BarCamp Bank London

On 5July this year, there will be a BarCamp Bank in London. For those of you not familiar with the term "BarCamp", it refers to the idea of an "unconference" - a get together where there are no set agendas, no set speakers, and no sales pitches. You show up, ready to present (anyone who wants to can) and get a slot in the agenda on the day.

The London BarCamp Bank follows other BarCamps which have been held in Seattle, San Francisco, Paris and New York. Those were pretty successful, so I suppose it is surprising that we've not actually held one in London to date. Especially, since London is a financial services hub.

Fixing that has been the work of Frederic Baud and Thomas Barker and many others. The event will be held at the city offices of Sun Microsystems in the City (address on registration site)

The history of BarCamps is quite interesting. They started in 2005 in Silicon Valley where several volunteer convened invitation based conferences were already happening. The first one based on a wiki - and therefore open to all - was organised from conception to the day itself in a week, and drew over 200 people.

There's a great description of this on Wikipedia, and now there are BarCamps on all kinds of different topics. Including, obviously, banking.

I'll be attending. The event is on a Saturday - no, not a mistake - Bar Camps are always on weekends. I'll have a presentation on why you shouldn't give innovators too much money. Naturally, the group will decide whether that presentation actually makes the agenda or not on the morning of the event.

The rest of the agenda is being discussed online presently here and you can register your attendance at EventBrite. 

I hope you'll make the effort to attend. Everyone is welcome.

Comments

[FredericBaud]

James, thanks for the post, and most of all thanks for your enthusiastically-expected presence to BCBL.

Concerning the selection process, the rule is that people vote with their feet. Your presentation has already my own two feet impatiently waiting to bring me to it.

PS: Antony Evans should also be widely credited for his superb work in making BCBL a reality.

[William Azaroff]

I wish I could be there, James!

Plus, I wish you could be at ours in Vancouver in September. Thanks for the link on the wiki.