November 18, 2019
Infrastructure is vital for a country's economic and population growth. With increasing demand, especially in emerging economies, infrastructure spending in Asia is expected to grow faster than countries' funding capacity. Pablo Kang, senior executive at Australia's department of foreign affairs and trade's office of the Pacific, joins OMFIF's Angelia Lee to discuss the main objectives of the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific and the key infrastructure development issues that countries in the region face. They also talk about what actions are needed to tackle these challenges and how the AIFFP can promote sustainability through its investment activities.
Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music
November 12, 2019
In her first week as president of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde presented former German finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble with an award from the association of German magazine publishers. During this engagement she did not speak of monetary policy but rather called for Europe to have ‘strength, resolve and courage’.
In a discussion with Ellie Groves, OMFIF Chairman David Marsh and his US counterpart Mark Sobel offer differing views on how Lagarde will best achieve the ECB mandate of ensuring price stability. Sobel argues that the continuation of loose monetary policy is required, whereas Marsh focuses on Germany’s wish for policy normalisation. Both agree that ECB policies should be pan-European and the central bank's new chief has a great strength in her convivial leadership style.
Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music
November 8, 2019
Bill Nelson, chief economist at the Bank Policy Institute and Allan Malz, Adjunct Professor of Public Affairs at Columbia University, both former Federal Reserve staffers, join Pierre Ortlieb, Economist at OMFIF, to discuss the outcome and consequences of the late October FOMC meeting. They discuss, among other things, whether the chosen measures are warranted given the relative strength of the US economy, and what the Fed might undertake to resolve deeper, structural problems in money markets.
Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music
November 5, 2019
Digital disruption is forcing the financial industry to change and upskill, creating new opportunities and removing conventional barriers to entry. Tram Anh Nguyen, co-founder of the Centre for Finance, Technology and Entrepreneurship, talks to OMFIF’s Kat Usita about how fintech is opening up new ways for women to enter the traditionally male-dominated field of finance.
Download OMFIF's annual Gender Balance Index which tracks the presence of men and women in senior positions of public financial institutions globally here.
To register for the launch of the Sixth Gender Balance Index in Singapore, see here.
Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music
October 29, 2019
Christian Catalini, co-creator of Libra and head economist at Calibra, and Teunis Brosens, lead economist for digital finance and regulation at ING, continue their discussion with OMFIF’s Bhavin Patel. In the second instalment of this series on Libra they address: whether existing technologies can meet the digital currency’s objectives; guaranteeing stability, security and convertibility; how the permissioned system will work and develop over time; and how global payments systems will transform over the next five years.
For more on Libra and digital currencies, see the OMFIF-IBM report here.
Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music
October 22, 2019
Facebook's plans for a global cryptocurrency have caused a stir among regulators and finance ministries. The company sought to announce Libra before launching it to gather feedback from regulators and central banks on the proposed economic design and regulatory frameworks. However, it has exacerbated speculation on its impact and purpose.
Christian Catalini, co-creator of Libra and head economist at Calibra, and Teunis Brosens, lead economist for digital finance and regulation at ING, join OMFIF's Bhavin Patel to explore Libra's position in the global monetary system. They discuss how it differs from other currencies and payment systems, how the reserve works, its impact on emerging markets and the risks to monetary sovereignty.
Part II of this discussion covers Libras' practicalities, technology, and the future of payments. Listen here
For more on Libra and digital currencies, see the OMFIF-IBM report here.
Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music
