Silvia Carpitella on Innovation in Financial Services

The Centre for European Transformation (CfET) welcomed Silvia Carpitella, CEO of Citigroup Global Markets Europe, for the second edition of its C-Level Insights: Shaping Europe’s Transition lecture series. Bringing together students, academics, and industry professionals, the event explored how innovation is reshaping the financial sector and why Europe’s competitiveness depends on its ability to embrace change.

Innovation as necessity, not advantage

In her keynote, “Innovate or Stagnate: Driving Change in Financial Services,” Carpitella argued that innovation has become a strategic necessity rather than a competitive edge. Against a backdrop of technological disruption, evolving customer expectations, and geopolitical uncertainty, she stressed that financial institutions must continuously adapt their business models while remaining resilient, trusted, and focused on long-term value creation.

Leadership and culture over technology

Rather than framing innovation solely through a technological lens, Carpitella emphasised the role of leadership, organisational culture, and strategic decision-making. Sustainable transformation, she argued, depends on institutions fostering a mindset of collaboration, agility, and continuous learning — qualities increasingly essential in a fast-changing global financial landscape.

The discussion also examined the broader role of financial services in supporting Europe’s economic future, touching on digital transformation, sustainable finance, evolving regulation, and the responsibility of financial institutions to channel capital towards innovation and long-term growth.

Bridging leadership and the next generation

The session closed with an exchange between Carpitella and the audience, reflecting strong interest in how leadership can shape the future of European finance. The event was co-organised with the Money & Banking Bachelor course at Frankfurt School, taught by Larissa Schäfer and Kaspar Zimmermann, giving students direct access to the perspectives of a senior industry leader.

As part of the C-Level Insights series, the lecture continued CfET’s mission of connecting academic research with executive leadership, creating a platform where decision-makers, researchers, and the next generation of finance professionals can engage in meaningful dialogue on the challenges and opportunities shaping Europe’s transformation.