Systemic financial crises have become a common feature of the global financial landscape. Resolution of such crises requires a complex mix of macroeconomic and financial sector policies, including the restructuring and resolution of problem banks. This volume outlines the theoretical insights that have been gained and the practical lessons learned.

In light of the periodic malfunctions in important sectors of the finan cial services industry in recent years, such as commercial banking, thrift institutions, and the securities market, numerous proposals have been developed for restructuring the financial system to improve both its safety and efficiency. Among the groups analyzing the performance of the financial system and recommending changes where necessary, has been the Shadow Financial Regulatory Committee. This Committee, which is described in greater detail in Chapter 1, consists of 12 independent banking experts from the academic and practitioner worlds that meet quarterly to analyze current developments in the financial services indus try and to make recommendations for improvements that would be in the public interest. The purpose of the Committee, its members, and a listing of policy statements are included in the Appendix. All but one of the chapters in this volume represent essays by indi vidual members of the Committee on issues discussed by the Committee at recent meetings and that, for the most part, resulted in policy state ments. They basically discuss the reasons for the policy statement adopted and place the issue in perspective. Where appropriate, the rele vant section of the respective policy statement is presented at the begin ning of each chapter. Each essay, however, reflects only the views of the individual author and not necessarily those of other members of the Committee or of the Committee as a whole.

Edited by William Alexander, Jeffrey M. Davis, Liam P. Ebrill, and Carl-Johan Lindgren, this volume discusses cross-country restructuring experiences building on the foundation laid by its predecessor Band Soundness and Macroeconomic Policy. It discusses broad principles and actions to guide policy makers in restructuring their banking systems.

An IMF paper reviewing the policy responses of Indonesia, Korea and Thailand to the 1997 Asian crisis, comparing the actions of these three countries with those of Malaysia and the Philippines. Although all judgements are still tentative, important lessons can be learned from the experiences of the last two years.

This book explains how to restructure and successfully turn around a bank or financial institution at a time when the global financial system is facing a new wave of disruption ushered in by innovation from digital financial technology, or FinTech. It is argued that within banking this process of creative destruction will entail unprecedented challenges for traditional institutions as well as opportunities for new, mostly digital, players. A great deal of restructuring, turnaround, and transformation will be required. While information on these topics is widely available with respect to corporates, this is not the case for banks. The book addresses this neglected area in detail, analyzing the changes that have been set in motion, examining how creative destruction can be anticipated by both old and new players, and explaining how to better manage restructuring and innovation in banking. The book will appeal to top and middle managers of banks and financial institutions, advisers, regulators, academics, and students.

This paper reviews financial restructuring in Kazakhstan, and the condition of the financial system in the period following independence. The authorities’ efforts to redress financial sector weaknesses fall into two phases: The first phase addressed the immediate crises in the banking system by slowing bank licensing, tightening prudential regulations, and dealing with large nonperforming loans. The next phase saw reforms to regulatory and institutional structures. The paper shows that, by the end of 1997, substantial reforms in the structure of the financial system had been accomplished and a major financial collapse avoided. However, the banking system had not begun to play an active role in financial intermediation.