20 Europe 2025: Our Take and Why We're Going: By Jf Sullivan
It's become a bit of a tradition - every summer, we pack our bags, brush up on the latest fintech trends, and head to Amsterdam. And each year, it's a little different. The crowd changes. The themes shift. The industry moves forward. But what stays the same is the feeling you get when you walk through those doors: that this is where the future of finance gets talked about for real.
Over the years, we've had three chances to get on stage and share our perspective - which has been an honor. We don't take speaking spots lightly. Whether we're talking transaction data, user experience, or how to make finance work better for everyone, we show up with real stories, real lessons, and a whole lot of curiosity.
Last year was a special one. We announced our partnership with Piraeus Bank - Greece's leading bank - right there at the event. It was a proud moment for us, and the kind of announcement that just fits the energy of Money20/20. Big things, bold moves, and lots of momentum.
And yep - we'll be there again this year.
What's interesting is how much the conversations have evolved. Way back when, it was all about disruption. Everyone wanted to 'kill the banks' or build the next big challenger. It felt a little like the Wild West of fintech.
Now - it's different. We're talking more about partnerships, ecosystems, embedded finance, compliance, and how to build trust in a world full of AI. There's a bigger focus on doing things right, not just doing them fast.
And the event itself has grown too. It's more thoughtful. More global. More diverse in every sense. It's not just startups and suits anymore - it's regulators, creatives, developers, banks, and everyone in between.
We're excited to be back. Not just to shake hands and swap business cards, but to listen, learn, and maybe spark a few new ideas.
If you're heading to Amsterdam, let's catch up. We'll be the ones by the coffee, talking about transaction enrichment, location intelligence, and how to make banking just a little bit smarter.
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The Herald Scotland
14 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Scotland's largest power plant faces a final reckoning
Yet, the industry, now imperiled by the attempted drive towards net zero, must adapt or die. Peterhead Power Station began operation in 1982, and will be nearly 60 years old when it is decommissioned in a decade and a half. First an oil-powered station, the fuel of choice was switched to fossil gas at the dawn of the 21st century. It was Scotland's largest climate polluter between 2018 and 2020, and again in 2022, while producing electricity for thousands of homes across the UK. I should know. Peterhead Power Station was fully operational in 1982. (Image: SSE) I walked past its gas turbines every day for three years. As I waited for the bus to take me 30 miles south to Aberdeen University, a steady stream of cars would make the journey in the opposite direction, towards the plant. Now, plans have been drawn up for a second power station — one which developers SSE say will incorporate carbon capture and storage (CCS) in a bid to catch 95% of the plant's emissions. Peterhead, a town of 20,000 known for its fishing industry, is poised to play a 'very strategic' role in the nation's energy grid, Helen Sanders tells me. Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at SSE, Sanders has led public engagement on the firm's low-carbon initiatives. She notes: 'Peterhead is a very strategic place when it comes to our national energy grid, and we've been looking at carbon capture in the north east of Scotland for a significant period of time. 'We cannot have a power system based solely on renewables. To use a cliche,' she adds, 'What happens when the sun doesn't shine and the wind won't blow? Peterhead is really plugged in and very well placed in that regard.' Read more: While the efficacy of CCS has long been debated, SSE claims it will be able to secure 95% of emissions, capturing particles in the air and sending them deep under the North Sea via pipeline. Sanders says: 'Nobody is doing more for the decarbonisation of the power system than SSE. We've been working with a world-class consortium to test our carbon capture plan. 'Our project requires government investment, and in order to receive funding, we need to meet certain standards of carbon capture.' SSE has been the target of climate activists. However, her claims are countered by environmental campaigner Alex Lee, who works for Friends of the Earth Scotland as a 'false solutions campaigner'. Lee, who specialises in CCS and fossil hydrogen research, told me that SSE's top figure of 95% was 'conjecture,' adding: 'I'm very interested to know the research and real world evidence behind their claims. 'Carbon capture and storage has never been done on a gas power station. Even when it's been done before in the power sector, it's largely been a failure.' My conversation with Sanders turns to the issue of job creation. 'The existing station is a good framework,' she informs me. 'It has 80 full time employees as well as support workers and contractors and graduates who are onsite. We work with local educational institutes to provide apprenticeship opportunities. 'There will be significant investment during the construction period, with 1000 jobs expected to be created, and the carbon capture scheme will support 240 jobs once commissioned and operational.' Previous carbon capture schemes in the area have fallen through, notably in 2006 and 2011, so I ask Sanders what the difference will be this time around. 'Net Zero is a game changer,' she responds. 'Peterhead is an anchor project for the CCS scheme [known as Acorn] and will underpin the entire system.' With a £22bn commitment by the UK Government at the end of last year, it appears both parties are keen to see the technology released in the north east. That's something Lee herself has observed, from the other side of the fight. 'There is a broad political consensus from the SNP and UK Labour and the Tories in support of carbon capture and storage,' they note. 'There's a key reason. The oil and gas lobby is massive. For every day Holyrood is in session, there is an oil and gas meeting. 'It's easier to pretend carbon capture is a 'magic bullet' than to change structures and systems. That's where the political consensus is coming from.' What do people in the region think about the plant? Unsurprisingly, activists and developers tell me different things. SSE claims that the plant will bring an influx of jobs and economic development to the area. Sanders quips: 'Locally, the response has been very supportive. People are keen to see investments. They know it can revitalise the north east of Scotland and set it up to thrive in a Net Zero world. 'I remember attending one of our community engagement meetings in the town and people were asking why we hadn't done this sooner.' Petehead is home to the largest fishing port in Europe. (Image: Getty) She invites me to visit Peterhead, and says the firm would be happy to show me around the plant. 'Well,' I say, 'I'll do you one better. I've looked out my window and seen the power plant more times than I can count.' 'Ah,' Sanders replies. 'I see why you're interested in this.' A shiny video on SSE's website celebrates the impact it has on the region. In an interview, one suited and booted worker says: 'We know it's a really hard time for local charities, business, and organisations. So to see SSE stepping up and getting involved locally with local people and community groups to help support them is really important.' Read more: Yet, Michelle Marshall, who works for Friends of the Earth, has a different view. She is a mum-of-two who has lived in Boddam for a decade, in the shadow of the power plant. We first met when she was fighting to save the community's library, which was mothballed over the winter. Marshall tells me that her community is already suffering. She says: 'Peterhead and Boddam have seen colossal cuts that are already affecting so many people. What we need is to see our sheltered housing stay open, for the new Community Campus to be built, our libraries reinstated, access to better healthcare and the reinstating of our nighttime A&E service. 'What we don't need is more pollution, more risk of flooding, and more risk to our health. We do not need a new gas guzzling power station when we deserve good, well-funded public services and community spaces.' It's a trying time for the residents of the north-east, this I know. A hardy and proud people, they have been worn down by decades of economic stagnation and neglect by a series of governments. They are those who live in the shadows; of the oil and gas industry, the energy companies, and yes, the looming power plant. 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China's huge step in space that could have chilling impact if war breaks out
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