On 4 February 2019, CFA Society Boston welcomed over 900 financial professionals for an evening of networking and insights on the global outlook from featured speaker Rt. Hon. David Cameron, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2010-2016).
Mr. Cameron presented formal remarks, followed by a fireside chat during which he and Erinn R. King, CFA, CFA Society Boston Chair, discussed global politics, the rise of populism, and where we go from here.
Here are some of Mr. Cameron’s compelling viewpoints about the current global marketplace:
Rt. Hon. David Cameron on the current political climate: “These are divided, disputatious, polarised times. The extremes of the debate dominate the debate. And their arguments – from populists on the Left and the Right – have put the old certainties into question. Market economics; free trade; international cooperation; moderate, democratic, politics; America’s global leadership. In the space of just a few years, all these things seem to have been thrown up in the air."
Rt. Hon. David Cameron on free markets: “I believe that the free market system is still the right system for our world today. It has created more wealth, and lifted more people out of poverty, than anything else in our history. But we need to recognise some big failings. The global financial crash – and all that followed. The fact that while market economics may be working… they’re not necessarily working for everyone.
Rt. Hon. David Cameron on the role of the private sector: “Businesses have the experience, the reach, the influence and the power to innovate that can make a huge difference. If business doesn’t step up, they will be the ones who bear the cost of social failures anyway through increased taxes. What’s more, business won’t succeed in a world where too many people are left behind – they won’t have the workforce or the consumers they need.”
Erinn R. King commented: “It is always rewarding to see our members rally around opportunities to learn from one another and from speakers who have first-hand experience influencing global finance. Rt. Hon. David Cameron brought the wisdom of his experience to the evening, sharing a much-needed perspective during a time marked by volatility and uncertainty in global markets and politics.”
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