2025: The Power to Pivot: Banking for Resilience and Renewal

This edition focused on the pivotal role of banking among global transformations. Hosted by Johan Nota at ING in Amsterdam, over 400 young professionals explored how the industry can remain stable yet adaptive. Through keynotes from Wim Mijs (EBF), Marguerite Bérard (ABN AMRO), and Inge Bryan, the event delved into strategic and operational resilience. Interactive sessions addressed AI, cybercrime, and the defense industry, ending with dinner, drinks, and the famous FLAIRS after-party.

2023: Banking Through Crises

FLAIRS 2023 took place at ING Nederland in Amsterdam, with over 400 young professionals in attendance.

This edition was hosted by Lies Oudemans and had a packed program, with interesting keynotes by Peter Jacobs (CEO ING Nederland), Klaas Knot (President DNB) and Jesse van Doren (expert on innovation), panel discussions and interactive workshops. Afterwards, we celebrated with dinner, drinks and an amazing afterparty!

2022: The Real Deal or the Good Fake

This edition marked the return to live-events. With the help of our partners and wonderful speakers, Angela Eijlander, Maria Genova, and Joris Luyendijk, we explored how to recognise whether something is the real deal, or a good fake. With topics such as opportunity inequality, cybercrime, and the challenges young professionals face in this climate, as well as inspiring workshops, FLAIRS 2022 was a great succes!

2021: Focus & Flourish

This hybrid edition marked the third lustrum edition of FLAIRS with audience on site and at home. Together with Jan Sijbrand we took time to look back at important moments the last 15 years that changed the banking industry to how it currently is. After that, we started looking forward. Together with our partners and guests we spoke about important topics for young bankers and our banks to stay relevant in the near future such as sustainability, skills, and technology. Lastly, we facilitated interactive workshops to discuss the future of banking in more depth.

2020: Impact of a crisis on the financial sector

Due to Covid-19 the 2020 edition of FLAIRS was the first ever fully digital edition in a talkshow-format. In 1,5 hours we discussed the impact of the corona crisis on the Dutch banking sector from a sustainability, diversity, innovation and strategy perspective. The show featured many C-level executives and other specialists like Chris Buijink (Chair NVB) Dennis Dijkstra (CEO FlowTraders), Karl Guha (CEO Van Lanschot-Kempen) and Tom van der Lee (Politician Groenlinks).

2019: Banking to the future

The 2019 edition of FLAIRS gave a perspective of how traditional banking will change in the near future due to changing legislation and regulations, changing consumer demands and the advent of fintechs. The day was packed with workshops on the subject of Technology, Sustainability and Strategy, plenary sessions from the Dutch Association of Banks and a Trendwatcher and to top it all off: a clash between heavyweight partners of the Big 4 and a FinTech.

2018: Blending Banks

The 2018 edition of FLAIRS, which was held at DeFabrique events and activities venue in Utrecht, focused on networking and collaboration. The various workshops covered themes like data science, learning agility, nudging, machine learning, job satisfaction and sleep. The evening programme started with a full-blown food truck festival and ended with a great party in an old factory buidling.

2017: Life of a Banker

The 2017 edition of FLAIRS focused on the life of a banker. The panel, the various speakers and the workshops covered subjects like ‘the new way of working’, developments in the sector, personal development and vitality. The day ended with a walking dinner and a party in the centre of Amsterdam.

2016: Personal leadership

The message behind FLAIRS 2016 was clear: aim for the moon, you might reach the stars! This edition of FLAIRS focused on personal leadership, self-development and improving effectiveness. During the inspiring workshops, Young Professionals were given a number of tools to help them discover what stimulates and motivates them.

2015: Responsive Banking – How will you Change the Financial Industry?

The world is changing at a rapid pace and individuals and organisations are changing too. At FLAIRS 2015, various inspiring speakers and fintech start-ups took the young generation of bankers through the changes happening in the financial sector. The event focused on the following central question: How will you change the financial industry?