About Us

  • What We Do
  • Our History
What We Do

We are an independent conference and research organisation dedicated to the financial services sector. We have been hosting some of London’s best attended financial services conferences at five star London hotels for four decades. Every year our highly targeted and well attended events attract key decision makers from top financial services companies and provide a respected forum for focussed industry debate. At all our events we aim for objective, non-promotional contributions from industry leaders. Our goal always is to deliver cutting edge information and thought leadership in a congenial environment.

Why Different?

One of our specialities lies in identifying market trends driven by legislative, regulatory and technological change and exploring and assessing them through a conference format. The hallmark of our events is their objectivity and their non-promotional character. Speakers are invited to take part only on the basis of merit and their standing and reputation within the industry, never as a result of sponsorship or other commercial arrangements. This insistence on complete editorial integrity distinguishes us from most of our competitors. Another defining characteristic of Westminster and City events is their interactive format with great emphasis placed on questions and discussion. Speakers are frequently asked to explain, justify and defend their views and are often exposed to challenging and forensic questioning. This interaction generates illuminating debate and invigorates the mental processes, which is one of the things that a good conference is designed to do.

Our Speakers

Our events attract chief executives and senior directors from leading life and general insurance companies, reinsurance companies, banks, building societies, investment houses, asset managers, wealth managers, stockbrokers, IFAs and pension consultants, and partners in leading firms of actuaries, solicitors, accountants and management consultants. We are always pleased to hear from prospective speakers, particularly if they have a distinctive view on their sector and the challenges it may face. We are also interested in any suggestions for new speakers from whom delegates would like to hear. Unlike many conference organisers who regard paid sponsorship as a passport to speaking from the platform we neither invite nor accept sponsorship money in exchange for a speaking opportunity. Speakers are invited to take part only on the basis of merit and never as a result of commercial considerations. This insistence on complete editorial integrity distinguishes us from most of our commercial competitors and also helps to ensure that contributions to our events are objective, non-promotional and to a high standard.

Our Delegates

Our events attract a very high calibre of delegate, nearly all of whom have strategic responsibilities or are senior opinion formers. This is achieved by requiring every delegate to pay a fee to attend. Speakers frequently tell us that they value speaking at our events particularly because of the quality and seniority of the delegates. This in turn justifies speakers taking time and care in preparing their presentations and enhances the value of the feedback they get.

Our Researchers

In depth research underpins every conference we arrange. All our researchers specialise in financial services and in most cases have done so for many years. They have a deep understanding of different sectors of the marketplace, the factors influencing developments and the trends likely to shape the future. Because our researchers know many of the key players and talk to them regularly they pick up early signals of approaching changes and how markets will need to respond and adapt. These valuable insights come to be reflected in the conference programmes which always represent the cutting edge.

Our Venues

Our events are only held at four and five star hotels in London which can achieve the highest standards. We place a premium on comfortable, well-spaced seating, high quality refreshments, attentive service and good audio-visual at venues which are easy to reach. 

Our Fees

Unlike many of our competitors we do not have a policy of increasing or decreasing delegate attendance prices according to when the booking is made. Delegates may book places confident in the knowledge that the price is not going to go up or down according to when they book and a better offer will not be secured by waiting until the last minute or even getting in early. Our events are invariably very well supported so it is advisable to book early or run the risk of finding the event fully subscribed. But it will not affect the price you pay. We prefer to offer fair prices from the start rather than inflate prices first in order to finance discounts later.

Our History

History and Ethos of WCP

Established in 1979, Westminster and City Programmes was conceived as a way of addressing, through the medium of seminars and conferences, the then perceived inadequacy of communication between politicians, especially ministers from HM Treasury and the then Department for Social Security, and senior management in financial institutions. Many of our early events were based on green or white papers, and timed to take place during formal periods of consultation, thus contributing to the consultative process itself. Subsequently the scope of the events broadened to look at the impact of legislation and regulation on the business of banks, life companies, investment houses and similar institutions, and those who advise them. We try to provide a meeting point for legislators and regulators to explain and expound their thinking and receive feedback from practitioners on the implications for their businesses of prospective measures or proposals for change. The company ethos has always been to deliver high quality debate in high quality surroundings. We aim for contributions from experts, which are based on first hand experience, or original thinking, delivered in a clear and articulate way. The interactive nature of the proceedings, with plenty of opportunity through questions and discussion for delegates to express their own views, and probe and challenge what has been said, is a great generator of new ideas and creative thinking. Fair play and a balanced debate is ensured through skilled and informed chairmanship. Most importantly we aim for non-promotional contributions chosen as a result of our own editorial judgment based on objective research. This distinguishes our events from others which are driven primarily by marketing considerations or sponsorship which compromise the integrity of the debate.

Our Logo

At its most obvious, our registered trademark, the W logo, is a depiction of a seminar room with two lines of desks and a speaker platform at the front. Less obviously the left hand arm of the W represents the spires of Westminster, where the House of Commons makes decisions and passes legislation which affects the business of financial institutions and their customers. The right hand arm represents the City, originally symbolised by the Stock Exchange tower and more recently by Canary Wharf, where the business of many financial institutions is conducted. The interaction and communication between the two provides the context and subject matter for most of our conferences. The single bar connecting them represents the continuously flowing River Thames or the continuous stream of financial regulation. Looked at differently the W logo is also an impressionistic combination of the Parliamentary portcullis and the scales of justice. This depicts our quest at all our events for debate which is rigorous but also well-informed, balanced and even handed.

Past speakers – political

Historically many of our events have been policy orientated, assessing the impact of legislation at Westminster and policy decisions in Whitehall on the business of financial institutions, especially the regulatory environment in which they work and how it affects their approach to marketing. Many past events were held to coincide with Government consultative documents, often referred to as Green Papers. Being held during the consultation period they contributed to the consultation process itself.

Click here for a list of some of the politicians who have spoken.

Past speakers – financial

Many chief executives and other senior office holders of the leading financial institutions have spoken at our events and continue to do so.

Click here for a selection of industry speakers who have spoken for us in recent years.

Past Events & Materials

Could not make a conference but would like to find out more? You can purchase recordings of our previous events for your individual use. For our virtual events you can order the full recording of the webinar (including slides) and for our in-person conferences the soundtrack of the proceedings synchronised with the slides. Please view our list of past conferences, add the conference packages you require and simply complete the order form. 

Find Out More
Future Conferences
The 28th Annual Conference on
RETIREMENT INCOME
Rethinking Decumulation Strategies and Solutions
05/12/2024
09:15 - 17:00
More Info
The 22nd Conference on
BULK ANNUITIES
Pension Buy-ins and Buyouts
Longevity Swaps and Reinsurance
29/04/2025
to 30/04/2025
More Info