The European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies (EFFAS) and the Deutsche Vereinigung für Finanzanalyse und Asset Management (DVFA) successfully held their first international Capital Markets Forum yesterday at the JW Marriott in Frankfurt. This groundbreaking event brought together a prestigious lineup of speakers and investment professionals to tackle critical issues facing Europe’s capital markets.
The forum was inaugurated by Jesus Lopez Zaballos, Chair of EFFAS, and Thorsten Müller, Chair of DVFA and Managing Partner at Lighthouse Corporate Finance GmbH, with Dr. Detlef Fechtner of Börsen-Zeitung moderating the day’s proceedings. Addressing a packed venue, Zaballos emphasized the importance of the Capital Markets Union to Europe’s economic resurgence and stressed EFFAS’s role in setting industry standards, particularly through its globally recognized CESGA Diploma for ESG integration.
Jesús López Zaballos. PhD, EFFAS Chair, today at the Capital Markets Forum:
”The EFFAS and DVFA Capital Markets Forum is dedicated to strengthening European stock markets, supporting SMEs in overcoming growth barriers by facilitating equity raisings, and reducing bank financing dependency.
EFFAS has set industry standards, being now a pioneer in ESG integration, EFFAS’s CESGA Diploma is globally recognized. EFFAS remains committed to shaping the future of finance through active dialogue with authorities and participation in key organizations.”
Throughout the day, speakers and panels delved into a variety of topics crucial for the development of robust European capital markets. Prof. Dr. Dr. hc. Andreas R. Dombret, former Board Member of the German Bundesbank, and Dr. Martin Steinbach from EY provided expert analyses on the current state and future of the Capital Markets Union and the European IPO market, respectively.
Later on, the economic outlook session led by Ann-Katrin Petersen from Blackrock highlighted the dramatic shifts in the global economy since 2019.
As Ann-Katrin states, “Back in 2019, around the time of the last European parliamentary elections and ECB rate cut, the euro area faced very different economic conditions than it does today. We live in a structurally different world now, driven by mega forces like geopolitical fragmentation, demographic divergence, the low-carbon transition and artificial intelligence.”
A significant focus of the forum was on the integration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into financial practices. Noteworthy discussions included a panel on ESG integration into equity valuation, featuring Christian Heller, CEO of the Value Balancing Alliance, and other prominent figures from the financial industry across Europe and the US.
Florian Schoeller, Founder and CEO of SCOPE Ratings, spoke about the implications of SCOPE Ratings’ recent ECB accreditation, stating, “It was a pleasure to speak at this highly relevant forum. With CMU and Green Transition at the top of the EU agenda, our discussions are more pertinent than ever, enhancing the stability of our financial system through a diverse array of European perspectives on credit risk.”
Sabine Dembkowski of Better Boards Ltd. offered a compelling view on the strategic importance of board evaluations, as she explains: “If applied correctly, board evaluations are an invaluable tool to safeguard investments, support the value creation process, and ensure the systematic development of a board.”
The forum concluded with closing remarks by Thorsten Müller, who reiterated the importance of reducing dependence on bank financing and supporting SMEs through accessible equity raisings.
The EFFAS and DVFA Capital Markets Forum has set a high benchmark for future discourse, offering valuable insights and fostering discussions that promise to shape the trajectory of European financial markets.
For any queries, please refer to:
Alvaro Wagener Diez | Marketing & Communications Manager
EFFAS e.V.
Sophienstraße 44, DE 60487 Frankfurt am Main.
a.wagener@effas.com
Phone: +49 69 98959519 – Fax: +49 69 98957529
website: www.effas.com
- About EFFAS
EFFAS is a Not-for-profit organisation set up in 1962 with 14 national member associations in Europe, representing more than 16,000 Financial analysts, Asset managers, pension fund managers, corporate finance specialists, risk managers, treasurers among many other professional profiles from the investment profession. EFFAS is a certification body for finance with over 24,400 certificate holders worldwide. https://effas.com/
