Aligning Financial Supervisory Structures with Country Needs

Aligning Financial Supervisory Structures with Country Needs

World Bank, J Building, Room JB1-080, Washington, DC

June 5-6, 2006

 

In most countries, the financial sector industry has undergone major changes in recent years. Technological innovation, deregulation, and liberalization have allowed financial institutions to offer a larger variety of financial products and services, making the traditional frontiers between banking, securities and insurance sectors more blurred in practice. Moreover, in order to remain competitive, financial institutions have merged among themselves giving rise to a large number of financial conglomerates. These developments pose serious challenges to supervisory authorities, since risks have become more difficult to monitor, not just because financial institutions tend to become larger and more complex, but because they operate in an increasing number of national jurisdictions.

Financial supervisors are challenged to respond to these changes, but need to do so in a way that fits with the institutional setting and resource capacity of their countries. While an increasing number of countries are planning to integrate financial supervisory agencies, other countries have adopted a partially integrated supervisory structure, and many maintain completely separate agencies. Selecting the right supervisory model is an important strategic decision for a government or financial authority. In this context, the World Bank is organizing a global conference to address "Aligning Financial Supervisory Structure with Country Needs." The conference will gather policymakers and supervisors from around the world, as well as staff from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, to offer guidance and share experiences on fitting an appropriate supervisory structure to a country context.

 

Conference Committee:

Jeffrey Carmichael, Former Chairman, Australia Prudential Regulation Authority

Alexander Fleming, Sector Manager, Finance and Private Sector Development, World Bank Institute

David llewellyn, Chairman, Banking Center, Loughboro University, UK

Silvina Vatnick, Lead Financial Economist, Financial Sector Network, World Bank

 

Conference Coordinator:

Colleen Mascenik

Learning Coordinator, Financial Sector Network

The World Bank

1818 H Street, NW

Washington, DC 20433

Tel: +1 202 473 7734

Fax: +1 202 522 7105

email: cmascenik@worldbank.org