ICMA Podcast

Robert Parker, Chair of ICMA's Asset Management and Investors Council, reviews the market events of the last two weeks including the worsening coronavirus statistics in the US and their effect on economic recovery, low bond market volatility and the current credit rally along with this month’s strong performance of Chinese equity indices.

Julie Bech and Audhild Asheim Aabø, portfolio managers at Nordea Investment Management, talk to Rebecca Bray, a steering committee member of ICMA Future Leaders, about the proven social and business benefits of increased diversity in the workplace and the challenges of setting up an actively managed equity fund focused on the fundamentals, such as growth and future outlook, combined with a number of measures of how a company is succeeding in implementing gender diversity.

Ryosuke Kobayashi, Vice President, Financial Planning Division, Office of the CFO, Capital Management Department at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group in Tokyo and Geraint Thomas, Head of Sustainable Finance, Capital Markets Group, MUFG Securities EMEA talk to ICMA’s Simone Utermarck about MUFG’s commitment to ESG Finance and the strategy behind their COVID-19 sustainability bond issue, Japan’s first COVID-19 bond.

Scott Brown of Pirum and ICMA’s Andy Hill discuss the automation of post trade repo, looking at why it has lagged behind the securities lending market, the factors driving automation in repo now, including the SFTR and CSDR regulation, and the overall benefits of an efficient post trade process.

Sabrina Miehs, Covered Bond Analyst at Helaba, Thomas Cohrs, Head of FIG and SSA Origination, Syndicate & Sales at Helaba, and Daniel Rauch, Portfolio Manager & Head of Covered Bonds Research at Union Investment, review the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on covered bonds, take stock of central bank related measures and explore the potential role of covered bonds in (re)funding local economies after the pandemic.

Robert Parker, Chair of ICMA's Asset Management and Investors Council, reviews the market events of the last two weeks in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a specific focus on fixed income and equity markets, the shape and pace of the economic recovery, and geopolitical risks lying ahead.

Beatriz Martin, Global Chief Operating Officer, UBS Investment Bank and UK Chief Executive shares how UBS IB has fared during the pandemic, emphasising that leadership and communication from the top have been key in enabling teams to perform while working remotely. Looking at the lasting legacy of COVID-19, she indicates the importance of adopting a culture of change, and of business and technology working ever more closely together.

Katie Kelly, Senior Director of ICMA speaks to Professor Durreen Shahnaz, founder and CEO of Impact Investment Exchange (IIX). Durreen explains how IIX has created the world’s first social stock exchange, the largest crowdfunding platform for impact investing. She discusses the Women’s Livelihood Bond series, an innovative financial structure adhering to ICMA’s Social Bond Principles which aims to empower 250,000 women across South and Southeast Asia.

Martin Scheck, ICMA Chief Executive and Christophe Roupie, CEO of EMEA and APAC, at MarketAxess, discuss the adoption of electronic trading platforms and how they have coped during the COVID-19 crisis, including liquidity provision and the use of different trading protocols. They also consider the evolution of the electronic trading, the importance of data and next steps for the industry.

Andy Hill, Senior Director of ICMA talks to Ajay Marwaha, Director of Investment and Investor Advisory at Sun Global about the opportunities and challenges for accessing the Indian capital market for international investors as well as the liquidity, hedging and credit enhancement options to mobilise investment. The discussion also covers the differences between the government and corporate bond markets, the advantages of accessing the offshore market, and the outlook for further developing India's debt capital markets.