The phenomenology of rare and semileptonic B decays

We summarize recent progress in the theory of exclusive rare and semileptonic B decays, focusing on model-independent results. The heavy-to-light form factors parameterizing these decays admit a model-independent description in two distinct kinematical regions. In the large-energy limit of an energetic light meson, the Soft-Collinear Effective Theory can be used to prove factorization formulas for the form factors. We present factorization formulas for all B-> P,V form factors at leading order in Lambda/m_b. Near the zero-recoil point, Heavy Quark Effective Theory gives useful relations among the form factors of different currents.