Central Banking Journal
Technology consultant of the year: Vizor Software
The Dublin-based company continued to grow its client base in 2017, proving its mettle in emerging markets, with the addition of Brunei’s central bank and the Zambian pensions and insurance regulator
Risk management services provider of the year: Openlink
Openlink’s central bank and state agency client base continues to grow, with the addition of a number of new clients, including Queensland Treasury Corporation
Initiative of the year: Bank of England’s FinTech Accelerator
The UK central bank has embraced fintech service providers in a controlled manner to bolster its cyber-security and payments capabilities
Banknote and currency services provider of the year: Landqart
The leading hybrid substrate provider offers the durability and increased security of polymer combined with the security features and customer familiarity of paper
Lifetime achievement award: Perng Fai-nan
Pre-emptive financial reforms combined with flexible monetary and forex policies have enabled Taiwan’s veteran governor to provide economic stability, even during turbulent times
Innovation in reserve management: HSBC
The global bank stepped in during Egypt’s economic crisis, arranging a private funding package that proved instrumental in turning around the country’s fortunes
Consultancy and advisory provider of the year (data and regulatory management): BearingPoint
BearingPoint’s expertise in data and reporting has informed a number of high-level bodies over the past year, including the Basel Committee and the IMF, following groundbreaking work in Austria
Banknote and currency manager of the year: Norges Bank
The Nordic central bank has redefined how its banknotes are designed, incorporating top-notch security and an innovative awareness campaign
Home truths on Europe’s NPLs
Europe needs to overcome fears of a hypothetical crisis, and impose more intrusive supervision and greater provisioning on its banks
Book notes: The End of Theory, by Richard Bookstaber
Bookstaber provides an entertaining introduction to agent-based modelling – a potential new front for economics
Book notes: Money in the Great Recession, by Tim Congdon
A stimulating collection of papers on the monetarist theory that had central bankers in late 2008 focused on boosting the quantity of broad money “the Great Recession would not have happened”
Patrick Njoroge on reshaping banking and finance to work for the masses
The Central Bank of Kenya governor speaks to Christopher Jeffery and Rachael King about exchange rate intervention, food prices, banking reform and financial inclusion
Google’s Hal Varian on how technology is changing economics
Google’s chief economist talks to Christopher Jeffery about how big data and machine learning are facilitating changes in economic thinking; discusses the impact technical breakthroughs may have for central banks
Productivity puzzles and the neutral rate of interest
Monetary policy frameworks should be subjected to internal and external reviews to ensure they remain fit for purpose
Book notes: The Right Balance for Banks, by William Cline
An interesting analysis of optimal capital requirements for G-Sibs, examining whether Basel III requirements will be enough to stem another financial crisis
Book notes: Hole in the Wall, by James Shepherd-Barron
Cash machines have changed the way cash is managed, but is there a future for such machines in a world looking to go cashless?
Big data in central banks focus report 2017
The second Central Banking Journal focus report on big data expands on the original study from 2016, assessing how challenges have evolved in the past year.
The rapid evolution of data
As big data enters the mainstream, it is critical to understand how it can transform our thinking, but also to be realistic about its shortcomings and biases
Making the most of big data
Per Nymand-Andersen, adviser to senior management at the European Central Bank, discusses how central banks can benefit from embracing big data and what this could mean for the industry in the near future.
Big data in central banks: 2017 survey
As an active area for new projects, big data is becoming a fixture in policymaking, with an increasing number of central banks carving out a budget for data handling, writes Emma Glass.
Collaboration is key to central banks making the most of data
As data becomes increasingly significant for central banks, working with the right people and employing the right approaches is central to meeting objectives, says Maciej Piechocki of BearingPoint.
Tapping into big data’s potential
Central Banking convened a panel of experts to discuss how central banks can harness big data for their needs, hopefully without falling foul of some of the many pitfalls that await.
Sponsored forum: Tapping into big data's potential
Central Banking convened a panel of experts to discuss how central banks can harness big data for their needs, hopefully without falling foul of some of the many pitfalls that await.
A new era for the BIS
As Basel III inches towards closure and a new BIS general manager prepares to move into his post, Jaime Caruana talks to Daniel Hinge about his eight years at the helm