Singapore Management University (SMU) has unveiled the Singapore Capital Markets Initiative (SCMI), a new research platform designed to advance the study of capital markets at the intersection of law and finance. Launched on 7 July at the SMU Yong Pung How School of Law, the initiative will focus on Singapore and Asia, addressing key areas such as equity and debt markets, venture capital, corporate governance, and the impact of emerging technologies.
The SCMI aims to position SMU as a leader in capital markets research, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and policy engagement. Professor Lee Pey Woan, Dean of SMU’s law school, emphasised the initiative’s role in establishing Singapore as a hub for thought leadership in this field. “SCMI will serve as a platform for interdisciplinary research and policy engagement,” she stated.
Led by Professor Aurelio Gurrea-Martínez, alongside Professors Dan Puchniak and Nydia Remolina, the SCMI seeks to address the evolving needs of capital markets, particularly in Asia, which hosts over 55% of the world’s listed companies. Gurrea-Martínez highlighted the importance of rigorous research in this area, noting, “The need for rigorous research at the intersection of law and finance has never been greater.”
The launch was marked by a conference co-organised with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI), featuring discussions on trends in Asia’s capital markets and the role of technology in market development. This initiative builds on the success of SMU’s existing research platforms, further solidifying its role in global capital market discourse.
