Sienna Nordquist

Georgetown has me parallel parking like a pro for the first time in 3+ years 💪🏻🚗

After BBVA's failed takeover bid in October, a BBVA executive says there is no way for BBVA, Santander, or Caixabank to takeover others because this would harm competition due to their size #SpanishBanksWatch #EuropeanBanksWatch cincodias.elpais.com/companias/20...

Are We on the Verge of a Historic Revolution in How Money is Used for Payments? The history of money is, in essence, the story of a successful marriage between finance and technology. Today’s technology is digital

Ignazio Angeloni and Daniel Gros argue for IEP this week that the digital euro could do "reputational damage" to the ECB if it doesn't propose clear benefits over existing payment systems and address potential excessive public control 👉 iepbu.substack.com/p/are-we-on-...

UniCredit has submitted an appeal of the Italian government's previous stipulations (using the Golden Power) for an acquisition of Banco Bpm. It comes the day before the Eurogroup meets to discuss the European Banking Union. #ItalianBanksWatch www.corriere.it/economia/fin...

Newport, Rhode Island, USA — November 2025

Girls’ day shopping observation: The clothes from Canada, France, and Italy had been marked up, and then subsequently marked down 🛍️

Cambridge (Massachusetts) — October/November 2025

MEPs back tweaks to US tariff deal – but want tougher line on Washington | Euractiv Parliament’s trade chair vows to “safeguard citizens, consumers, and producers” as EU–US tariff deal moves ahead

Important discussions in the INTA committee this week on the 🇺🇸🇪🇺 trade deal, including whether to apply steel tariffs on the US until the US lifts theirs on the EU, a hardline against the anti-coercion instrument, & a potential safeguard for agriculture. www.euractiv.com/news/meps-ba...

Commerzbank weighs leaving landmark Frankfurt HQ in cost-cutting push German lender in talks with building owner Samsung SRA about its future in country’s tallest building

And it seems no coincidence that the @FT posts an update on #Commerzbank today: www.ft.com/content/5d3d.... Commerzbank is considering leaving (or reducing rent) on its Frankfurt HQ, at the same time it cuts employees and costs in an effort to fed off UniCredit. #GermanBanksWatch

A good deep dive on UniCredit in the @FT today, reviving #ItalianBanksWatch. Noted in this piece is the uncertainty about whether the bid for Commerzbank will move forward in 2027, and the bank's stake in Alpha. www.ft.com/content/4285...

And Happy Halloween! 🎃👻🧛‍♀️🐈‍⬛🪄

2x yesterday, in different contexts, I heard Isaiah Berlin's "The Hedgehog and the Fox" essay brought up. I am clearly meant to spend this Halloween reflecting on the differences between thinkers, writers, and, ultimately, leaders 🦊🦔 . Semi-spooky attached: assets.press.princeton.edu/chapters/s99...

A treat to attend Edward Luce’s panel on his new book: Zbig. Excellent to hear the discussion of Brzezinski’s life, Harvard connections, and Cold War purpose from foreign policy and European studies experts who know it best!

Dondena Decode - Episode 5

In this episode of the Dondena Decode podcast I have the honour of interviewing Nobel laureate James Robinson on the reasons why modern democracy is proving to be a fragile institution, on the importance of studying the past, on the consequences of getting a Nobel...
open.spotify.com/episode/4CqO...

I'll be spending my Friday reflecting on this paragraph from Brian Balogh's The Associational State (2015).

Here, he marks trends in American political development since the United States' founding through the 19th century.

🇯🇵 🇪🇺 My favourite story yet written for @euractiv.com

I’d been watching Commissioners go to Japan all through September. Could not leave that phenomenon unremarked!

With my colleague Tom, I think we made something you’ll like :-)

www.euractiv.com/news/tokyo-d...

And I earned it since my commute to work involved a (very nice!) hike 🥾

10 years since I first visited Georgetown, I finally had a Georgetown cupcake! 🧁

Send me a copy….an electronic copy! 😃

I’m going to need to find the French equivalent for “Forza!” 💪🏻🇫🇷

Am I a student? A researcher? A young professional? This and other metaphysical questions will be answered at my next appointment with more paperwork and € spent 🫠

Nothing quite captures how messy the PhD life is like the French visa officers saying: “We have never ever seen an application this complicated”

Not to mention the nice fall weather 🍂🍁

The nice thing about walks in the DMV: I ran into a fellow LSE alum (who recognized my sweater) and we got to talking about London, Brexit, and European politics. And now I have a new friend in the neighborhood!

A special #SpanishBanksWatch this Friday as BBVA's hostile takeover of Sabadell has ultimately failed, ending a saga that started in May 2024 www.ft.com/content/9e25...

A windfall tax on banks is now being considered in Italy again, and may put Meloni's Fratelli d'Italia on a collision course with Forza Italia #ItalianBanksWatch www.ft.com/content/32b6...

That’s all for now! Buonanotte tutti and see you tomorrow 😴. Started my day at 5:30 AM with Truman archive documents and ended it with this view. The life of a PhD student 😅

6/ Lastly, she thanked Sec Bessent for his engagement with the IMF and said the bank membership is committed to the 16th Quota Review and increasing quotas by 50%.

5/ The greater the uncertainty in the world, the more members want to talk to each other and the IMF

4/ The IMF is completing its Comprehensive Surveillance Review this year. Regional Surveillance may be added to bilateral and multilateral surveillance because of the regionalizing nature of the multipolar world we are in