Thursday 6 March 2008

UK: Sovereign wealth funds: governance and transparency

On 3 March, the UK Treasury Select Committee published its report “Financial Stability and Transparency”, which explores events in the capital markets since August 2007 and makes various recommendations regarding the role of the UK’s tripartite authorities. Also of interest is the following observation concerning Sovereign wealth funds (p. 14):

“We recognise the important role that Sovereign wealth funds have played in helping to stabilise the financial system through their investments in financial services firms in 2007. However, the increasing prominence of such funds as institutional investors does raise valid public policy questions about governance, transparency and reciprocity. We intend to examine the role of Sovereign wealth funds as part of our ongoing work on financial stability and transparency”.

Postscript (added 9 March): in late February, the BBC Radio 4 programme File on 4 considered sovereign wealth funds in two programmes broadcast under the title "Sovereign Funds: The New Wealth Of Nations".

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