New ‘Center for Entrepreneurship’ to Examine Financial Regulation
Contact: Christine Hall, 202.331.2258
Washington, D.C., August 24, 2006— The Competitive Enterprise Institute is proud to announce the launch of a new center of study– The Center for Entrepreneurship.
The Center will study how financial regulations — from securities laws, such as Sarbanes-Oxley, to banking rules — impede entrepreneurs in attracting investors and capital. The Center starts out with a crucial question: If entrepreneurs like Bill Gates, Sam Walton, or eBay’s Meg Whitman were starting out today, what barriers would they face in raising capital and growing their business?
John Berlau, CEI fellow in economic policy and former financial journalist, will serve as director of the Center.
"Financial markets are a critical and neglected part of our free enterprise system," said CEI President Fred L Smith, Jr. "CEI will continue its long-term efforts to lower regulatory barriers to entrepreneurial innovation. With the new Center for Entrepreneurship, we also hope to highlight the benefits of liberalization and the harm done by government regulations that block investors from providing capital to entrepreneurs.
"CEI is fortunate to have John Berlau head the new center," Smith continued. "As an analyst, John has a deep understanding of the problems now handicapping the financial market. As a former journalist, he will be uniquely able to translate that understanding to decision makers and the general public. Under John’s leadership, we are confident the Center will make a significant contribution to economic reform."
"I am honored to be leading this center that, with my colleagues’ valuable input, will look at the myriad financial issues affecting entrepreneurs through CEI’s philosophical framework," said Berlau.