ICMA Podcast

Following ICMA's Social Bonds Podcast Series in 2022/2023, this episode provides an update on the social bonds market: what types of projects issuers are funding these days, how investors are looking at social bonds, what the advantages of a portfolio approach in impact reporting are, and how ICMA's Harmonised Framework for Impact Reporting can help. Simone Utermarck, Senior Director, Sustainable Finance at ICMA talks to Malika Takhtayeva, Sustainable Fixed Income Lead at BNPP Asset Management, Charles Smith, Senior Funding Officer at the EBRD and Felix Grote, Head of Funding & Investor Relations at Council of Europe Development Bank.

In this podcast from the Asset Management and Investors Council (AMIC), recorded on 10th June 2025, Bob Parker and Massimiliano Castelli discussed: The continuing US/China tariff negotiations. What's the impact on the Chinese economy? Given the US budget bill, what are the implications for the US budget deficit, the US credit rating and US Treasury yields? What are the key risks facing investors for the second half of 2025, and are they factored into markets at present? AMIC is ICMA's dedicated forum advocating the interests of buy-side members, including asset managers, institutional investors, private banks, pension funds, and insurance companies, among others. If you have questions or topics that you would like our guests to address in future episodes, please feel free to get in contact via email: AMIC@icmagroup.org. Speakers: Bob Parker is former Chairman of AMIC and Senior Adviser to ICMA. Massimiliano Castelli, PhD MSc, is Managing Director and Head of Strategy & Advice at UBS Asset Management and Co-Chair of the AMIC Executive Committee. Learn more about the work of AMIC here: https://www.icmagroup.org/market-practice-and-regulatory-policy/asset-management/

Listen now to the podcast from the Asset Management and Investors Council (AMIC), ICMA's dedicated forum advocating the interests of buy-side members, including asset managers, institutional investors, private banks, pension funds, and insurance companies, among others. Returning for this episode are industry experts, Bob Parker, former Chairman of AMIC and Senior Adviser to ICMA, alongside Massimiliano Castelli, PhD MSc, Managing Director and Head of Strategy & Advice at UBS Asset Management, who also serves as the Co-Chair of the AMIC Executive Committee. In this podcast, recorded on 7th May 2025, the team discussed: The evolving US tariff policy and how these policies may affect the economies of the US and its major trading partners. How might other Governments react? Whether the independence of the US Federal Reserve is under threat Implications for foreign demand for US Treasuries and whether the turmoil could persuade investors to increasingly shift allocations outside the US If you have questions or topics that you would like our guests to address in future episodes, please feel free to get in contact via email: AMIC@icmagroup.org. Learn more about AMIC: https://www.icmagroup.org/market-practice-and-regulatory-policy/asset-management/

Andy Hill, Co-Head of Market Practice and Regulatory Policy, ICMA, considers the implications for bond markets of the recent wave of shortening of settlement cycles in securities markets, that began in the US and is now set to be copied in Europe and elsewhere.

Bryan Pascoe, Chief Executive of ICMA, reflects on the impact of the recent geopolitical activity upon the global capital markets.

Leland Goss, Managing Director, General Counsel, ICMA, assesses the impact of potential moves, in New York and London, to enact legislation aimed at addressing perceived shortcomings within the existing sovereign debt restructuring framework.

Natalie Westerbarkey, Co-Head of Market Practice and Regulatory Policy, ICMA, outlines how the fixed income market plays a key role in achieving EU investment needs by providing low-cost, simple solutions for retail investors' wealth creation and alternative funding sources for corporations in addition to bank loans, resulting in the promotion of sustainable and innovative growth in Europe.

Paul Richards considers the opportunities for making European capital markets more competitive.

Nicholas Pfaff, Deputy Chief Executive, Head of Sustainable Finance, ICMA, and Özgür Altun, Associate Director, Sustainable Finance, ICMA, summarise the main points of their latest paper, published on 25 March 2025, which details reflections and recommendations for the sustainable fund market in a new regulatory environment.

Emma Thomas, Associate, FinTech and Digitalisation, ICMA, comments on the efforts by financial market regulators to adapt to growth in the usage of AI within Financial services

Ruari Ewing, Senior Director, Market Practice and Regulatory Policy, ICMA, comments on the response to the FCA's consultation paper that proposed changes to the public offers and admissions to trading regime (POATRS), the product governance regime and the UK Listing Rules.

Miriam Patterson, Senior Director, Market Practice and Regulatory Policy, ICMA, discusses the use of asymmetric jurisdiction clauses in the international debt capital markets following the judgement of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in the Lastre SpA v. Agora SARL case.

Nina Suhaib-Wolf, Director, Market Practice and Regulatory Policy, ICMA, provides an update on ESMA's final post-trade referral for bonds and the ICMA letter to ESMA and the European Commission.

Alex Westphal, Senior Director, Market Practice and Regulatory Policy, ICMA, talks about ICMA's repo and collateral market work, focusing specifically on recent publications in this field, including the latest European Repo Market Survey and the ERCC's Guide to Best Practice in the European Repo Market.

Irene Rey, Associate Director, MPRP, ICMA, discusses AMIC's response to the Financial Stability Board's consultation report on addressing financial stability risks arising from leverage in Non-Bank Financial Intermediation.

Listen now to the podcast from the Asset Management and Investors Council (AMIC), ICMA's dedicated forum advocating the interests of buy-side members, including asset managers, institutional investors, private banks, pension funds, and insurance companies, among others. Returning for this episode are industry experts, Bob Parker, former Chairman of AMIC and Senior Adviser to ICMA, alongside Massimiliano Castelli, PhD MSc, Managing Director and Head of Strategy & Advice at UBS Asset Management, who also serves as the Co-Chair of the AMIC Executive Committee. In this podcast, recorded on 26th March 2025, the team discussed: · Given the deep twin sell off in the US dollar and equities, is the American exceptionalism trade over? · Following the dramatic changes to German fiscal policy announced during early March. Is this the herald of a European Renaissance? · “What's progress on the Capital Markets Union and the Savings and Investment Union? Is Europe finally going to deliver on financial market integration?” If you have questions or topics that you would like our guests to address in future episodes, please feel free to get in contact via email: AMIC@icmagroup.org. Learn more about AMIC: https://www.icmagroup.org/market-practice-and-regulatory-policy/asset-management/

Listen now to the podcast from the Asset Management and Investors Council (AMIC), ICMA's dedicated forum advocating the interests of buy-side members, including asset managers, institutional investors, private banks, pension funds, and insurance companies, among others. Returning for this episode are industry experts, Bob Parker, former Chairman of AMIC and Senior Adviser to ICMA, alongside Massimiliano Castelli, PhD MSc, Managing Director and Head of Strategy & Advice at UBS Asset Management, who also serves as the Co-Chair of the AMIC Executive Committee. In this podcast, recorded on 25th February 2025, the team discussed: Following the general election result in Germany, what is the outlook for the German economy, and what is the knock-on effect for the Eurozone and the ECB . Update on US economic policy under the new Trump administration. Government and Fed policy. What's changed in China? In the near term what do you see as the major risk factors to capital markets, and what about potential market volatility. If you have questions or topics that you would like our guests to address in future episodes, please feel free to get in contact via email: AMIC@icmagroup.org. Learn more about AMIC: https://www.icmagroup.org/market-practice-and-regulatory-policy/asset-management/

ICMA's CEO, Bryan Pascoe and Katie Kelly, Senior Director, Market Practice and Regulatory Policy, ICMA, talk about the ICMA Women's Network, which celebrates its 10-year anniversary in 2025.

Natalie Westerbarkey, Managing Director, Co-Head of Market Practice & Regulatory Policy, ICMA, explores the growth, innovation, and impact on bond markets of fixed income ETFs.

Nicolette Moser, Senior Director, Market Practice and Regulatory Policy, ICMA, provides an update on ICMA's response to the recent EU Commission's Targeted Consultation on the functioning of the EU Securitisation Framework.

Irene Rey, Associate Director, Market Practice and Regulatory Policy, ICMA, discusses the adequacy of macroprudential policies for NBFI.

Andy Hill, Managing Director, Co-Head of Market Practice and Regulatory Policy, ICMA, provides an report on the push and pull for central clearing in the sovereign bond markets.

Paul Richards, Senior Adviser, ICMA, considers the scope for the UK to rebuild relations with the EU in financial services, while remaining outside the EU Single Market.

Miriam Patterson, Senior Director, ICMA, discusses ICMA's response to the UK Financial Conduct Authority's consultation on the new UK prospectus regime.

Ruari Ewing, Senior Director, Market Practice and Regulatory Policy, ICMA, gives an update on the EU Listing Act: ESMA Prospectus Regulation proposals.

Katie Kelly, Senior Director, ICMA, discusses the role of commercial paper in the sustainable finance market.

ICMA's Alex Westphal, Senior Director, Market Practice and Regulatory Policy, talks about the latest discussions and developments around Europe's planned transition to a T+1 settlement cycle.

Nina Suhaib-Wolf, Director, ICMA, presents the latest updates on the EU and UK frameworks for bond market transparency and consolidated tapes.

Ozgur Altun, Associate Director, Sustainable Finance, provides an overview of the ESMA's Guidelines on ESG-related fund names.

Georgina Jarratt, Managing Director, ICMA, updates on ICMA's strategic priorities for FinTech and digitalisation in 2025.

Gabriel Callsen, Senior Director, FinTech and Digitalisation, ICMA talks about the MAS Guardian Fixed Income Framework.

Listen now to the podcast from the Asset Management and Investors Council (AMIC), ICMA's dedicated forum advocating the interests of buy-side members, including asset managers, institutional investors, private banks, pension funds, and insurance companies, among others. Returning for this episode are industry experts, Bob Parker, former Chairman of AMIC and Senior Adviser to ICMA, alongside Massimiliano Castelli, PhD MSc, Managing Director and Head of Strategy & Advice at UBS Asset Management, who also serves as the Co-Chair of the AMIC Executive Committee. In this podcast, recorded on 10th January 2025, the team discussed: · How investors are handling the uncertainty of the policies of the incoming Trump administration. Are markets starting to discount potential policy changes? · Can China achieve 5% growth, and can deflation be curbed? · Expectations of Fed rate cuts. How other Central banks and notably the ECB might diverge from the Fed? · Why bond yields have increased · The status of budget problems in France and Spain. Will a new Government in Germany disrupt the Eurozone markets? · Valuations in US equity markets. Is there evidence of any "bubbles" in markets? If you have questions or topics that you would like our guests to address in future episodes, please feel free to get in contact via email: AMIC@icmagroup.org. Learn more about AMIC: https://www.icmagroup.org/market-practice-and-regulatory-policy/asset-management/

Addressing gender inequality is not only a matter of intrinsic value and a moral imperative, but it can also enhance growth, productivity, competitiveness and the sustainability of economies. In this podcast, Valérie Guillaumin, Director, Sustainable Finance at ICMA, talked with two committed women, from well-known organisations that have issued bonds to finance social projects, about why investing in gender equality matters. Natasha GARCHA, Senior Director, Innovative Finance and Gender-Lens Investing Specialist at Impact Investment Exchange (IIX) Heather KIPNIS, Principal Operations Officer, Gender and Economic Inclusion Group at the International Finance Corporation (IFC)

ICMA's Andy Hill speaks with Ruth Yang, Global Head of Private Market Analytics, S&P Global Ratings, and Christina Padgett, Head of Leveraged Finance Research and Analytics, Moody's Ratings, about developments in the Private Credit market, the trends and drivers, potential risks, and the prospects for further growth.

In this podcast, Stefano Pierini, Head of Finance and Investor Relations at Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane and a member of the ICMA Corporate Issuer Forum, discusses how Ferrovie engages with the debt capital markets, the importance of - and access to - sustainable labelled instruments, and measures to mobilise capital and ensure more inclusive access to markets.

In this episode, two experienced market practitioners – David Camara Iniesta (Senior Trading Strategist, Bank of America) and Nina Suhaib-Wolf (Senior Director, Market Practice & Regulatory Policy, ICMA) – discuss how the trading floor has evolved over the years including the impact of technology, market trends and the evolving regulatory environment and what it might look like in the future.

Listen now to the podcast from the Asset Management and Investors Council (AMIC), ICMA's dedicated forum advocating the interests of buy-side members, including asset managers, institutional investors, private banks, pension funds, and insurance companies, among others. Returning for this episode are industry experts, Bob Parker, former Chairman of AMIC and Senior Adviser to ICMA, alongside Massimiliano Castelli, PhD MSc, Managing Director and Head of Strategy & Advice at UBS Asset Management, who also serves as the Co-Chair of the AMIC Executive Committee. In this podcast, recorded on 22nd November, the team discussed the implications for geopolitics and markets following the election victory of Donal Trump's Republican party in early November. Domestically, how might the policies he is believed to want to pursue affect the US economy and the markets? Does his agenda of import tariffs (especially upon China) signal that inflation will persist and perhaps worsen. And what does this mean for rates? Will long-term interest rates remain at higher levels, or can we expect them to fall once the post-election euphoria dissipates? In equity markets we've heard a lot about the “Trump trade”. What is it? Is this a prelude of what we can expect in the future? Or will the current market optimism eventually fade away once announced policies are rolled out? Outside of the US, the team also cover the upcoming election in Germany and their view on how the election might play out and the potential repercussions for economies and markets, in Germany, across the EU and beyond. If you have questions or topics that you would like our guests to address in future episodes, please feel free to get in contact via email: AMIC@icmagroup.org. Learn more about AMIC: https://www.icmagroup.org/market-practice-and-regulatory-policy/asset-management/

In this episode, we explore how transition finance is shaping sustainable markets by bridging the gap between current challenges and the solutions needed for a sustainable future. Join Anjuli Pandit from HSBC, Ketish Pothalingam (formerly of PIMCO), and ICMA's Simone Utermarck as they dive into the role of ICMA's principles and frameworks in driving meaningful progress in this essential area.

In this podcast, Patricia Gentile, Group Head of  Finance & Insurance at A2A and member of the ICMA Corporate Issuer Forum, discusses the profile of A2A's sustainable finance instruments, their benefits, alignment with the EU Green Bond Standard and measures enhancing accessibility in the debt capital markets.

In the latest episode, join Ruari Ewing, Katie Kelly, and Miriam Patterson, Senior Directors in the Market Practice and Regulatory Policy team at ICMA, as they discuss Primary Markets and the Bond Issuance Cycle.

In this podcast, Alessandro Canta, Head of Finance and Insurance at Enel and Steering Committee member of the ICMA Corporate Issuer Forum, discusses the challenges of achieving carbon neutrality, especially in a landscape heavily influenced by global geopolitical uncertainty. He explains how Enel is addressing these challenges by leveraging sustainable finance instruments, while also exploring opportunities to enhance innovation and accessibility in the debt capital markets.

In the latest Let's Talk Markets episode, ICMA Women's Network, Katie Kelly, Senior Director at ICMA, and Jen Cresswell, Counsel and UK Women's Network Steering Committee Member, dive deep into the progress and ongoing challenges for women in the bond markets. For over 10 years, the ICMA Women's Network (IWN) has been a global platform committed to supporting women in the bond markets. From promoting gender equality to addressing key challenges like the gender pay gap and maternity barriers, the IWN is driving real change. Our network fosters skill development, resilience, and peer support. Whether it's through workshops on unconscious bias or discussions on career growth in a tech-driven world, we're dedicated to helping women excel.

Nina Suhaib-Wolf, Director, ICMA, provides an update on secondary markets.

Andy Hill, Managing Director, ICMA, discusses the potential benefits of Europe's two new consolidated tapes for bond markets, as well as the challenges in designing a transparency deferral regime that does not threaten market liquidity. He sheds light on ICMA's data-driven approach to suggesting how this could be achieved, and how ICMA is encouraging the EU and UK regulators to adopt a similar methodology.

ICMA's Alex Westphal, Senior Director, Market Practice and Regulatory Policy, provides an update on the latest discussions around the proposed shortening of the settlement cycle to T+1 in Europe.

Alex Tsang, Director (Asia-Pacific), ICMA, reveals international market potential for Korean Treasury Bond (KTB) trading as supported by recent market reforms.

In October 2023, the Hong Kong SFC had asked ICMA to convene a working group to explore the potential applicability of the ICMA Code of Conduct to the Hong Kong market. A year later, on 3 October 2024, ICMA published the Hong Kong Code of Conduct.

Katie Kelly, Senior Director, ICMA, discusses a recent European Commission workshop on short-term funding markets.

Miriam Patterson, Senior Director, Market Practice and Regulatory Policy, ICMA, provides an update on the FCA's consultation on the new UK prospectus regime.

Georgina Jarratt, Managing Director, ICMA, speaks about ICMA's work on FinTech and Digitalisation initiatives

Paul Richards, Senior Adviser, ICMA, provides a personal perspective on international capital markets 50 years on.