Insights from the new book co-edited by Prof Charles Adjasi

Contemporary Issues in Development Finance provides comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of theoretical and policy issues in development finance from both domestic and external finance perspectives. The publication also places great emphasis on addressing the significant gaps in financial markets, particularly in Africa.

For this special Leader’s Angle event, join the book’s editors Prof Charles Adjasi, Joshua Abor and Robert Lensink, with special guest speaker Prof Victor Murinde, panelists Dr Hanna Fromell and Pieter Opperman, and programme director Dr Nthabiseng Moleko in an insightful discussion as they unpack this valuable resource for all development finance researchers and students.

Date:               Thursday, 11 February 2021

Time:              17:00 (CAT)

#DevFinBookLaunch #CIIDFBook #USBLeadersAngle

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Prof Charles Adjasi
‘Contemporary Issues in Development Finance’ Co-editor and Professor of Development Finance and Economics at USB

Charles KD Adjasi is Professor of Development Finance and Economics at USB, and an Adjunct Professor at Department of Economics Econometrics and Finance at University of Groningen. He was previously a Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana.

He has been a Visiting Scholar at the IMF, consulted for World Bank, UNCTAD, AU, and Copenhagen Consensus. He was a Resource Person on an AERC Collaborative Project on Financial Sector Development and Financial Inclusion in Africa 2017-2019. He is an AFREXIM Bank Research Fellow.

His research focus is in the areas of capital flow, financial markets, MSME productivity and household welfare. He also works on issues around the development impact of macroeconomic policy interventions and international trade policy. He has published widely in journals of international repute. In addition to coediting Contemporary Issues in Development Finance, he has authored 4 monographs and 5 book chapters.

Prof Joshua Abor
‘Contemporary Issues in Development Finance’ Co-editor, financial economist, qualified accountant and Professor of Finance

Joshua Yindenaba Abor is a financial economist, qualified accountant and Professor of Finance with many years’ expertise, mainly in development finance and economics research, but with senior-level stints at practitioner, policy and consulting roles. He holds a PhD in Finance from the University of Stellenbosch in Cape Town, South Africa after completing the PhD coursework (Financial Economics) at the Department of Economics, Harvard University, US. He is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA), UK.

Joshua has a solid track record in capacity building and continuous professional development, mainly as former Dean of one of the largest Business Schools in Africa – University of Ghana Business School. He is an Adjunct Professor of Development Finance at the University of Stellenbosch Business School and a researcher with the African Economic Research Consortium. He is an External Fellow at the Centre for Global Finance, SOAS University of London and a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has held Visiting Scholar positions at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Washington DC, US.

He has over 95 articles in refereed international journals, 15 refereed book chapters, and 6 books and edited books to his credit. He serves on the boards of some companies, including SAS Finance Group and chairs the boards of Best Western Premier Hotel and Macro Shipping Ltd. He also chaired the board of SIC Life Company Ltd and he is a member of the Bank of Ghana Monetary Policy Committee.

Prof Robert Lensink
‘Contemporary Issues in Development Finance’ Co-editor and Professor of Finance at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) at the University of Groningen

Robert Lensink is a full Professor of Finance at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) at the University of Groningen and a partime Professor of Finance and Development at Wageningen University. Currently he is the vice-dean of research of FEB. His research interests are in the field of development finance, microfinance, development economics, corporate finance and international finance. He is a specialist in impact evaluations, especially regarding financial interventions, and has supervised and managed many international impact evaluation projects. Lensink is internationally recognized as an expert on rigorous impact evaluations. Lensink is also resource person for the African Economic Research Consortium  (AERC).

He has a published a long list of articles in international top journals, including the American Economic Review, Economic Journal, Management Science, and World Development.  In total he has published around 120 articles in International Journals, and authored 5 books. Lensink is the scientific director of CIBIF: Development Finance and Impact Analysis.  He is also chair of the board of governors of Globalization Studies Groningen.

Prof Victor Murinde
AXA Chair in Global Finance at SOAS University of London
(Special Guest Speaker)

Victor Murinde is a financial economist, with more than 25 years’ expertise, post-PhD, mainly involving university research and teaching, but also including senior-level stints at practitioner, policy and consultancy roles for governments and leading international organisations. He has contributed over 100 research papers to the financial economics literature, mainly in the areas of banking and finance, development finance, and financial markets.

According to the UK Research Excellence Framework (REF2014), his research on “Shaping Bank Regulatory Reforms in Africa” was recognized for exceptional impact. He was the founding Director of African Development Institute at the African Development Bank (2011-2014). He is the Chair of Africa Regional Standing Committee of the Econometric Society. Also, he is Chair of Group C (Finance & Resource Mobilization) for the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC); and Board Member of New Rules for Global Finance, a policy forum based in Washington DC.

PANELISTS

Dr Hanna Fromell
Assistant Professor at Aarhus University and part-time researcher at the University of Groningen

Dr Hanna Fromell is an Assistant Professor at Aarhus University and also has a part-time research position at the University of Groningen. Her research interests include the topics of development, health, migration and various questions within behavioural economics. Within the topic of migration, her research includes conflict resolution among migrants and natives and the influence of negative stereotypes faced by migrants.

Dr Pieter Opperman
Acting Manager: Teaching and Learning at USB

Currently the Acting Manager: Teaching and Learning at the University of Stellenbosch Business School, Pieter Opperman also lecturers on the MBA (Managing International Organisations focal area) and on the PGDip Development Finance programmes. He completed his PhD Development Finance at the University of Stellenbosch Business School in 2016 and is currently enrolled for a MPhil in Monitoring and Evaluation at Stellenbosch University.

PROGRAMME DIRECTOR

Dr Nthabiseng Moleko
PhD in Development Finance alumnus and Senior Lecturer at USB

Nthabiseng Moleko is a faculty member at USB where she teaches Economics and Statistics. She is passionate about development economics and development finance, and her mission is to alleviate poverty and bring about positive social and economic change. She has also been appointed as a Commissioner for the Commission of Gender Equality (CGE) enabling her to advance the economic empowerment of women in society, with a focal point on rural and marginalised youth.

Through her roles as a former CEO at the Joe Gqabi Economic Development Agency (JoGEDA) and as project manager and researcher at the Eastern Cape Socio-Economic Consultative Council (ECSECC), she has worked extensively in the economic development landscape. At ECSECC she worked with regulators, policy makers, national and regional government, contributing to the design of economic development policies. ECSECC’s transition from a policy research think tank to a development agency enabled her to be involved in several regional projects in South Africa.

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