In 2006, Intel had a job to do – to show its relevance to the world of technology disrupting inefficient paradigms and enable the solutions which drive world commerce. Financial Services, like all industries has its own specialist drivers, and the task, in particular, was to show how iA (Intel Architecture) can be applied to make a difference to this demanding and competitive market.

In November 2006, the prestigious  Swiss Re “The Gherkin” building in The City of London was hired and over 150 guests were invited to hear Tom Kilroy interviewed by Richard Curran extol the virtues of emerging Quad Core on iA.  – Nigel Woodward, Intel’s Directoir of Financial Services chaired an industry panel which debated the directions of today’s financial and technology markets.

The event was spectacular and Intel had arrived back in The City and Financial Services with relevance.

Since November 2006, similar events have been run under the banner of fasterCITY – “Intel makes The CITY go faster” – as fasterTRADING, fasterRISKDATA and ANALYTICS, fasterSTP and BUSINESS AUTOMATION and fasterCOOLER DATACENTRE.  Speakers now include influential individuals coming from the markets leading firms and technology providers including HSBC, JPMC, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, London Stock Exchange, Nomura, BATS, ICAP, Credit Suisse, ChiX, Thomson Reuters, Progress Apama, CISCO, HP, IBM, Microsoft, Fujitsu, Sybase, Equinix, BT and more.

Today over 2000 guests represent the fasterCITY community who now meet regularly in The City to hear and discuss the latest convergence of business and technology. The format works well – keynote speakers are backed up by informed and varied opinions from the panel and networking is then convened to the later hours hosted by Chief Wine Officer, challenging the sommelier skills from the informed to the newcomer.