Show menu

RBF numérique 2023/05

  • Navigating the gender gap: key takeaways from Wo.men in Finance’s latest survey on corporate culture and career obstacles

    Mardi 23/5/2023
    Claire Godding / Nathalie Delaere

    Driven by the goal of creating a more inclusive workplace in the financial sector, Wo.Men in Finance and Nathalie Delaere conducted research on the career obstacles faced by employees in the Belgian financial sector. In spring 2022, they initiated a survey with the objective of identifying the career obstacles experienced by individuals and analyzing whether there is a correlation with corporate culture. This article specifically focuses on the experiences of senior managers, as the survey revealed that 37% of female senior managers and 23% of male senior managers are contemplating leaving their current employers due to issues related to corporate culture, leadership style, and office politics. The following article provides further insights into the main findings.

  • Risicobeheer in turbulente tijden

    Mardi 23/5/2023
    Tom Franck

    Risk management is the exciting core of banking. Correctly identifying and managing risks has been part of the job description for hundreds of years. Correctly pricing the residual risks to economic agents supports the optimal allocation of resources.

     

    Challenges for risk managers within banks, and the broader society, stem from the increased interconnection between risks, the allocation of new risks to bankers and the changing human behavior in our digital society. This has resulted in a substantial growth in risk management tools and risk managers in the 7 lines of defense.  In order not to lose focus, we need to keep on investing in the diversity across the 7 lines, in a strong risk & compliance culture and standard operating procedures focused on identifying and managing key risks and controls. This way, through oversight and insight, we are best equipped for current and future risks.

  • GDP-linked bonds

    Mardi 23/5/2023
    Yasin Kürşat Önder

    The default risk of Belgium government on its debt is currently low but concerns arise as Fitch downgrades Belgium’s credit rating from stable to negative.
    The concept of linking debt payments to changes in GDP became popular again during the debt crisis of the 1980s and gained even more attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. The utilized research suggests that the benefits of this idea depend on how it is implemented and are greatest when payments are directly linked to changes in GDP.
    Past experience with GDP-linked bonds, particularly the failure of Argentina's experiment and the success of Portugal's engineering with these financial assets, suggests that the design of the contract is key.
    By using an optimized indexed debt approach, default risk can be eliminated, consumption volatility might be halved, and asset prices can rise although government debt balances increase. These changes occur because a carefully chosen indexation method can improve market completion.

  • Het betaalgedrag van de Belgen in kaart

    Mardi 23/5/2023
    Stijn Ferrari

    The payment statistics collected by the National Bank of Belgium harbour a wealth of information which, as a central bank, allows it to map the payments landscape with surprising clarity. Which means of payment do Belgians use most often and which trends are on the rise?