Barnabás Virág, deputy governor of Magyar Nemzeti Bank, joins David Marsh, OMFIF chairman, for a conversation on the economic outlook in Hungary. Their discussion covers the country’s short- and long-term economic trajectory. They cover inflation and monetary policy, improving productivity and competitiveness, foreign direct investment, export diversification, progress on the sustainable agenda and Hungary’s prospects for joining Europe’s economic and monetary union.  

The cryptoasset class, while battered by scams and scandals, remains a valuable and exciting asset class. But if regulated mainstream financial institutions are to interact with it seriously, they need high-quality infrastructure. Duncan Trenholme and Simon Forster, TP ICAP's global co-heads of digital assets join Digital Monetary Institute editor, Lewis McLellan, to discuss the importance of trusted institutional relationships when investing in the cryptoasset ecosystem.

In this OMFIF podcast, Vítor Constâncio, former governor of the Banco de Portugal and vice president of the European Central Bank from 2010-18, joins Ellie Groves, managing director, Economic and Monetary Policy Institute at OMFIF. They discuss the ECB’s September rate hike, the macroeconomic environment in Europe – including the difference in inflation between Portugal and Germany – and the fiscal framework that needs to be implemented to combat challenges.

Marcela Pumarino, people manager at Banco Central de Chile, joins Arunima Sharan, senior research analyst at OMFIF, to discuss the ways in which central banks can work improve gender balance in leadership positions within the financial sector. They delve into some of the specific policies that Banco Central de Chile has adopted to promote gender equality, and the importance of having diversity in leadership roles more broadly in the financial sector.

How are technology giants preparing for artificial intelligence disruption? Preliminary evidence suggests that AI will improve productivity growth considerably, therefore boosting standards of living through innovations across major industries. Yet, it also seems likely to spur growing inequality while also presenting serious safety risks. In this podcast with Microsoft’s Greg Wilson, world wide public sector chief technology officer, OMFIF discusses how one of the world’s AI leaders are...

Chad Harper, global payments fellow of Visa Economic Empowerment Institute, joins Katie-Ann Wilson, managing director of OMFIF’s Digital Monetary Institute, to discuss the VEEI’s new research on the importance of choice and trade-offs when looking at digital remittances. They discuss key trends in the global costs of remittances as well as the progress that is being made towards the G20 targets. They also touch on the pandemic’s impact on remittances and what more the public and private...

In the last year, central banks across the world have been forced to navigate persistent inflation, suppressed growth and heightened geopolitical tensions. However, these forces have been most apparent for reserve managers in Africa. Compounded with the lingering effects of the pandemic, reserves saw the greatest decrease in international reserve levels in 2022 and urged many countries into seeking further multilateral support. This has raised concerns around the adequacy of reserves in the...

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has successfully completed an experimental green bond issuance through Goldman Sachs’ digital asset platform — the bank’s tokenisation system. While the bond successfully raised $800m for the green bond programme, it was more noteworthy as the first tokenised green bond issued by a government. Kenneth Hui, executive director, external, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, and Rosie Hampson, executive director, digital assets, Goldman Sachs, joined Digital Monetary...

Oliver Berger, head of Middle East & Africa at State Street Corporation, joins Taylor Pearce, senior economist at OMFIF, to discuss the key findings of the ‘Central banks in the digital age: bringing data into focus’ report. They explore the macro factors driving IT transformations in central banks and how central banks are approaching this, the challenges and opportunities of big data for reserve management and technological and enterprise-wide solutions.

Simone Utermarck, director, sustainable finance, International Capital Market Association, joins Emma McGarthy, head, Sustainable Policy Institute, OMFIF, to discuss updated ICMA’s guidance on climate transition finance, transition bond issuances and greenwashing concerns linked to transition finance. They cover the role the ICMA is playing in driving transition finance, what issuers need to consider with transition bonds and other types of sustainable products and explore how we can strive...

We have entered a new demographic paradigm. Birth rates have declined in many countries, while advancements in healthcare have led to longer life expectancies. As societies age, a range of economic dimensions are affected, from labour markets and productivity to public finances and social welfare systems. Join Nikhil Sanghani, managing director of research, and Taylor Pearce, senior economist at OMFIF, as they discuss some of the key findings from the Summer 2023 Bulletin.

Despite improvements in domestic payments, cross-border payments remain too slow and expensive for end users, particularly in emerging market economies. Daniel Nagy, business analyst, CBDC at Giesecke+Devrient, joins Lewis McLellan, editor of OMFIF’s Digital Monetary Institute, to discuss how central bank digital currencies might help address the challenges of the cross-border payments market. Daniel describes the workshops and discussions G+D has conducted with central banks on the...

Joan Prats, lead financial specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank, joins Burhan Khadbai, head of content at OMFIF’s Sovereign Debt Institute, to examine Ecuador’s recent debt-for-nature swap. They cover the highlights of the transaction, including the new credit enhancement structure and record size, the important role the IADB played in the deal and the challenges this product faces.

Feeling the heat of high inflation and weakening global growth, central bank reserve managers are steering the investment world through stormy seas. Max Castelli, head of strategy and advice, global sovereign markets at UBS Asset Management, joins Taylor Pearce, senior economist at OMFIF, to discuss the investment landscape for reserve managers, currency and asset allocation strategies and the pressure to weave geopolitics, sustainability and other factors into investment decisions.

Technology is causing rapid changes in how we use money, with private and public solutions competing and catalysing each other’s developments. Editor of the Digital Monetary Institute, Lewis McLellan, is joined by Douglas Elliott, partner at Oliver Wyman, and Larissa de Lima, senior fellow at the Oliver Wyman Forum, to discuss their views on the evolving paradigm for the future of money.

Vladyslav Rashkovan, Ukraine's representative for the International Monetary Fund and former deputy governor of the National Bank of Ukraine, discusses the country’s economic and financial situation. While Ukraine valiantly fights Russia on the battlefield, it also must maintain a viably functioning economy. Over the last year, Ukraine has made significant progress on economic stabilisation with western support. Such support must continue. Reconstruction costs will be high. 

Catalysing energy efficiency and security, while scaling clean energy production and increasing decarbonisation has been high on policy-makers’ agendas. This podcast discusses how the United Nations is working to converge regulatory and policy frameworks to support this, the tools and classifications required and the latest criteria and technological developments. This conversation will also discuss how to scale growth and economic development, while responsibly using natural resources and...

How is artificial intelligence impacting economies, political environments, financial markets and misinformation? In this podcast, Julian Jacobs, senior economist, OMFIF, interviews Darrell West, senior fellow, the Brookings Institution, to discuss the promises and perils that may emerge as countries embrace AI. What are the policy challenges and how can governments work to counter them? This podcast will discuss the implications of AI on economic inequality, productivity growth, central...

Though generally treated as separate, the qualities of good management of public spending – transparency, efficiency, high quality impact assessment – have much in common with the qualities encouraged in sustainable finance. Editor of the Digital Monetary Institute Lewis McLellan is joined by Eila Kreivi, European Investment Bank’s chief sustainable finance adviser, Alex Caridia, RBC’s head of public sector markets, and Mark MacDonald, EY’s global lead for public finance management, to...

Brian Mangwiro, portfolio manager, global fixed income and currencies, Barings, speaks to Burhan Khadbai, head of content at OMFIF’s Sovereign Debt Institute, on the factors behind the surge in Gilt yields in weeks past. Topics also include the buying opportunities in Gilts, the Bank of England’s response in tackling inflation, lessons learned from last autumn’s liability-driven investing crisis and more. Recorded on 23/06/23

Amid persistent inflation, heightened recession risks and prolonged geopolitical tensions, central bank reserve managers find themselves confronting yet another difficult year. This challenging macroenvironment is impacting their investment strategies and, for some, it is raising concerns about the adequacy of their reserves. Join Nikhil Sanghani, managing director of research, and Taylor Pearce, senior economist at OMFIF, as they discuss some of the key findings from the 10th Global Public...

Mike Kanovitz, chief executive officer of Jurat Blockchains, joins Lewis McLellan, editor of the Digital Monetary Institute, to discuss the challenges of making court orders enforceable on the blockchain. Traditional finance has intermediaries that can implement the decisions of courts, such as freezing assets and reversing transactions. But in a decentralised context, this is more challenging. Kanovitz explains the role of Jurat's technology in creating a means for the law to be enforced in...

How are central bank reserve managers navigating a tumultuous global economy? Are they continuing to flee to safety? Or are they shifting toward or away from the dollar? Has their approach to Chinese assets changed on account of geopolitical conflict? And, amid such uncertainty, have central bank reserve managers been able to continue to develop their environmental, social and governance initiatives? In this podcast, Taylor Pearce and Julian Jacobs, senior economists at OMFIF, present a...

As the world's eyes turn towards Türkiye's pivotal run-off election on 28 May, the implications reach far beyond its democracy and regional standing. The nation's economy, weathered by skyrocketing inflation rates and a plunging currency value, stands at a critical juncture. In this podcast, Erich Arispe Morales, senior director of sovereigns at Fitch Ratings, speaks with Taylor Pearce, senior economist at OMFIF. They delve into the intricate interplay between this Sunday's run-off election...

Crypto businesses have been crying out for regulatory clarity for years. At last, regulators around the world are beginning to deliver. Andrew Whitworth, Ripple’s policy director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, joined Lewis McLellan, editor of OMFIF’s Digital Monetary Institute, to discuss the approaches to the crypto market that regulators are taking, where consensus is emerging and the gaps that remain to be filled.