Matthew Reese
Showing 1–2 of 2 transcripts.
- Milken Institute1h 4m
Widening Access to Capital in Developing Markets
Staci Warden, Afsaneh Beschloss, Ermias Eshetu, Claver Gatete, Hua Jingdong, Jingdong Hua, Ruben Brigadier, Miguel, Matthew Reese
The Milken Institute's Center for Financial Markets convened with IFC leaders and East African officials to analyze how regional integration and local currency bond issuance can bridge the capital access gap in developing economies. Case studies from Rwanda and Ethiopia highlighted how structural reforms, such as harmonized regulations and mandatory commodity exchanges, are mobilizing domestic savings and enabling large-scale infrastructure financing. The dialogue concluded with the announcement of a joint IFC and George Washington University program designed to train African capital market officials in implementing these critical financial infrastructure reforms.
- Milken Institute59 min
Great Ambition: Islamic Finance Goes Global
Matthew Reese, Sean Marion, Chiron Makhzani, Mohamed Ahmed Al-Kajah, Yasser Al-Alawi, Kelly Core, Adele Nazarian
The Islamic finance sector, projected to grow double-digits annually, is transitioning from retail products to institutional dominance driven by a global Muslim population increase and a specific $1.5 to $2 trillion asset base concentrated in Sharia-compliant banking and Sukuk issuance. While hubs like Malaysia and Bahrain pioneer regulatory frameworks and infrastructure financing, the market faces significant friction from high compliance costs, shallow liquidity outside key regions, and the scarcity of qualified scholars needed to certify asset-backed structures. Looking forward, the industry aims to establish itself as a global asset class within five to six years through standardized regulations, tax neutrality reforms in major financial centers, and the strategic deployment of capital into long-term infrastructure projects across Asia and Africa.