Conference on New Frontiers in Banking and Capital Markets

The conference will be a space to foster research in banking and capital markets, with a strong focus on advancing and integrating the environmental, social and governance dimensions (ESG).

The New Frontiers in Banking and Capital Markets conference aims at providing a high-level conference setting where academics, practitioners, and regulators will present and discuss new ideas and exchange views on emerging research topics as well as perspectives on current challenges for banks and capital markets. Sustainability and ESG are therefore important topics.

The conference includes traditional top-level research paper presentations and discussion sessions based on a competitive open call for papers and invited research papers as well as policy round tables with high-level representatives from regulatory authorities and industry.

Submissions will be closed mid-August 2022 and authors will be notified by October 2022.

Practical information

When: Thursday 15 December 2022, 09:00 CET – Friday 16 December 2022, 18:00 CET

Where: Rome, Italy

Languages: English

Website: Event website

Conference background

Banks and capital markets as well as market participants are faced with dramatic challenges from environmental, social, and governance (ESG) changes and detailed requirements from governments and from public concerns. Consequently, more and more firms develop sustainable strategies and disclose ESG information as ESG demands are quickly increasing.

Companies taking these challenges seriously have already started integrating ESG consideration into their activities. They should have a promising future when gaining the support of banks, institutional investors, and financial market participants. Therefore, banks and capital markets have a pivotal role in determining how to best contribute and structure this transformation to a sustainable future. They have a significant responsibility in the allocation of funds to entities that help creating an ESG-friendly future environment.

At the same time, governments and regulators worldwide are increasingly focusing on ESG practices to protect consumers and promote a more sustainable behaviour by companies and investors. The European Commission is at the forefront in driving this transition with its Next Generation EU program.

Decision makers, policy makers, stakeholders, investors, and corporate managers alike need to understand the implications and effects that a new regulatory framework has on strategies, business models, financial measures, and investment decisions. These new rules are expected to bring a more long-term focus on corporate strategies with respect to ESG and other governance shortcomings.

The objective of this conference is to advance research in banking and capital markets with a strong focus on integrating and advancing sustainability and ESG aspects. Therefore, sustainability and ESG are among the main topics of the conference. This is in line with the most recent corporate and institutional investor focus as well as the objectives of the Next Generation EU program. The interaction between academics, regulators and representatives from authorities and industry should provide an excellent forum for a fruitful discussion.

Authors of the selected papers will come from different international universities and institutions. The conference will provide participants with high-level international networking opportunities.

Special Issues:

On the topics of the conference, two special issues will be published in

1. the International Review of Financial Analysis (A Anvur, IF: 5.373) guest editors Wolfgang Bessler and Marina Brogi, and
2. Finance Research Letters (A Anvur, IF: 5.596) guest editors Wolfgang Bessler, Valentina Lagasio and Samuel Vigne.