Ruth Förtsch – project manager for international central banking courses

© Ruth Förtsch

I started work at the Bundesbank as part of the project manager team for international central banking courses on 15 March 2023, after completing my business administration studies. My main focus is on preparing, accompanying and following-up on international central banking courses, which take place either in person (mostly in Frankfurt am Main) or virtually. Face-to-face courses are particularly intensive due to the interaction with and support provided for the participants. We on the project manager team are available to answer any questions, for instance concerning the organisation of the course, or to assist with any problems, say when applying for a visa. 

Our courses are not just about imparting knowledge, they also serve as a forum for exchanging ideas and opinions. In addition, opportunities for networking – both during and long after the course has finished – are very important for our guests and us alike. 

I look forward to welcoming many international guests to Frankfurt.

Daniel Nagel – national expert in the ECON Secretariat at the European Parliament in Brussels 

© Daniel Nagel

I have been working as a national expert in the secretariat of the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) since April 2023. Previously, I worked for the Bundesbank’s Directorate General Financial Stability and was responsible for the secretariat of the Coordinating Committee for Financial Stability (KAF) and the German Financial Stability Committee (AFS).

In my new role in the ECON Secretariat, I support the members of the Committee with both the procedural and contextual aspects of their work for Parliament. ECON covers a wide range of topics, including the economic and monetary policy of the Union, the free movement of capital and payments as well as the regulation and monitoring of financial services, institutions and markets.

ECON is one of 20 standing committees that carry out the political and legislative work of Parliament. A key part of this is the EU’s legislative procedures for creating or amending EU legislation. The Parliament is involved in this process through co-decision, consent or consultation procedures. 

The European Parliament is the only directly elected body of the European Union and its 705 members represent the 448 million citizens of the EU. I very much look forward to supporting Parliament’s work and seeing how it interacts with other institutions, such as the Council and the Commission.

Karin Sagner-Kaiser – senior advisor for banking supervision

© Yoav Kedem von Nói Crew

I joined the CIC as a senior advisor for banking supervision at the end of April 2023. I am responsible for all bilateral activities and international central banking courses to do with banking supervision. I may be new to the CIC, but the CIC is not new to me. I worked closely with Marcus Haas, my predecessor, for many years. I was one of his contacts in the Directorate General Banking and Financial Supervision. Close cooperation between the CIC and the business units is essential in order to integrate the specialist expertise into its range of services as best as possible. 

During my time in the Directorate General Banking and Financial Supervision, I was responsible for this coordination for many years, a task that also involved networking within the DG and with many other areas in the Bundesbank. My time at the DG was chiefly marked by two key areas: (1) coordinating the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) from 2007 to 2023 and (2) operational risks – a topic that was and still is one of my main areas of focus. I accompanied the start of regulation in the relevant Basel working group through to its implementation and further development at the EU and national level (2000-2016). I then spent five years (at varying levels of intensity) managing operational risks in banking supervision, both at the Bundesbank as well as nine months at the ECB (in the Directorate Supervisory Strategy and Risk), and, most recently, returned to managing operational risks of commercial banks for a short time.

I am delighted to be part of the CIC and thank the team for their warm welcome. The first few days have been exciting, but my expertise and broad network stand me in good stead for the new challenges that lie ahead. 

Alexander Schwarz – senior advisor for financial stability

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In May 2023, I took up the position as senior advisor for financial stability at the CIC in Frankfurt. Prior to this, I worked in the Directorate General Financial Stability and was responsible for coordinating the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) and the ESCB Financial Stability Committee (FSC).

In my new role, I would like to play a part in ensuring that the seminars and courses provide an optimal forum for central bankers and supervisors to exchange their expertise and, ideally, lead to long-term and trusting cooperation. I also hope that my experience of committee work so far will serve as a good basis for interesting discussions.

On a personal level, I am looking forward to being able to meet colleagues from all over the world – in person again which, after a long time, is fortunately increasingly possible.