Raphael Auer appointed by BIS as Head of the Innovation Hub Eurosystem Centre

The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has revealed the appointment of Raphael Auer to the BIS Innovation Hub (BISIH) team. He will serve as the head of the upcoming Eurosystem Centre, expected to open in the first half of 2022.

Auer’s current position is principal economist in the BIS’ Monetary and Economic Department. There, he works with the unit dedicated to Innovation and the Digital Economy.

BISIH Eurosystem Centre

With locations in Frankfurt and Partis, BISIH Eurosystem Centre will be hosted by the European Central Bank, the Deutsche Bundesbank and the Bank of France along with all the other central banks of the Eurosystem.

The Centre joins a growing network of Innovation Hub centres established by BIS around the world. Over the last two years, the company has set up ones in Switzerland, Hong Kong SAR, London, Singapore and Stockholm. It has also made a strategic partnership with the Federal Reserve System.

Additionally, BIS is planning to open a centre in Toronto, Canada in 2022.

Benoît Cœuré, Head of the BIS Innovation Hub, commented:

Benoît Cœuré, BIS

Benoît Cœuré
Source: Twitter

The Eurosystem centre’s work will be a key part of the Innovation Hub’s growing project portfolio and will connect us with the euro area’s vibrant innovation ecosystem.

Raphael Auer

Cœuré said:

I am delighted that Raphael is joining the Innovation Hub team. His deep-seated knowledge of digital currencies and financial technology, gained through his extensive experience as a policy and research economist, will strengthen the intellectual foundations of the practical experimentations conducted by the Innovation Hub.

Auer’s focus currently lies in central bank digital currencies, stablecoins and cryptocurrencies. He has greatly contributed to the BIS’ policy publications and international for a in these fields. Auer is also published on issues related to international economics, monetary policy and digital currencies.

Prior to joining BIS in 2015, Auer served as Deputy Head of International Trade and Capital Flows at the Swiss National Bank. He also holds a PhD in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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