Another EuroFinance done — and what an event it was! Budapest delivered a vibing atmosphere, packed rooms, and endless networking opportunities. For me, it’s one of those events where time moves faster than your average FX trade confirmation. 2.5 days that fly by in a blur of sessions, conversations, and catching up with old (and new) treasury friends. And these conversation and real life meeting are priceless and worth the time.
1. AI Everywhere — and for Good Reason
If there was one word that defined EuroFinance 2025, it was AI.
I had the privilege of moderating Stage 1 (AI and Automation) on Day 1 and every session was standing-room only. That says a lot about where treasurers’ focus is today.
We talked RPA, APIs, and AI use cases.
- APIs are now the backbone of connectivity and data exchange. Though there was a call for standardisation
- RPA continues to handle the simple, repetitive stuff. But also the call to caution an RPA can be costly and not usefull for every cause
- And AI? It’s moving from buzzword to practical tool. But maybe not yet the gamechanger and easier to implement for the easier use cases.
When polling the audience on use cases, the top answer was cash flow forecasting — no surprise there. But my panel and I focused on something even more foundational: data gathering, cleansing, and quality. Because without clean data, no AI model in the world will give you useful insights.
My advice (and what we agreed on in the session): start with the simple use cases. Build confidence, prove value, and grow from there.
2. Cash and Capital — Back to Basics
On Day 2, I switched gears and moderated the Cash & Capital stage. The topics here were less about AI and more about the fundamentals:
- Forecasting accuracy
- Cash conversion cycles
- Working capital efficiency
- Trapped cash — still a major issue for multinationals, particularly in markets with capital controls or complex banking structures.
These are themes that have been part of treasury for decades — and they’re still front and center. That tells you something: even with all the new technology available, getting the basics right still matters most.
3. Networking — The Real Goldmine
EuroFinance isn’t just about the content; it’s about the conversations between sessions. This year I met treasurers from all over Europe, the US, and even the Middle East — some for the first time in real life. Those exchanges are where the real learning happens. A quick coffee together is worth 1000x more as those endless linkedin messages back and forth. Also great to see some of my Treasury Masterminds board members for the first time, from US and Middle East.
And of course, EuroFinance remains the place to meet your banks, your vendors, and the new innovators entering the space. Every year there’s a few fresh names worth watching.
4. The Energy of Treasury
Despite the long days and the occasional short nights (those evening events are worth it!), I always leave EuroFinance energized. There’s something about being surrounded by thousands of treasury professionals that reminds me why I love this field — it’s dynamic, global, and constantly evolving.
EuroFinance may only last 2.5 days, but the insights, connections, and follow-ups will last much longer.
See you next year!
