Macroeconomic and Financial Advisory • Abu Dhabi
Senior judgment for complex macroeconomic and financial decisions.
Led by Dr. Maher Hasan, MFA helps central banks, governments, regulators, financial institutions and boards assess economic and financial risks, weigh policy options and turn recommendations into practical action.
Former Counsellor and Chief Economist, Arab Monetary Fund · Former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Jordan · Former Deputy Division Chief, International Monetary Fund
Confidential conversations with MFA begin with the problem, not a predetermined solution.
What we help clients solve
Senior decision-makers rarely start with a service category. They start with a problem.
- Where are vulnerabilities building in the financial system — and what should be done before they become systemic?Financial Stability, Regulation & Supervision →
- How should we respond to a weak, distressed or systemically important financial institution?Crisis Management, Bank Restructuring & Resolution →
- Which macroeconomic, fiscal or regulatory scenarios should our board consider before committing to a major decision?Institutional & Strategic Risk →
Advisory areas
Eight connected areas, each starting from a client problem.
- 01Macroeconomic Policy and RiskIdentify and navigate the macroeconomic risks that matter — including the macro-financial nexus.
- 02Central BankingWhen economic conditions change, policy frameworks must adapt with them.
- 03Financial Stability, Regulation & SupervisionIdentify vulnerabilities early — and build institutions capable of acting when risk materializes.
- 04Crisis Management, Bank Restructuring & ResolutionWhen a financial institution becomes vulnerable, speed matters — but so do sequencing, legal judgment and containment.
- 05Financial Regulation, Legislation & AML/CFTRegulatory frameworks must achieve their policy objectives without creating avoidable institutional or market distortions.
- 06Islamic FinanceRegulation that fits the industry — and keeps a level playing field.
- 07Financial-Sector Development & InnovationExpanding access and innovation requires a balance between market development, institutional capacity and risk.
- 08Institutional & Strategic RiskSee risks across institutions — and strengthen the governance needed to act.
Track record
Selected achievements from Dr. Hasan’s institutional career
- PCSIntroduced Preferred Creditor Status at the Arab Monetary Fund, strengthening its lending framework and creditor standing.
- 90%+Oversaw the resolution of more than 90% (by value) of member countries’ arrears to the Arab Monetary Fund.
- 36×Chaired the Jordan Loan Guarantee Corporation as its balance sheet grew from JD22 million (2011) to JD799 million (2021), as it became the channel for national guarantee and Central Bank financing programs.
- 6Led reform of six financial-sector laws in Jordan — central bank, banking, AML/CFT, insurance, electronic transactions and money exchange.
Insights & Research
Research designed to inform decisions.
Current MFA analysis
Dated MFA notes on current macroeconomic and financial-sector questions will be published here. Topics we cover:
- Macroeconomic Outlook
- Central Banking & Monetary Policy
- Financial Stability
- Banking Regulation & Resolution
- AML/CFT & Financial Integrity
- Islamic Finance
- Financial Inclusion, Payments & Digital Finance
Media & interviews
Jordan’s Central Banking Experience with Maher Hasan
Season 3, Episode 6 · 15 October 2026Dr. Hasan discusses Jordan’s central banking experience with Karan Mehrishi on the Talking Central Banks podcast.
Watch on YouTube ↗The video loads from YouTube only when you press play.
Selected earlier research
Next Generation Balance Sheet Stress Testing
IMF Working Paper 11/83, 2011.With C. Schmieder and C. PuhrThe Effects of the Global Crisis on Islamic and Conventional Banks: A Comparative Study
IMF Working Paper 10/201, 2010.With J. DridiMaking Basel III Work for Emerging Markets and Developing Economies
CGD Task Force Report, 2019.Task force member; co-chairs T. Beck and L. Rojas-Suarez
Approach
Senior advice. Direct accountability.
- Practitioner-ledAdvice grounded in first-hand experience of policymaking, supervision, international financial institutions and institutional reform — not analysis at a distance.
- Diagnosis before prescriptionWe start with the decision the client must make, the risks around it and the institutional constraints that determine what can be implemented.
- Policy and implementationWe test not only what a technically sound solution looks like, but how it will operate within legal, governance, market and capacity constraints.
- Evidence before assertionAnalysis separates facts, assumptions, scenarios and judgment, so decision-makers can see what a recommendation depends on.
How an engagement works
- 1Confidential conversationWe discuss the issue, the decision at stake and the constraints — with no obligation.
- 2ScopingWe agree the questions to be answered, the deliverables, the timetable and any specialist input required.
- 3Diagnosis and optionsWe analyze the problem and test policy, risk and implementation options.
- 4RecommendationsWe present clear recommendations, showing the assumptions and trade-offs behind them.
- 5Implementation supportWhere useful, we stay involved through sequencing, stakeholder engagement and follow-through.
Engagement formats
- Advisory notes and independent reviews
- Board and senior-management briefings
- Policy and legislative reviews
- Assessment preparation (FSAP, external reviews)
- Ongoing retained advice
- Workshops and capacity building
About MFA
Advice shaped by experience inside the institutions that make and implement policy.
Macroeconomic and Financial Advisory is a specialist advisory firm focused on macroeconomic policy, central banking, financial-sector stability, regulation, financial inclusion, crisis management and institutional reform. MFA was licensed in Masdar City Free Zone, Abu Dhabi, in September 2026.
We work on decisions where technical analysis alone is not enough. Effective advice must also account for institutional mandates, legal frameworks, market dynamics, implementation capacity and the sequencing of reform.
Who we work with
- Central banks and monetary authorities
- Ministries of finance and economy, and other government bodies
- Financial regulators, supervisors and resolution authorities
- Regional and international financial institutions
- Banks, Islamic financial institutions, insurers and other regulated entities
- Public pension, guarantee and development institutions
- Boards and investors facing macro-sensitive decisions
Where we work
MFA’s principal focus is the Middle East and North Africa.