IMF Seminar: Financial Inclusion as a Pathway to Resilient and Shared Growth

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IMF SEMINAR EVENT

DATE: October 14, 2023

DAY: Saturday

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

LOCATION: AA02 Al Karaouine

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Overview

Unlocking financial inclusion creates economic opportunities, resilience, and growth. By improving policies related to financial services, we not only enhance savings investment efficiency but also safeguard the vulnerable against adverse shocks. This event delves into the transformative power of broader financial access, exploring its links to macroeconomic and financial stability and growth. Embracing cutting-edge technologies, policymakers are poised to develop inclusive solutions. Join us in shaping national financial inclusion strategies, particularly in Africa and the Arab world, while paving the way for efficient solutions that benefit all stakeholders.

Join the conversation via #FinancialInclusion #IMFmeetings

Recommended Readings

IMF Seminar: Financial Inclusion as a Pathway to Resilient and Shared Growth

Panelists

Opening Remarks: Kristalina Georgieva

Kristalina Georgieva is the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). She is the first person from an emerging market economy to lead the IMF since its inception in 1944. Before joining the Fund, Ms. Georgieva was Chief Executive Officer of the World Bank and also served as Interim President for a time. Previously, she served at the European Commission as Vice President for Budget and Human Resources – and as Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response. She was named “European of the Year” and “Commissioner of the Year” by European Voice for her leadership in the European Union’s humanitarian response to crises.

Panelist: Bo Li

Bo Li assumed the role of Deputy Managing Director at the IMF on August 23, 2021. He is responsible for the IMF’s work on about 90 countries as well as on a wide range of policy issues.

Before joining the IMF, Mr. Li worked for many years at the People’s Bank of China, most recently as Deputy Governor. He earlier headed the Monetary Policy, Monetary Policy II, and Legal and Regulation Departments, where he played an important role in the reform of state-owned banks, the drafting of China’s anti-money-laundering law, the internationalization of the renminbi, and the establishment of China’s macroprudential policy framework.

Panelist: H.E. Abdellatif Jouahri

H.E. Abdellatif Jouahri was appointed by His Majesty the King as Governor of Bank Al-Maghrib in April 2003. He is Morocco’s Governor at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Alternate Governor at the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF). He started his professional career at the Central Bank, where he held several high-ranking positions as Director of the Inspection, Human Resources, Banking Control and Credit. He then entered the Government as Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister in charge of Public Enterprises Reform, before serving as Minister of Finance from 1981 to 1986. Alongside his current functions, Mr. Jouahri chairs a wide range of boards, councils and commissions for Moroccan financial institutions and universities.

Panelist: H.E. Dr. Abdulrahman A. Al Hamidy

H.E. Dr. Adbulrahman A. Al Hamidy is the Director General Chairman of the Board of the Arab Monetary Fund “AMF”. With this appointment, Dr. Al Hamidy also holds the position of Chief Executive Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Arab Trade Financing Program (ATFP) and Chairman of the Board “BUNA”. H.E. was the Vice Governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency “SAMA” for the period 2009-2013. H.E. Dr. Al Hamidy has also served as Deputy Governor for Technical Affairs at SAMA, Director General at Economic Research and Statistics, and Director of Training, Research and Information, at the Institute of Banking. Dr. Abdulrahman A. Al Hamidy, a Saudi National, holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Oregon, U.S.A.

Panelist: Dr. Alfred Hannig

Dr. Alfred Hannig is the Executive Director of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI), a global network of policymaking and regulatory institutions from more than 90 countries, dedicated to providing the world’s unbanked safe access to the formal financial system through smart policy initiatives.

Dr. Hannig is a member of the AFI Board of Directors and heads the AFI Management Unit.

Prior to his work with AFI, he served in leading management, policy advisory, training and research focused positions around the world including assignments with: Bank Indonesia, Bank of Uganda, Superintendencia de Bancos in Bolivia; Head of the Financial Systems Development Unit at German Technical Cooperation, and with the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation.

Dr. Hannig holds a Ph.D. on financial sector reform from Freie Universität Berlin. He has authored several publications focused on financial inclusion policy, regulatory issues and microfinance.

Panelist: Charles Li

Charles is Founder and Chairman of Micro Connect. Charles was most recently Chief Executive of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (“HKEX”) from January 2010 to December 2020. During this time, he orchestrated some of the most significant strategic initiatives in HKEX's history, including the acquisition of the London Metal Exchange in 2012, the launch of the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect cross-border trading scheme in 2014, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect in 2016, Bond Connect in 2017, and the Listing Reforms in 2018. Prior to joining HKEX in 2009, Charles served as Chairman of JP Morgan China from 2003 to 2009 and worked at Merrill Lynch from 1994 to 2003, where he served as President of Merrill Lynch China from 1999 to 2003. Earlier in his career, Charles practiced law at Brown & Wood and Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York.

Charles also serves on the Board of Trustees of Asia Business Council.

Charles received a BA in English Literature from Xiamen University, an MA in Journalism from the University of Alabama and a JD from Columbia Law School.

Moderator: Mina Al-Oraibi

Mina Al-Oraibi is the Editor in Chief of The National, a daily English language regional media outlet based in Abu Dhabi. Mina has over 20 years of experience covering Middle Eastern, European and American affairs.

Prior to assuming the role of Editor in Chief of The National, Mina was a Senior Fellow at the Institute for State Effectiveness (ISE) and a Yale World Fellow. At ISE, Mina worked on developing policy recommendations for improved governance in the Middle East and North Africa region, with a focus on Iraq and Syria.

Mina was the Assistant Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Alawsat, the international Arab-language daily newspaper based in London 2011-2015. Before that, she was the Washington Bureau Chief for the newspaper.

In addition to her writing in The National, Mina is a columnist for Foreign Policyand Asharq Alawsat.Mina is an Advisor to the Global Dignity Day Movement and a member of the International Media Council. She is also a member of the board of trustees of the American University in Iraq - Sulaimani. Mina was named as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. She completed her Bachelors of Arts (Honours) and Masters of Arts in Modern History from University College London.

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