Paris hosted the Annual General Meeting of Qorus — formerly Efma — the international non-profit organization that brings together more than 1,200 financial groups across over 120 countries. Two years after its rebranding, Qorus reflects on a strategic transformation that has positioned it at the forefront of innovation and collaboration within the global financial sector. The organization continues to strengthen its communities across five continents and is now unveiling its priorities to support the rapid evolution of financial services.
The 2022 rebranding — when Efma became Qorus — marked much more than a name change: it signaled a profound shift in ambition. Qorus now stands as the shared home for all players in the financial services ecosystem — banks, insurers, fintechs, mutuals, regulators, and technology providers — and, more broadly, for all those driving change across the sector.
“At Qorus, we haven’t just built a network; we’ve brought together a true community united around a shared ambition: to invent a more responsible and purposeful financial industry. This collective strength fuels a common momentum, enabling us to design today the solutions that will shape the banking and insurance sectors of tomorrow. Our members are looking for a neutral space to test, learn, and scale faster — and the roadmap we are unveiling responds directly to this demand for measurable impact and shared progress. Together, we are rebuilding bridges across the financial ecosystem and driving innovations that are both transformative and sustainable,” said Jean-Marc Pailhol, President.
True to the spirit of its founding in 1971, the organization remains independent, neutral, and non-profit. Its mission is summed up in three words: “Further. Faster. Together.” — helping its members go further, move faster, and succeed together.
At the heart of this momentum, Qorus positions itself as a global hub: a watchtower for emerging trends, a source of exclusive content, and a vibrant network of active communities. It drives and accelerates co-innovation across the financial services industry. Concretely:
• A global platform for sharing, strategic monitoring, and collaboration — designed to anticipate major trends and connect key decision-makers;
• A unique resource center featuring nearly 8,000 innovation case studies, meticulously indexed and comparable, spanning all continents and industry verticals;
• A multi-format event agenda including international conferences, webinars, Community Coffees, Best Practice Forums, and Leaders Roundtables to foster peer-to-peer learning;
• Ongoing exclusive benchmarking based on proprietary data, enabling institutions to position themselves and draw inspiration from best practices;
• Thematic and regional communities that combine sector expertise with local realities, helping accelerate the spread of high-impact innovations.
A recent highlight in Qorus’ annual calendar, the Innovation in Insurance Awards — held in Warsaw on June 17, 2025, to mark their 10th anniversary — brought together 146 institutions from 49 countries, showcasing 272 projects and celebrating the most cutting-edge solutions in insurance. Sponsored by NTT DATA, this record-breaking event confirmed Qorus’ ability to mobilize its global community and turn innovation into measurable competitive advantage. By leveraging this integrated ecosystem, Qorus aims to spotlight the most inspiring initiatives and accelerate the structural transformation of finance on a global scale.
2025 annual general meeting
Highlights on the horizon:
Qorus-Infosys Finacle Banking Innovation Awards 2025
In partnership with Infosys Finacle, Qorus will host the Global Banking Innovation Awards on October 29 in Athens. A true global showcase of banking innovation, the event highlights the boldest initiatives in customer experience, artificial intelligence, ESG performance, and operational excellence.
Launched in 2013, the awards have become the international benchmark for financial innovation. The 2025 edition reviewed 324 projects submitted by 129 institutions from 53 countries. An independent committee selected nine finalists in each of the nine categories, ahead of the final vote by the Qorus community. The winners — to be announced on October 29 — will have their solutions added to the Qorus knowledge base and will join a global network of experts dedicated to spreading best practices that will shape the future of banking.
Reinvent Forum 2026 – Paris
In May 2026, the Reinvent Forum will gather over 500 decision-makers in Paris for a two-day event bringing together leaders from banking, insurance, fintechs, and regulatory bodies. Structured around two parallel tracks — Reinvent Forum Banking and Reinvent Forum Insurance — the event will explore generative AI, open banking, embedded insurance, cybersecurity, and sustainable finance through keynotes, interactive workshops, and live demos. A key highlight will be the Regional Awards – Europe, celebrating the most impactful local innovations.
This Paris event is part of a global series already underway:
• Reinvent Forum APAC – Bangkok, February 19-20, 2025: the go-to platform for players across Asia-Pacific, India, and Australia, focusing on digital transformation, open finance, and ESG;
• Reinvent Forum MEA – Dubai, November 19-20, 2025: a gathering of Middle East & Africa leaders to address AI, customer experience, and sustainable growth.
With these regional editions and the Paris gathering, Qorus provides a neutral, interconnected space where best practices flow freely across borders — shaping the business models of tomorrow’s banking and insurance industries together.
A new foundation: the regional awards
Each stop on the forum circuit now features a Regional Awards ceremony, launched in 2024 to spotlight institutions reinventing finance in their part of the world. The Paris Forum will host the Europe 2026 edition — a direct continuation of the inaugural awards unveiled in Vienna in 2024 — with categories that evolve in step with the innovations they celebrate.
Winners, selected from entries submitted to the Banking Innovation Awards, gain continent-wide visibility, access to exclusive benchmarking, and privileged entry into Qorus communities. This momentum strengthens the innovation ecosystem and fosters synergies between regional and global players.