World Credit Union Conference – Belfast 2016

The World Credit Union Conference is an annual credit union education and networking event, this year held in Belfast from 17-20 July. The conference, organised by the World...

The World Credit Union Conference is an annual credit union education and networking event, this year held in Belfast from 17-20 July.

The conference, organised by the World Council of Credit Unions (Woccu) attracts more than 1,700 credit union executives and volunteers from over 50 countries around the globe to discuss membership growth, advocacy, technology and the future of financial services.

 

  • Paul Kennedy, consultant at Bayberry addresses delegates at the World Credit Union Conference in Belfast, 18 July 2016

    Mobile has become key to credit union member relationship

    The increasing role of mobile technology was a recurring theme at the World Credit Union Conference in Belfast. In a special breakout session at the conference, delegates looked at how devices can be used to improve member relationship and engagement. Paul Kennedy, a consultant at Bayberry, highlighted some of the latest trends in the industry. The daily consumer experience has become ...

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  • "Mobile is by far the fastest growing banking channel in today's market"

    Credit unions must embrace digital technology

    With consumers changing their habits and expecting an omnichannel experience, credit unions need to be ready to embrace digital technology. Addressing delegates at the World Credit Union Conference in Belfast, Anne Horton from MasterCard looked at the main ways in which credit unions can appeal to consumers increasingly aware of the entire experience around shopping. MasterCard is the global ...

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  • Theresa Payton giving her speech at the World Credit Union Conference in Belfast. [photo: Woccu]

    Responding to cybersecurity threats: tips from Theresa Payton

    The 2016 Bangladesh bank hack raised new concerns related to cyber threats among financial providers, including credit unions. A former White House chief information officer, Theresa Payton, was a keynote speaker at the World Credit Union Conference in Belfast. She told credit union representatives that cyber security should be one of the main topics on their agenda. “Members deserve the ...

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  • Ellvena Graham (chair of the Belfast Waterfront board), Brian Branch (World Council of Credit Unions), Brian McCrory (Irish League of Credit Unions) and Tim Husbands (vice-chair of Visit Belfast) [photo: Belfast Waterfront]

    World Credit Union Conference contributes £3.7m to Belfast’s economy

    The World Credit Union Conference brought over 2,000 delegates from 55 countries to Belfast, boosting the city's economy by £3.7m. [caption id="attachment_107559" align="alignleft" width="287"] Outside the Waterfront Hall in Belfast[/caption] The four-day event, which took place on 17-20 July, is organised every year by the World Council of Credit Unions (Woccu). The 2016 edition was ...

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  • ACCU chief executive, Elenita San Roque, speaks at the World Credit Union conference in Belfast.

    Asian Confederation of Credit Unions aims to take the lead in digital payments

    Faced with competition from micro-finance institutions and fintechs, credit unions in Asia have decided to take a step further in digital payments. The Asian Confederation of Credit Unions (ACCU) has recently launched a common banking and payments platform for its members in the Philippines. The platform, called APP, was presented to delegates at the World Credit Union Conference in ...

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  • Bill Hampel, chief economist and chief policy officer of the Credit Union National Association (CUNA), speaking at the breakout session in Belfast.

    Does regulation place an extra burden on credit unions?

    Good regulation should be proportional and take into account the potential impact on economic growth, argued Prof Donal McKillop from Queen's University Belfast. An issue of great concern for credit unions, regulation is perceived by some as an extra burden. Prof McKillop was speaking at a special breakout session at the World Credit Union Conference in Belfast, where he described some of ...

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  • (l-r) The 2016–2017 World Council board of directors: Daniel Burns (chair), Patrick Jury (first vice chair), Brian McCrory (second vice chair), Manfred Dasenbrock (secretary), Bruce Foulke (treasurer) followed by directors Jaime Chavez Suarez, Mark Degotardi, Martha Durdin, Rafa‚ Matusiak, Dr. Chulsang Moon, Aaron Moses, Steven Stapp, and George Ototo (not pictured). [photo: Woccu]

    Woccu elects new board to be chaired by Daniel Burns

    Daniel Burns from Canada has been elected chair of the World Council of Credit Unions (Woccu). Mr Burns, who has been involved in credit unions for 20 years, formally took office during the World Credit Union Conference Annual General Meeting on 18 July in Belfast. He is taking over from Anne Cochran, president and chief executive of the Louisiana Credit Union League. Two other board ...

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  • Sandra McDowell leading the Neuroleadership beakout session in Belfast

    Credit unions should lead with the brain in mind

    Delegates at the World Credit Union Conference in Belfast were told to lead with the brain in mind. A credit union practitioner with a passion for leadership Sandra McDowell led a special breakout session looking at the key challenges in terms of leadership. Neuroleadership is a new discipline that aims to explain why many leadership efforts and organisational change initiatives are ...

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  • Terence Roche, co-founder of Cornerstone Advisors speaking at the World Credit Union Conference in Belfast, 19 July 2016

    Is the credit union branch becoming redundant in a digital world?

    If in the past it was large buildings and rows of tellers that attracted members inside credit union branches, these days customers are looking for different experiences. Credit unions across the world are now exploring new branch models to respond to the needs of their customers. In a special breakout session, delegates at the World Credit Union Conference in Belfast heard from Terence ...

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  • Northern Ireland's deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, addressing delegates at the World Credit Union Conference

    Credit unions are a powerful force for good in Northern Ireland, says deputy first minister

    A member of a credit union for over 40 years, Northern Ireland deputy first minister Martin McGuinness believes the sector has a crucial role to play in caring for local communities. Mr McGuinness was a keynote speaker at the World Credit Union Conference in Belfast, where he addressed over 1,800 delegates from 55 countries. He began by referring to the 1994 IRA ceasefire, which he ...

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  • (l-r) Alan Moore, Peter Mason, Pawel Grzesik, Calyn Ostrowski and moderator Dwayne Naylor at the 2016 World Credit Union Conference in Belfast

    Promoting international development through credit unions

    At a break out session at the World Council of Credit Unions (Woccu) annual conference in Belfast, delegates explored the principle of 'co-operation between co-operatives’. An expert panel of Pawel Grzesik (head of the Warsaw office of Nascu, the National Association of Cooperative Savings and Credit Unions); Alan Moore (CEO of the Irish League of Credit Unions Foundation); Calyn Ostrowski ...

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  • Mark Sievewright at the Woccu conference on 18 July 2016: "Credit union philosophies of people helping people has a remarkable tie-up with what young people want, and the values they hold."

    Credit unions: Where do we go from here?

    In a break out session at the World Council of Credit Union (Woccu) conference in Belfast, Mark Sievewright, president of credit union solutions at Fiserv, looked at 10 predictions for the future of retail financial services. Mr Sievewright described the current climate as “the most exciting yet challenging time of my 30 years in the financial industry”. As technological and demographic ...

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  • Ian Goldin discussing global trends at the World Credit Union Conference in Belfast (Image: Woccu)

    Ian Goldin: How should credit unions respond to future global trends?

    In a world of disruptive change, credit unions must prepare for uncertainty. But predicting future trends can be a great challenge. One of the keynote speakers at the World Credit Union Conference in Belfast, Professor Ian Goldin, looked at the main global tendencies and the implications for the credit union sector. Professor Goldin leads the Oxford Martin School, a department at Oxford ...

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  • Anne Cochran, chair of Woccu speaks at the opening ceremony of the World Credit Union Conference 2016 in Belfast on Sunday 17 July.

    World Credit Union Conference 2016 opens

    The World Credit Union Conference is underway in Belfast, bringing together representatives from 55 different countries. The opening ceremony featured introductions from credit union leaders, including Daniel Burns, first vice chair of the World Council of Credit Unions (Woccu). “We all share the co-operative DNA, that’s what brings us together,” he said, welcoming delegates to Northern ...

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