The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) will on Wednesday, June 10, 2020, host a special webinar on the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the global capital market and the resilience of securities exchanges in supporting economies,
The webinar themed, “Capital Markets in a Pandemic,” according to a statement, will feature a panel discussion to be headlined by Oscar Onyema, Chief Executive of the NSE; along with CEOs of Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE), Robert Scharfe; London Stock Exchange (LSE), Nikhil Rathi; and the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE), Nandini Sukumar. It will be moderated by notable Correspondent of Cable Network News (CNN), Eleni Giokos.
The high profile speakers are expected to dimension the expectations and future of securities exchanges as they transition to the ‘new normal’ necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In particular, the panelists will highlight key initiatives around business innovation and digital transformation of exchanges; investors’ protection strategies; capital raising opportunities; social bonds and ESG considerations in product development; as well as global partnerships in a pandemic.
Commenting, Onyema said the “pandemic has created unprecedented disruption in the global economy with varying degrees of volatility. Regardless, financial markets, particularly, capital markets around the world have shown resilience in supporting their economies.
“The NSE on its part has been resolute in its commitment to ensure that there are no disruptions to its operations. With countries now gradually opening up and most economies resuming activity, it is important to sustain important dialogues around business innovation and partnership in order to capitalize on the opportunities presented in this challenging time.
“We are, therefore, pleased to create a platform to highlight the activities of exchanges in maintaining an enabling environment for stakeholders to continue to save and access capital during any crisis,” he stressed.
The event, the NSE said, is part of its thought leadership series designed to synthesize effective strategies that will enhance stakeholders’ experience in Nigeria and the world over.
Since the activation of its Business Continuity Plan on 23 March 2020 which saw the transition to remote trading and working, the NSE has remained fully functional, delivering on its mandates to deepen market activity with new listings; engage its various stakeholders through ongoing virtual sessions; and perform its regulatory functions by providing a plethora of relevant guidance documents.
