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The View From Belgium: Top Banker Pleads for Caution
Ernest Hemingway’s maxim that bankruptcy arrives gradually “and then suddenly” applies to banks as well: “The proliferation of social media and the ubiquity of online banking imply that when things are perceived to go wrong, bankers may almost instantly lose
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Steve Fechheimer: Brewing Up a Storm to Combat Climate Change
New Belgium’s craft beers were inspired by a bike ride, first brewed in a basement, and showcased at the Colorado Brewer’s Festival — where they were so popular, they sold out. That was 30 years ago, and there have been
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Ageas CEO Hans de Cuyper: Ensuring a Sustainable Future for the Insurance Industry
When Belgian Hans De Cuyper joined global insurer Ageas in 2004, it was as director of insurance management for Asia. Based in the Hong Kong office, he oversaw activities in China, Malaysia, Thailand and India. The Asian market was young and growing
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KBC Asset Management with CEO Johan Lema: ‘Everyone Invested’ Strategy Has Taken Belgian Firm to Prominence
Banking and insurance group KBC has a big, sprawling family: 41,000 employees and 12 million clients spread across Belgium, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria. The man at the helm is chief executive Johan Lema, who has years of experience in
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Sanctions Against Russia Resemble a Boxing Match
The economic sanctions against Russia announced last week by the US and Europe are having a profound impact on the Russian economy — and repercussions at home. As in a boxing match, the expectation is that blows to the opponent
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Too Much of a Good Thing: Inflation Spike Puzzles ECB – Engage or Ignore?
For years on end, central bankers in Europe and the United States have tempted providence to deliver a modicum of inflation. Over the past five years, the eurozone slid twice into deflationary territory. As recent as August 2020, the consumer
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Johan Thijs: Proud, Profitable and Prepared for Anything – KBC Weathers the Storm
“In March 2020, Covid knocked on the door,” recalls KBC Group CEO Johan Thijs. “We went into crisis mode.” Belgium — KBC has its headquarters in Brussels — was badly hit. The following months held something of a nightmare for
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Global Imbalances and the Pandemic
The International Monetary Fund’s tenth annual External Sector Report (ESR, August 2021) shows how current account deficits in the global economy widened in 2020 during the pandemic. On the other hand, the ESR also argues that overall, the misalignment between
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NIBULON: To Feed the World
According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), by 2050 the world’s population is likely to exceed nine billion – resulting in a 50 percent increase in global demand for agricultural products. The role of the agrarian sector in
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Whilst Trade Talks Falter, Brits Celebrate Vaccine First
Mind the paradox. Thanks to EU law, the UK has become the first country to certify for clinical use the coronavirus vaccine developed jointly by US biopharmaceutical company Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech. Under the provisions of the 2012
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