Vienna

A few months ago, I was invited to speak at the 2nd Pronovea conference in Vienna. I was delighted to be asked and quickly confirmed my participation. It didn’t take long for the organisers to ask if I would also be happy to join a panel and moderate another. To be honest, I enjoy panel discussions even more than presenting, so I had no hesitation in saying yes. As a speaker, I didn’t have to pay for the conference ticket, and my hotel was also covered—which was fantastic.

Nick and I had never been to Austria together (though I had visited a few times as a child when my parents took me skiing), so we saw this as a great opportunity to extend our stay by two nights and do some sightseeing. This was, of course, before we knew we would also be travelling to Japan and returning just three days before our flight to Vienna—severely jet-lagged and craving vegetables. We (by "we," I mean Nick) had two days to sort out the laundry and ensure we had enough pairs of underwear for the trip.

We landed in Vienna on Wednesday and, after checking in at the hotel, took a walk to the city centre. It was the end of term for many schools in Europe, so the streets were packed with children. Despite this, we managed to see some of the sights we had planned to visit, including the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Schmetterling Haus (Butterfly House). We also picked up some souvenirs for family back home. Still heavily jet-lagged and needing to be well-rested for the event, we decided to turn in early.

We stayed at the Flemings hotel, which was also the venue for the conference. The hotel has an interesting history. Its owner, Ignaz B., once worked as a taxi driver in New York City, where one of his regular passengers was Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond. Their conversations often centred around the topic of the ideal hotel and this inspired Ignaz to create a hotel that catered to every guest’s individual needs.

Pronovea event

The main purpose of this trip was to speak at the Pronovea event, a conference focused on digital transformation and innovation in the banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sector. The event brought together professionals from across industries to share case studies and engage in panel discussions on emerging trends and challenges.

The presentations covered a range of topics, but a few key insights stood out. One recurring theme was that customers ultimately follow convenience—whether in banking, payments, or financial services. Another discussion explored the fundamental question: what is money? While traditionally seen as something that can settle debts, act as a unit of account, or serve as a store of value, newer forms of currency like Bitcoin challenge these definitions. Bitcoin, for instance, functions as a unit of account but is not yet a stable store of value.

There was also an interesting conversation about the shift towards unified toolchains in software development, where the goal is not just technical efficiency but fostering Communities of Excellence rather than Communities of Practice. Conway’s Law, which suggests that software architecture tends to mirror an organisation’s structure, was brought up in this context. Another pressing issue discussed was greenhushing—particularly in the US, where companies now avoid talking about their sustainability efforts altogether, moving beyond greenwashing.

The evolution of banking services was another major theme. The term phygital banking came up frequently, describing the blending of physical and digital banking experiences. There was also a strong push towards invisible banking, where financial services integrate so seamlessly into daily life that users no longer actively engage with banking apps or interfaces. This trend marks a shift away from mobile banking as the primary touchpoint.

My own presentation focused on Why building a network of ethicists within organisations is important, and you can see the slides I used here. Naturally, I referenced my PhD research and even included a QR code at the back of my slides for those interested in signing up for further discussions. Instead of a traditional Q&A, I turned the tables on the audience, asking what my presentation sparked for them and whether their organisations actively address unintended consequences. One attendee shared that their company embeds elements of ethics through risk assessments and governance checklists. Another raised the issue of Microsoft disbanding its ethics team and asked how we can ensure ethical considerations remain embedded at the top of organisations.

During the break, an attendee approached me to say that my presentation resonated with her personally. However, in her role as a data analyst, she focuses on searching for data, rarely considering its ethical implications. She looks for data everywhere, implying that she focuses on getting the job done and not on the impacts on people. She does what she has to and doesn't think about ethics.

She later gave an insightful case study on how her organisation integrated data analytics, introducing a pre-mortem stage—using data to anticipate future risks rather than only learning from past mistakes, as in a traditional post-mortem. Another attendee shared his observation: mobile payments encourage people to spend more than they would with cash, and banks are fully aware of this behavioural shift.

The conference provided a fascinating insight into the evolving financial landscape and the ethical questions that arise alongside technological innovation. These discussions reinforced the need for critical thinking around the unintended consequences of digital transformation—something that I believe should be an integral part of decision-making in financial services.

Food Recommendations

We weren’t in Vienna for long, so we only have a few culinary recommendations. This is partly because, after returning from Japan, we weren’t particularly in the mood for heavy cuisine and strayed from the “local food path” several times. That said, the places we did try were excellent.

Breakfast

We went to Vollpension twice because we enjoyed it so much. This may be one of my favourite food spots ever and certainly my favourite breakfast place. Not only does the decor appeal to my inner grandma, but the premise is also lovely. The restaurant’s concept is to serve excellent food made by none other than grandmas, who, of course, are the best cooks. It also provides retirees with an opportunity to earn a little extra money on top of their pensions. The food is outstanding, and I particularly recommend Grandpa Bertl’s Buchtel Indulgence—two yeast buns filled with plum jam and served with warm vanilla sauce.

Lunch

For lunch, we tried Griechenbeisl, a charming restaurant near St. Stephen’s Cathedral that has been serving guests for 550 years. Today, guests can still hear a zither player perform in the same room where the famous ‘Der liebe Augustin’ once sang and played his bagpipes in the 17th century. Every Viennese child knows the stories of ‘Der liebe Augustin’, who—legend has it—fell into a plague pit while intoxicated but miraculously survived. At the restaurant’s entrance, you can even see a “plague pit” as a reminder of this legend.

For centuries, Griechenbeisl has been a meeting place for artists, scholars, and politicians, many of whom have left their signatures on the walls of the famous ‘Mark Twain Room’. Here, you’ll find names like Karl Lueger, Graf Bismarck, Egon Schiele, and Johnny Weissmüller.

As for food, I recommend trying anything with Serviettenknödel (dumpling slices). Nick opted for the Crispy Pig’s Leg for Two, but he regretted it a few hours later when he was still too full to eat dinner.

Dinner

We initially planned to eat at Tian Bistro, which has great reviews and offers a unique set-menu experience where you pay around €60 per person to share six or so dishes, including vegan options. However, as Nick was still full from lunch, and we weren’t keen on one of us eating while the other just watched, we ended up at Amerlingbeisl, which was just a few minutes away. The staff were great, and the food and atmosphere were excellent. We stayed much longer than we had planned.

Sightseeing

We only had one full day to explore Vienna, so we focused on the main sights, including Belvedere Palace and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. We also visited Schmetterling Haus (Butterfly House). While I always feel conflicted about animals in captivity, the butterflies themselves seemed well cared for.

We also visited two museums.

Kunsthistorisches Museum

Our first stop was the Kunsthistorisches Museum, which houses some of my favourite paintings—ones I learned about while studying art—by artists such as Vermeer, Velázquez, Dürer, Raphael, Titian, Tintoretto, Rubens, Rembrandt, and the world’s largest collection of works by Bruegel. I particularly loved the painted murals around the main staircase, featuring works by Klimt, Da Vinci, and others.

Leopold Museum

Next, we visited the Leopold Museum to see more modern art. Here, we explored an extensive Egon Schiele exhibition, which I loved. I even got to see some of his lesser-known works, such as his excellent paintings of houses. This was part of the "VIENNA 1900" exhibition, which is also being shown at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul. As a result, we saw some rarely exhibited works by Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, and Max Oppenheimer.

Overall, we really enjoyed our stay in Vienna. It was very different from both Tokyo, where we had just returned from, and London, where we live and which we still count as the best capital city in the world. Vienna has a unique charm—its blend of imperial grandeur, rich cultural history, and relaxed café culture makes it a city that invites you to slow down and take in your surroundings. While our visit was brief, we managed to experience a mix of its historic landmarks, art, and cuisine.