Financial Sector Policy
Consultants
Alan Roe »Stephen Peachey »
Abigail Carpio »
Sukhwinder Arora »
Mateo G. Cabello »
Janet Hayes »
Philippe Breul »
Jeremiah Grossman »
Financial Sector Policy
The increased prominence of Financial Sector Policy in recent years reflects the greater general awareness of the role of finance in the processes of economic development and poverty alleviation. This strong emphasis placed on finance is also strongly influenced by the ripple effects of the financial crises of the late 1990s.
Skills
The Financial Sector Policy team of staff and associates has a strong background in the design of broad-based reform for financial sectors in developing and transition countries. At the sectoral level this skill-base encompasses cross-linkages within the financial sector and between finance and macro-economic performance, including fiscal outcomes. At the institutional level, OPM has considerable experience in diagnostic studies leading to recommendations as well as action on the reform of a range of financial intermediaries from commercial banks to development finance institutions that carry the mandate to sustainably reach markets that are otherwise left un-served by mainstream financial institutions. The team includes specialists with specific experience in commercial banks, central banks, capital markets, savings banks and microfinance as well as in macroeconomic management. The team’s work is increasingly focused on issues of access to financial services for poor households and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Work Areas
The advisory and research work that OPM is able to undertake includes:
The design and management of sector wide strategies for the financial sector in developing and transition countries.
The analysis of access to financial services and the formulation of policies to improve access, particularly in the context of poverty reduction strategies.
Specific assessments of financial soundness and efficiency (of individual financial institutions or overall financial systems) and the identification of those factors that can contribute to financial instability and ineffective financial sector performance in particular countries.
The analysis of particular banks and other financial institutions such as development agencies and savings banks in the public sector, including the regulatory regimes most appropriate to such institutions.
The assessment of the design and performance of the supporting agencies of the financial sector such as deposit insurance agencies, credit bureaus and regulatory authorities.
The design and management of strategies for strengthening and deepening capital markets.