Ladies and gentlemen,
I am very pleased to welcome you to the 44th Economics Conference of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank here in Vienna.
Today, I want to invite you to take a break from our routine engagement in the daily workings of the financial system. Let us take a look at the future instead: what kind of institutions and markets will manage our financial wealth, our liabilities and our payments in 10 or 20 years?
To explore this issue, we have assembled a noteworthy list of distinguished speakers from different backgrounds in academia, policy making and the financial sector. I am sure they will provide us with intriguing food for thought during our two-day conference. I would like to thank all of them for coming to Vienna and for contributing to our endeavor. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank the staff members of the OeNB, and our friends at SUERF, for their effort in organizing this event.