Trends Summer University 2026
Hack the Future: insights from ABN AMRO
The world is changing faster than ever. Artificial intelligence is reshaping business models. Geopolitical tensions are influencing markets and investments. New players are challenging established sectors. What was a competitive advantage yesterday may turn out to be a vulnerability tomorrow.
That was the central premise of Trends Summer University 2026, of which ABN AMRO is a founding partner.
Hack the Future
Under the theme ‘Hack the Future’, entrepreneurs, CEOs, economists and experts shared insights into how organisations can grow and remain relevant in a world that is becoming increasingly unpredictable.
In this context, “hacking” does not mean circumventing rules, but breaking free from outdated ways of thinking. It is about finding new levers for growth, strengthening resilience and creating opportunities in an environment that is constantly changing.
Following the Trends Summer University, Trends and Trends-Tendances are publishing a series of interviews and analyses featuring leading business executives and thought leaders. As a knowledge partner, ABN AMRO provides a complementary perspective on each theme, drawing on the expertise of our sector bankers, innovators and economists.
Expert insights from ABN AMRO
Telecom’s right to play lies within the ecosystem
Julia Krauwer – Sector Banker Technology, Media & Telecom
On digital sovereignty, AI infrastructure, and the role telecom operators can play within an increasingly complex technology ecosystem.
AI agents are shifting value in banking, but not at the same pace everywhere
Yorick Naeff – Head of Innovation
On the impact of AI agents on financial services, the shift in value creation, and the enduring importance of trust and expertise.
Geopolitical pressures call for economic resilience
Nick Kounis - Chief Economist ABN AMRO
Why strategic autonomy is becoming an economic necessity in a world of growing geopolitical tensions.
Why established banks are not disappearing
Yorick Naeff – Head of Innovation
On digital capabilities, technical debt, customer relationships, and the convergence of traditional and digital banking models.
Industry 4.0 requires more than technology
Julia Krauwer - Sector Banker Technology, Media & Telecom ABN AMRO
Why digital resilience is becoming just as important as innovation in a world of AI, automation, and connected production systems.
Why this series?
The challenges businesses face today do not stop at the boundaries of a single sector. Technology, geopolitics, energy, digitalisation, and financial innovation are becoming increasingly interconnected.
With this series, we aim not only to describe trends, but above all to provide insight into the structural changes emerging beneath current events. Which forces are shaping tomorrow’s economy? Which risks should businesses already be taking into account today? And which opportunities are arising for organisations that adapt in time?
By bringing together the insights of our specialists, we hope to contribute to the debate on the future of entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic resilience.
Because the question is not whether the world is changing.
The question is how we can understand that change, anticipate it, and use it to our advantage.
That is the essence of Hack the Future.