ICI Viewpoints

ICI Global is bringing the international voice of the UCITS, ETF, and mutual fund industry to Brussels in a new way. Last week, we officially opened ICI Global’s new office in Brussels. It’s a testament to our enduring commitment to research, analysis and representation in the European Union (EU). Our team of economists, attorneys, and policy experts in Brussels are already engaging on the EU’s policy priorities and serving as a resource for policymakers.

As a community of the leading asset management firms globally, we deliver a worldwide perspective to help shape policy priorities for long-term investors. With our international lens, ICI Global recognizes that policy developments in Europe, Asia, and the United States are deeply intertwined—and so are the operations of our members.

At ICI Global’s inaugural Europe Symposium last week, we launched our program of thought leadership and analysis of public and private sector participation in supporting the EU’s financial priorities. We underlined the need to continue working on the Capital Markets Union and its goal of expanding market-based finance and strengthening investments and savings to benefit EU citizens.

Symposium participants included 10 of the most senior policy officials from the European Commission, Council, member states, and IOSCO, as well as European C-Suite leaders from our major member firms.  Seated around our seminar table, participants dug deep into regulatory and capital markets issues, discussing the mix of policy tools needed to catalyze investments. They also spoke to the role the capital markets can play in supporting the EU agenda and potential areas where adjusting regulatory constraints could mobilize additional private capital.

High-level participants from ICI at the symposium included Board Chair Yie-Hsin-Hung (CEO of State Street Global Advisors), President & CEO Eric Pan, and Chief of ICI Global Michael Pedroni.

ICI Global was also pleased to celebrate the contributions of women in finance, marking March 8th—International Women’s Day—in partnership with 100 Women in Finance. Following the symposium, Yie-Hsin Hung gave remarks alongside Amanda Pullinger, CEO of 100 Women in Finance, at our International Women’s Day event.

Hung remarked in the lead-up to the event how excited she was to “celebrate progress on gender equality” with ICI Global on International Women’s Day in Brussels. Discussions from the event centered around the success of women in finance, and how to advance financial literacy in underserved communities.

It was an honor to host our members and many policymakers at these events—take a look at some of the photos from the Symposium and evening reception below. We look forward to you joining our next event as ICI Global goes from strength to strength in Brussels!