ISLA delays annual conference until 2021 17 March 2020VIenna Reporter: Drew Nicol
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The International Securities Lending Association (ISLA) has been forced to postpone its annual conference due to be held in Vienna in June until 2021 as a consequence of the on-going coronavirus epidemic.
The event will be held in the same venue and at the same time as was slated for this year’s 29th Annual Securities Finance and Collateral Management Conference.
It is the latest major industry event to fall victim to restrictions on international travel and attending large events imposed by EU governments aimed at slowing the spread of the COVID-19 disease caused by the coronavirus.
In February, the Pan Asia Securities Lending Association and the Risk Management Association pulled the plug on their joint event for securities lending participants in Asia that was meant to be held in Toyko, Japan, earlier this month.
Other industry events in London, the US and across Europe have also been postponed or delayed due to the epidemic’s rampage through global populations.
Johns Hopkins University in the US, which has been tracking the virus’ spread closely since the start of the year, has recorded more than 185,000 confirmed cases worldwide, with China, Italy, Iran Spain and South Korea among the most affected countries.
However, the nature of COVID-19’s long incubation period and often mild symptoms, combined with limited testing of those without severe reactions means that many medical professionals fear that the real number of infected could be several times higher.
In a statement on the decision to delay its event, ISLA says: “Our main priority is to support the best interests and safety of our members, delegates and sponsors, and given the global scale of the crisis, we feel it would be inappropriate to continue as planned.
“Our intention is to postpone the conference until June 2021, when we expect to hold it once again at the same venue and location. Given the extraordinary circumstances, we hope you understand and support our decision.”
The association adds that it is working with sponsors and exhibitors to minimise the disruption the decision will cause.
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