Lázaro Campos, Swift’s CEO of 18 months, discusses the institution’s critics and competitors, and why Swift will always upset someone.

The European commissioner for the internal market has been at the forefront of the Sepa initiative since taking up office in 2004. Here, he answers the market’s criticisms of the project and discusses how it has been handled at European level.

Political intrigue and a lack of leadership might yet kill the European Commission’s vision of a Single Euro Payments Area. Writer Michelle Price.

The Single Euro Payments Area, MiFID, the Target 2 Securities initiative and the Thomson-Reuters megamerger are among the hot topics at this year’s SIBOS.

A conservative funding structure has helped the Swiss bank retain a strong capital base, while an integrated business model has given it more flexibility. This has enabled it to produce its largest-ever single debt issue. Writer Edward Russell-Walling.

Barclays Capital’s rare £250m value in-force deal for Aegon Scottish Equitable proved there is a growing appetite for securitisations among insurers. Writer Edward Russell-Walling.

The global head of corporate and investment banking at BNP Paribas says the bank is enduring challenging market conditions with a risk-aware, rather than risk-averse, approach to business.

The US still looks like the preferred jurisdiction for those claiming damages over subprime-related losses, but the growth of litigation funding could create new opportunities in Europe. Writer Philip Alexander.

Better disclosure, improved corporate governance and further progress in devising sharia-compliant derivatives are among the crucial requirements. By Shamshad Akhtar.

The UK Faster Payments Service heralds a new epoch for payments. Although there are obvious benefits to individuals in terms of convenience and certainty of payment, the potential benefits to business and the economy are even greater. Martin Kearsley, director of strategy at VocaLink, explains how the infrastructure was designed and its potential benefits to consumers and businesses alike.