Singapore will play host to several of the world's prominent finance and economics experts as they come together to form Asia's largest economics research organisation here, aimed at giving an intellectual boost to the local financial industry. The Asian Bureau of Finance and Economic Research (ABFER) will be an independent Singapore-based organisation bringing together top international scholars, practitioners and public decision-makers periodically to conduct and discuss research on finance and economic issues that are of relevance to Asia. Although there is a clear NUS connection to ABFER – NUS president Tan Chorh Chuan will be the first chairman of ABFER's governing board – it was noted that meetings may be held at SMU and NTU.