At the Edinburgh International Festival, we believe art should spark conversation and reflection. 

In August 2025, we held our inaugural Conducting Business event – a panel discussion looking ahead using the learnings from the 2008 financial crash, inspired by the sold-out World Premiere run of the of Make it Happen. This co-commission with the Edinburgh International Festival, National Theatre of Scotland and Dundee Rep Theatre, sold over 22,000 tickets. 

The Economy of Truth: Building Trust in Financial Institutions

Taking the lessons touched on in James Graham’s new piece, Make It Happen, we looked forward to our financial future under the guidance of these experts:

• Chair, Professor Liz Grant - Assistant Principal (Global Health) and Director of the Global Health Academy at the University of Edinburgh
• Dame Susan Rice - founding chair of the Scottish Fiscal Commission, a former director of the Bank of England and president of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry
• Steven Ingledew OBE – founder and chairman of FinTech Scotland, and led the formation of the UK FinTech National Network
• Sarah-Jayne Dunn – manager of the Financial Health team at Citizens Advice Scotland
• John Taylor – non-executive director at the Bank of England, serving on the advisory boards for the International Centre for Mathematical Sciences and for the Centre for Finance, Governance and Sustainable Growth

Led by our curated panel of experts, the discussion focussed on themes of transparency, relationships between consumers and finance, and how challengers are impacting the financial landscape. 

What you missed

Here are the key takeaways from the event:

The asymmetry of information  

Access to information is only part of the equation; understanding for all must be prioritised. This link is the foundation of consumer trust.

John Taylor remarked that, although stricter regulations led to greater information availability, this alone did not enable customers to make informed decisions.

Qualitive or Quantitative research?  

The panel echoed a desire to hear more directly from consumers to understand the health and wealth of consumers overall, with both Dame Susan Rice and Sarah-Jayne Dunn citing the impact dealing directly with customers has on their careers. They referenced the downsides to quantitative research, in the of context or ability to get to the root of a problem.  

Long term story as well as Quarterly goals  

On the focus on short-term profit reporting for shareholders, Dame Susan remarked that it’s centred around our understanding of profit — which may need to change to adapt to future and go “beyond the short-term notion of profit.”  

Stephen remarked on how the play itself reflects on this imbalance – with Fred Goodwin seeking profit margins in the triple figures, where single digits were once the goal.  

Relationships at the centre of trust building  

With branches closing and a reliance – or over-reliance – on digital solutions, there’s an even greater need for FinTech to enable true accessibility and access to basic services.  

Sarah-Jayne highlighted the loyalty people show to the institutions who make product information and customer journeys simpler and more accessible.  

Look to the future

Liz closed proceedings by asking for a word of advice for the future, to all those institutions trying to rebuild trust. Dame Susan Rice commented “We should not abdicate our accountability” as accountability is a healthy necessity for ongoing trust and transparency.  

The breakfast event held in the first week of the 2025 Festival brought together a whole array of representatives, from friends of the Festival to completely new faces.  

Hosted in the prestigious and historic Playfair Library, 51 people attended from 29 different businesses across sectors such as education, government, banking, and recruitment, to name a few. 

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To find out more about how we can work together, contact our Head of Partnerships, Ally Steel at [email protected]