Norges Bank Governor Svein Gjedrem Speaks At SMU

Governor Svein Gjedrem (left) with Prof Howard Hunter, President of SMU who moderated the Q&A session

In a lecture organised by SMU’s Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics, Mr Svein Gjedrem, Governor of Norway’s Central Bank shared the latest plans for the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund, the Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM). NBIM is the world’s second largest after the UAE. Following the lecture, Mr Gjedrem interacted with the audience in a question and answer session moderated by SMU President, Professor Howard Hunter. Responding to questions on corporate governance, investment interests and even the World Cup, the Governor said NBIM will increase investments in Asia, as the region leads the global economic recovery. “Asian products in the real economy are more and more important for European countries, and that should over time increase our equity share here in this growing part of the world,” he said. Mr Gjedrem added that NBIM also aims to double its assets to US$900 billion by 2020 as it starts to invest in property. The Governor’s lecture is in conjunction with his visit to Singapore to open a representative office of the NBIM.