What Else Happened in 2016?

Chris Skinner, Chairman at The Financial Services Club

23.12.2016 07:45 am

I join in several different podcasts globally, and am a regular on a few. One of those is FinTech Insider, who just recorded an episode that will be released in three parts on December 26, 27 and 29. The reason is that it is in three parts is that there were seven of us in the room: David Brear, Simon Taylor, Jason Bates and me – the hosts; and three special guests:

The result is that we talked a lot. A lot. But then there was lots to talk about when reflecting on the last year. So December 26 will review the first six months of 2016:

January

Oxfam publishes a report stating the world’s 62 richest people as wealthy as half the world’s population!
First ever flower grown in space aboard the International Space Station using the NASA Veggie system
The US holds its 6th debate for republican presidential candidates. Donald Trump is still in the running to many people’s disbelief.
China’s economic growth revealed as lowest for 25 years – 6.9% in 2015

Sadly on the January 10, 2016 David Bowie died age 69 and notably there were the ‘Bowie bonds’ – the singer’s financial innovation – Link
Smartphone-based UK bank gets additional £48m backing – Link

February

A global public health emergency is declared over the rapid spread of Zika-linked conditions
Pope Francis questions US Presidential hopeful Donald Trump’s Christianity over his call to build a wall on the Mexican border
Apple CEO Tim Cook confirms Apple will contest an FBI order to unlock the phone of gunman Syed Rizwan Farook
AND Computer hackers try to steal 1 billion from Federal Reserve Bank of New York using Bangladesh banking codes – They managed to steal 81 million before a typo alerts authorities
Pound hits seven-year low after Boris Johnson’s Brexit decision – as it happened – Link

March

EU Migrant Crisis deepens: Macedonia, Croatia and Slovenia close their borders to migrants trying to reach Northern Europe
Google’s DeepMind artificial intelligence wins Go challenge against Lee Se-dol 4-1
AND Forbes Richest List released, Bill Gates No. 1 with $75 billion, number of world’s billionaires shrinks to 1,810. Poor sods.

Why is Barclays Pulling Out of Africa? – Link

April

One of my fav artist Prince died aged 57

First baby born with DNA from 3 parents through mitochondrial transfer in Mexico
Panama Papers published – 11.5 million confidential documents from offshore law firm Mossack Fonseca, world largest data leak
Which led to Iceland’s Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson resigning after it showed a conflict of interest –

Crash of London’s $2.7 billion unicorn Powa – Link

May

Leicester City win the English Premier League title after starting the season at 5,000-1 odd
Sadiq Khan is elected Mayor of London, – 1st Muslim mayor of a major Western city

Computers threaten stock pickers’ role – Link

June

“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”, a play written by Jack Thorne with JK Rowling, premieres in London
Muhammad Ali died age 74.
United Kingdom votes to leave the European Union in their “Brexit” referendum
British Prime Minister David Cameron resigns after the UK votes to leave the EU

Brexit’s damage to UK economy would be felt until at least 2020 – EIU – Link

December 27’s episode will review the second half of the year:

July

Pokémon Go, the real-world mobile game by Niantic, is first released
130th Wimbledon Men’s Tennis: Andy Murray
Chilcot Report, UK’s Iraqi War Inquiry released; concludes Tony Blair overstated case for war and was unprepared
Jul 25 Verizon announces $4.83 billion purchase of Yahoo
Theresa May is elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom by Conservative Party MPs

The US government says if you make less than $20 an hour, a robot is probably going to take your job – Link
German digital bank Fidor acquired by French banking giant – Link

August

Summer Olympics officially opens in Brazil
Italian coastguard says 6,500 migrants rescued at sea in 40 separate incidents in 1 day off coast of Sabratha, Libya
Brazilian Senate votes to impeach President Dilma Rousseff, removing her from office

Barclays rolls out voice biometrics for phone banking – Link

September

Russian elections Putin-backed United Russia party wins 54% of Parliamentary seats led by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan pledge $3 billion to medical research to “cure, prevent or manage all diseases by the end of the century”

Wells Fargo seeks to shore up reputation in wake of scandal – Link
Facebook Messenger now allows payments in its 30,000 chatbots – Link

October

US White Houses says it is “confident” Russia behind recent email hacking and attempts to influence US election
South Korean firm Samsung announces it will permanently stop production of Note 7 phones after complaints devices caught fire

Blockchain platform developed by banks to be open-source – Link

November

Nov 8 Indian government scraps 500 and 100 rupees notes effective at midnight

Donald Trump becomes President-Elect of the United States of America

Here’s what a Trump presidency means for US fintech – Link

December –

Donald Trump drop a political bollock and takes a call with Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen, going against US’s “One China” policy
Venezuela issues new higher-value notes after currency falls 60% in 1 months against the US dollar

China tops fintech ranking – Link

And the final episode, released on December 29, will give you a view on the big things we each expect to happen in 2017. Enjoy the holidays and I’ll be back here tomorrow with one final post … a fun one … see you then.