N. Bulent Gultekin - Faculty Research in Knowledge@Wharton

Time for Transparency: What Will It Take to Improve Corporate Governance in the Middle East?

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:25:39 EST

As the financial crisis roils the world economy, scandals are surfacing in various parts of the world. In the Middle East, the latest scam to hit the headlines involves Nabil al-Boushi, an Egyptian broker who is accused of swindling investors in Dubai and has been termed the "Egyptian Madoff." As is usual in such circumstances, demands are being heard for improving corporate governance and financial regulation in the Middle East. This, however, is an enormous task. A 2008 survey found that barely 3% of publicly listed companies and banks in the region have good corporate governance practices. Can this situation be turned around? Experts from Wharton and elsewhere offer their suggestions.

Worry in the West as Eastern and Central European Economies Head South

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:25:43 EST

The world financial crisis is unraveling the gains made by many Central and Eastern European economies during their post-Cold War resurgence. With the region no longer isolated, an economic collapse could reverberate in the West, as Central and Eastern European borrowers default on an enormous volume of loans that Western banks were all too eager to grant just a few years ago.

Economic Trends in the Middle East -- and High Oil Prices -- Suggest Fertile Ground for Growth

Wed, 01 Jun 2005 16:46:12 EST

New investment and business opportunities in the Middle East are coinciding with a number of economic trends in that region, ranging from a booming stock market to an increased share in world trade to greater progress in privatization and liberalization. Rising oil prices in particular, which reached a peak level of $55 per barrel in 2004, have brought prosperity to all oil exporting economies and are encouraging regional governments to diversify their oil-based economies into non-oil areas, such as construction and tourism. These changes, along with political, social and economic reforms, were among the topics discussed during the first Wharton Global Family Alliance Conference held in March in Dubai.

Islamic Banking Comes of Age - But What's Next?

Wed, 10 Mar 2004 16:03:36 EST

Islamic banking has come a long way in the last 25 years. It has gone from almost nothing to an industry with assets of hundreds of billions of dollars and half of the consumer market and 10% of the assets under management in countries such as Malaysia. Yet, it has still not emerged as a truly revolutionary force in the financial world. Whether it can make that leap is a question for every Islamic banker.

The Future of the Euro-Dollar Relationship Depends a Lot on the U.S.

Wed, 30 Jan 2002 00:00:00 EST

The euro, according to international finance experts at Wharton, is doing well. Completing the final stage of its three-year launch on January 1, the euro could, in fact, become an alternative to the dollar as a global reserve currency, or even provide a place of refuge if mounting U.S. debt leads to a weaker dollar. A lot depends on the U.S. economy.