Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation

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Founded
  
1993

The Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation (CSFI) is a think tank and registered charity based in London, and occasionally operating in New York. Founded in 1993, its goals include identifying new areas of business and provoking a debate about subjects of interest to financial services. It has no ideological brief, beyond a belief in open markets.

Contents

Activities

The CSFI holds 80-100 round-table meetings a year, bringing together finance practitioners, regulators, academics and members of the professions. Prospect Magazine, in its annual Think Tank Awards for 2012, said: "The Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation retains its good reputation for scrutinising regulations and for roundtables". Its work programme is built around topics including:

  • The post-financial crisis of 2007-2008 debate: how will the regulatory landscape be reformed?
  • Europe: prospects for the financial single market and the eurozone
  • Technology: the impact of the internet and other new developments on financial markets, payment systems and bank strategies
  • Governance: strengthening the financial sector
  • Financial inclusion: getting financial services out to those who need them
  • Risk management: identifying and managing emerging risks

    • It also runs four fellowship programmes:

  • Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd/CSFI fellowship in Global Insurance
  • Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation/CSFI fellowship in Post-Trade Architecture
  • VISA/CSFI fellowship in Identity in Financial Services
  • Citi/DFID CSFI fellowship in Development

    • Publications

    As of 2013 CSFI has published 110 reports on subjects of interest to financial services since its conception, including technology, new products, regulatory issues and risk management.

    Perhaps best known is the Banana Skins series which, for more than a decade, has provided a risk barometer of the banking sector and, more recently, insurance and microfinance. Other recent publications which have received notable attention include Combining safety, efficiency and competition in Europe’s post-trade market (October 2012) and Private Equity, Public loss? (July 2010).

    The Centre has editorial responsibility for Financial World, a magazine published 10 times per year by the ifs School of Finance, with a global circulation of 18,000. It has published two books: ‘The Credit Crunch Diaries’ (2009), by David Lascelles and Nick Carn, and Grumpy Old Bankers (2009).

    Funding, personnel

    The CSFI is supported by contributions from more than 70 corporate sponsors, as well as individual members and other donors.

    CSFI has a full time staff including: Andrew Hilton, Director, Jane Fuller, Co-director, David Lascelles, Co-director

    Governing Council

    The Governing Council which sets CSFI's overall direction and reviews its activities, chaired by Sir Malcolm Williamson. Sir Brian Pearse is chairman of the Centre’s trustees. The other council members are:

    References

    Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA