-year history and clearly one of the major events on the financial services calendar. For those of us who’ve helped shape Sibos from the inside - as I did during my time at Swift - or been exhibiting or presenting solutions there as I did at Deutsche Bank, it’s more than just a conference. It’s a strategic stage where marketing delivers.

This year, I wasn’t on the ground myself, but Financial Marketing Insights was - thanks to Janet Du Chenne, Founder of ThoughtTree Lab and long-time colleague. Janet captured a series of conversations with senior marketers, and we’re pleased to share a short video featuring two industry leaders: Deutsche Bank's Christoph Woermann, FCIM and Standard Chartered's Roslyn Queeley. Their reflections, along with broader conversations at Sibos and insights from our recent podcast with Swift's Gary Mercer revealed a clear shift in how financial brands are showing up - with more purpose, more precision, and more pressure to deliver.

From Presence to Purpose

Sibos is no longer simply about brochures on a booth. Today, it’s a 360° engagement model that begins months in advance. Brands are crafting thought leadership, building anticipation across channels, and aligning every activation with strategic intent. The event itself becomes a moment of amplification - not the starting point, but the crescendo.

As Christoph put it, “It’s all about the client - their time, their needs, their experience.” That ethos now drives everything from pre-conference content to post-event follow-up. The best marketing teams are asking: What do we want our clients to take away? And how does that connect to the journey we’ve already begun?

Measuring What Matters

There’s also a growing emphasis on accountability. Engagement is tracked, pipelines are monitored, and marketing teams are expected to demonstrate value beyond visibility. Gary recalled his time leading Sibos marketing for HSBC, where the challenge was always to prove ROI. At the London Sibos in 2019, he feels his team finally cracked it - mapping meetings to pipeline, tracking media coverage, and presenting a clear return on investment. It was a breakthrough moment, and one that many marketers are still striving to perfect.

Roslyn echoed this sentiment, describing how Standard Chartered uses Sibos not just for networking, but for tracking client engagement and pipeline development. The booth may be buzzing, but behind the scenes, there’s a clear focus on outcomes.

Connection as Currency

Despite the rise of digital channels, in-person connection remains irreplaceable. Sibos offers a rare chance to deepen relationships, spark new ones, and bring global teams into meaningful alignment. The diary is full before the doors open - and every meeting counts.

Gary spoke of the “diplomatic” nature of Sibos - likening it to entering another country, with its own rhythms, rituals, and expectations. Whether hosting clients, briefing press, or coordinating internal teams, marketers are orchestrating a complex dance of visibility and value.

Quality Over Quantity in the Age of AI

AI was everywhere at Sibos - both as a topic and as a tool. But the best marketers are resisting the urge to flood the zone. Christoph offered a timely caution: AI should help us produce better content, not just more of it. The goal is not volume, but clarity. Not noise, but resonance.

Brand, Collaboration, and the Swift Perspective

One of the most compelling themes this year was collaboration. SWIFT, as a not-for-profit cooperative, sits at the heart of the industry - not selling products, but solving problems. Gary spoke passionately about the role of Sibos in convening the community: from policy labs and member groups to startup challenges and cross-border innovation. There was even a big announcement this year about Blockchain - see more here.

The rebranding of Swift over the past four years has also been a masterclass in strategic storytelling. From out-of-home campaigns in New York and Hong Kong to a refreshed digital presence, the organization has moved from quiet infrastructure to proud enabler - showing how marketing can elevate even the most technical of missions. Sibos itself continues to grow and innovate year on year, thanks to the fantastic team behind the scenes.

Looking Ahead to Miami

Next year, Sibos heads to Miami - a city with its own energy, its own expectations, and its own opportunities for creative expression. The challenge will be to stay true to brand while embracing local nuance - to bring global consistency without losing cultural relevance. It’s a balancing act that demands both strategic foresight and creative agility.

At Financial Marketing Insights, we see Sibos as more than a banking showcase. It’s a strategic mirror - reflecting how well FS Marketers understand our clients, our platforms, and our purpose. It’s where marketing proves its worth, not just in presence, but in resonance.

Here’s to the marketers who make Sibos matter - not just with banners and booths, but with ideas that move the financial services industry forward.