SFOA Bürgenstock 2008 - René Karsenti

Bürgenstock in Interlaken 2008, September 3 to 6, 2008 > Speakers

René Karsenti

Mr. René Karsenti has been the Executive President of the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) since May 2006. ICMA is the self-regulatory organisation and trade association representing constituents and practitioners in the international capital market worldwide, with a membership base of some 400 firms located in 48 countries across the globe.

Mr. Karsenti has been responsible for developing the constituency base of ICMA, expanding it beyond the core bond dealer community. He has also further developed the Association's regulatory function, re-emphasising its role in the international capital markets. Mr. Karsenti further spearheaded the creation of the European Financial Markets Federation (EFMF) to coordinate industry response of European associations as well as developed cooperation with a number of associations across the different regions, namely the National Securities Market Association of Russia, the Japan Securities Dealers Association and the International Islamic Financial Market.

Previously he was Director General of Finance of the European Investment Bank (EIB) in Luxembourg from May 1995. Prior to joining the EIB, Mr. Karsenti was the first Treasurer of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in London from its inception in May 1991.

From 1980, Mr. Karsenti spent eleven years in senior positions in the treasury organisations of the World Bank Group (IBRD and IFC) in Washington. From 1989 to 1991, he was Director of the Treasury and Financial Policy Department of the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

Mr. Karsenti holds an engineering degree from ESCIL, Lyon University, and a PhD in economics from the Sorbonne University in Paris. He has also carried out research in finance and economics at the University of California, Berkeley.

He is a member of the Manager Selection Committee of the French Pensions Reserve Fund (FRR), a member of the Strategic Committee of Agence France Trésor (French Ministry of Finance) and a member of the Investment Committee of the Luxembourg Public Pension Fund (Fonds de Compensation). Mr. Karsenti is also a member of the Euro Debt Market Association (AMTE) which he chaired from 2004 to 2007, Chairman of European Capital Market Institute (ECMI) and a member of the Investment Advisory Committee of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome.