Bankers Conference to Explore Market Structure and Policy Environment

The Kenya Bankers Association will hold its 9^th Annual Banking Research Conference between 23^rd and 25^th September 2020.

The forum has been convened under the theme Banking and Social Development: Market Structure, Behavioural Evolution and Policy Dynamics and is set to spotlight the interaction between the structure of the banking industry, the behavioural evolution of economic agents seeking financing, and the underlying regulatory environment.

This conference, set to bring together various stakeholders in the financial services sector, will also distill ideas to optimise the extent to which the economy’s financial system supports economic development. Research papers lined up for the virtual event will interrogate the influence of the structure of the banking industry on pricing and credit allocation.

In addition, researchers will analyse the evolving expectations of the non-financial sector economic agents on the value proposition of the financial services industry. The output of the forum will further examine the impact of changes in the regulatory environment on the intermediary role of the banking sector as a core driver of the economy.

The opening ceremony will be held on Wednesday 23^rd September, with each forum in the three-day programme running from 8:30 am – 12:30 pm. Discussions on the bearing of the COVID-19 disruption, among other challenges, and the joint and coordinated response strategy by both government and the private sector to mitigate the pandemic’s adverse effects on the economy will also feature in the deliberations.

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On the second day, the conference will focus on three papers examining the relationship between financial innovation and the digital economy in enhancing financial inclusion in the economy. Other investigations scheduled for the day will explore the cost-benefit analysis of regulation, the implication of bank size on stability as well as how market structure relates with banks’ pricing trends in Kenya.

On the final day, the conference will delve into the influence of macroprudential regulation on stability and intermediation within the financial system, including an examination of the influence of competition on access to credit. The registration process is underway on the association’s website as well on social media platforms.

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