Finance

What a huge advance it is that the financial sector now has robots to relieve the ever-growing pressure of regulation. Almost everyone handling or processing personal data now faces vastly increased compliance requirements once the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation

In 2017 Russia enjoyed a refreshing return to economic growth and general optimism—until November, when a GDP contraction took analysts by surprise. The question is, was the setback a minor bump in the road on the nation’s path to sustained recovery, or was it a signal that Russia has fallen back into recession after a good but temporary run?

No one enjoys paying taxes, so news of tax cuts is warmly welcomed. In December, the US government passed a tax act that sharply reduces rates across the board, most significantly for businesses. It would seem to represent a boon to the US economy—but with the economy already charging ahead at full steam, will it in the long run be a blessing or a bane?

Talent does tend to follow the money, which is one reason why remunerative financial careers have lured many of the brightest and the best. Critics argue that this talent drain is a drain on the prosperity and growth of the economy, diverting the most qualified to less valuable jobs; but do statistics indicate that financial jobs may instead produce a net societal benefit?

Artificial intelligence has been around for a while, but recently it is taking on a life of its own, invading various segments of business, including finance. While many financial managers view the technology with caution, the opportunities it offers for efficiency augmentation, cost reduction and customer satisfaction are irresistible; the big question is how to practically implement AI in day-to-day operations.

As ea Change Group celebrates its 20th anniversary, its founder, Steve Robson, provides an insight into how recruiting for the financial world has changed and considers what its future may hold. 

With economic growth returning to the developed world, the end of years of quantitative easing and easy monetary policy is in view; inflation concerns are reviving, guaranteeing rising interest rates along with tightening liquidity. Emerging markets in Latin America are benefiting from higher commodity prices, and despite some political tensions are proving to be an increasingly attractive destination for investor funds.

“The 21st century has arrived.” This was the assessment from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in early December, as he officially announced his campaign to launch a national cryptocurrency.

The penalties for not complying with ever-evolving anti-money laundering and sanctions regulations are steep and have caught the attention of bank boards and senior management, already besieged by an assortment of other competing challenges. AlixPartners surveyed a variety of institutions to uncover the top AML and sanctions-compliance concerns that financial firms must address, and to discover some of the solutions they are implementing.

Operating within the United States can be a lucrative business for a foreign financial institution, but it also brings challenges, not the least of which is complying with US regulations and managing risk. To stay safely out of regulators’ line of fire and to ensure the business is a success, mastering four broad areas-governance, infrastructure, compliance and budget-is critical.