DSI Anniversary Event
On Friday, October 4, 2024, we celebrated a special milestone: the 25th anniversary of the DSI Foundation. For a quarter of a century, we have worked to strengthen trust in the investment industry, with integrity and professional competence as the foundation. This anniversary not only marked our past, but also focused on the future of the industry.
Inspiring key-notes
This event at the Beursgebouw in Amsterdam focused on two key themes: the rise of digitization and Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the important role of the investment industry in sustainability. With engaging contributions from renowned speakers and experts, we explored the latest trends and discussed the challenges facing the financial sector.
Keynote speakers such as Jos Heuvelman (AFM), Jorissa Neutelings (ABN AMRO) and Erik van Houwelingen (Van Lanschot Kempen) shared their insights on topics such as ethics in an age of AI and the fight against greenwashing.
Interactive panel discussions explored how the industry can continue to take responsibility in a rapidly changing environment.
Jos Heuvelman – AFM
Jos Heuvelman congratulated us on our 25th anniversary and thanked us for our close cooperation with the AFM, especially in the areas of professionalism and integrity in the financial sector. He discussed new challenges such as digitalization and the role of AI in the financial world. Heuvelman warned about risks of AI, such as biases in algorithms, but also recognized the opportunities for fraud detection and efficiency improvements. He stressed the importance of competent and incorruptible advisers, especially in an increasingly digital world, and praised DSI’s role in promoting quality and trust in the industry.
Erik van Houwelingen – Van Lanschot Kempen
Erik van Houwelingen took the audience on his personal journey in his thinking and acting on sustainability and mentioned some concrete examples of how Van Lanschot Kempen deals with this, for example by working with a fully regenerative farm producing olive oil. He challenged the audience to think about what moves you personally, thinking about the importance of future generations, and act accordingly. This can also be small, within your personal sphere of influence.
Jorissa Neutelings – ABN AMRO
Jorissa Neutelings discussed with the audience the major trends that everyone in the financial industry should follow to remain successful in serving customers. The development of AI plays a big role in this, both conversational ai and generative ai. Automation should be central to the service concepts where customers increasingly demand hyper-personalized service based on experiences from other digital services. Here, security is absolutely central; the bank as a vault of all your data offers opportunities. And finally, in the sector we need to think more in terms of ecosystems in which parts of the service can be integrated in cooperation with third parties. At a time when polarization is increasing and trust in large institutions is decreasing, integrity and an impeccable track record is crucial. View part of Jorissa’s presentation here.
Panel discussion
During the anniversary event, an inspiring panel discussion on sustainability in the financial sector kicked off, using as a basis the recently published DSI white paper “Greenwashing: Let’s be Real,” which came out in October this year.
An expert panel, consisting of Harald Walkate (Route 17 / University of Zurich), Carola van Lamoen (Robeco / Eumedion) and Erik van Houwelingen (Van Lanschot Kempen), explored some tantalizing questions: What do we actually mean by greenwashing? How can we effectively integrate elements such as “additionality” into labels or disclosure regulations? And how do we create an honest dialogue with consumers about what they should expect from the financial sector in addressing societal problems?
Moreover, it discussed how to improve cooperation with governments so that the financial sector can best support the enabling role of the public sector. This dynamic conversation highlighted not only the challenges but also the opportunities in the world of SRI. It was a valuable session that inspired and encouraged participants to think about the future of the sector.
AI art gallery by DSI
We present a unique AI art collection from DEAD-END Gallery in honor of DSI’s 25th anniversary. The works creatively depict the themes of digitization, sustainability and integrity and offer an inspiring glimpse into the future of the financial sector.
Meeting around craftsmanship and ethics
There were numerous attendees from various organizations associated with DSI, including DSI certificants, committee members and DSI participants. But also representatives of industry associations and training institutes closely linked to DSI. The intimate and interactive atmosphere provided a substantive dialogue and valuable networking and learning moments. This day again emphasized the importance of professionalism and ethics in a sector that is constantly changing.
DSI proudly looks back on a successful anniversary event and we are ready for the future, in which we remain committed to trust and integrity in the financial sector.
