Matthias Thiemann

Matthias Thiemann's dissertation investigates the struggle between banks, accountants and financial regulators over the proper demarcation of banking conglomerates regarding their exposure to securitization activities. Using 55 semi-structured interviews and document analysis he documents this fight over the demarcation of banking groups in France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands from 1998 to 2009. Process tracing allows him to establish that national financial regulators were capable of making a distinct difference to the impact of the global financial crisis on their national banking systems if they forced their banks to withhold regulatory capital against the risks they took in their securitization business. His work thereby contributes to studies of governance in financial markets, in particular in the field of accounting, looking to identify the necessary and sufficient conditions for effective state activity in this sector.

His work has been published in Competition and Change, Soziale Systeme, UNDP Working Paper Series, FEPS Working Paper Series and the New School Economic Review. In addition to his academic work, Matthias has been a consultant to the UN on questions of financial reform and capital account management for emerging economies.