Managing Director of the Institute of International Finance, Washington DC, to speak at IIEA

The question of defaulting on holders of Irish government bonds has been much discussed in the media. This was also a major campaign issue in the last weekend’s general election in Greece. Earlier this year there was a "selective default" on Greek debt, with bondholders taking a significant haircut to their holdings. On Thursday, May 16, 2012, the Institute of International and European Affairs is hosting a major event with Charles Dallara, Managing Director of the Institute of International Finance, Washington DC, on The Greek Debt Exchange: Lessons for Europe and the Global Financial System.

Mr Dallara represented the global financial industry and private bondholders in the negotiations on Greece's second economic adjustment programme earlier this year. The private sector involvement in this second bailout, agreed by Dallara with the EU and IMF, involved the largest debt restructuring in world history. It affected €206 billion worth of bonds.

Charles Dallara has been Managing Director of the Institute of International Finance since 1993. In this position he has played a major role in numerous prominent international negotiations. Prior to joining the IIF, Mr Dallara was a Managing Director at J.P. Morgan & Co. In the 1980's he served in a variety of high profile financial positions in the administrations of Presidents George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan.