CFI.co Spring 2019 – Chairman and Columnist: Tor Svensson
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- FinanceEconomics & Development
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- Banking & Finance
Michael Saylor Bitcoin Secrets
Michael Saylor: Bitcoin is the family farm. Don’t panic! BY TONY LENNOX Michael Saylor describes his
Dawn of a New Age in Data Control: Oasis Gives Power to the People
By HEATHER LEAH SMITH Dawn Song and the Oasis team are striving to bring about a
Quiet, Unassuming, Modest — and One of the World’s Most Powerful Women
Wealthy philanthropist and CEO of Fidelity Investments Abigail Johnson came up through the ranks of the
- Markets
Tightening Financial Conditions Bring Impacts to Asset Values
In the first half of this year, US stock markets suffered a fall not seen in
Biggest Commodity Price Shock in 50 Years is Here
In addition to death and destruction in Ukraine, the Russian invasion brought several significant shocks to
Crypto Jitters: Unhinged Stablecoins Add Volatility to an Already Unstable Market
The dig is impossible to resist. On Thursday, tether – the world’s biggest ‘stablecoin’ – briefly
- SMEs
Abdullah Al-Othman & Geidea: FinTech Supports SMEs and Saudi Vision 2030
Abdullah Al-Othman is the founder and chairman of Geidea, a leading fully licensed provider of digital
VM Finance Poised to Lead Property Financing for SMEs
VM Finance entered the non-bank specialist funding industry in 2018, armed with a wealth of experience
CBRE: Approaching Shadows of Data Opacity and Risk From Flexible Office Market
We live in a world that offers and value tailored convenience. We are accustomed to the
- Economics & Convergence
Otaviano Canuto: Some Economies May Soon Face a Hard Landing
Weaker performance of emerging markets is expected in the immediate future. This year began with simultaneous
Global Imbalances and the Pandemic
The International Monetary Fund’s tenth annual External Sector Report (ESR, August 2021) shows how current account
World Bank on Sustainable Recovery: The Need for Long-Term Financing
The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting every country’s health system and economy to a degree not seen
- Banking & Finance
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- SustainabilityBusiness Environment
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- CSR
Pollen Street Capital – All Players are Part of the Solution: Proceed with Purpose to Maximise ESG Impact
Pollen Street Capital is a purpose-led asset manager whose overarching purpose is to deliver long-term sustainable
Fitch Ratings: Enduring Focus on ESG and Sustainability Projects at Leading Credit Ratings Provider
For over a century, Fitch Ratings has been building and creating value for global capital markets
Spain NAB: ‘Impact-Washing…? It’s a Thing, and to be Avoided at All Costs
The Spanish impact investment market is catching the eye of mainstream financiers — with increasing frequency.
- Energy
Karl Fredrik-Staubo – Youth, Energy, Agility, & the Courage of Conviction: Meet the Golar Go-Getters
As the youngest CEO of a NASDAQ-listed company, Karl Fredrik Staubo brings energy and verve to
Rebecca Carter, WiseEnergy: Aligning the Stars to Create a Smart Solar System
When Rebecca Carter joined WiseEnergy as COO in February 2019, she was seeking to return to
Oil North of 60: Africa Seeks to Cash in on Energy Crunch
Already jittery markets, largely without direction, are braced for a near-perfect storm as central banks taper
- Innovation & Technology
Jensen Huang: Vision of an AI future
Nvidia CEO and founder Jensen Huang sees the world differently — and believes we soon will, too.
Modern Modem Mobsters are Costing the World a Fortune
The internet has come a long way since the good old days of dial-up. It was
Paolo Sironi, IBM: 2022 Global Outlook for Banking and Financial Markets
In the third year of a global pandemic, the financial services industry appears to be acclimating
- Governance & Legal
Norvestor: Seeing — and Seizing — the Full Potential of ESG
Private equity firm Norvestor has partnered with Nordic businesses for more than three decades. It has
EY: Argentina’s Need for Tax Reforms, and How They Could Be Achieved
The current Argentine macroeconomic situation is characterised by Covid-19 recession, inflation, record tax pressure, a reduction
Co-op Legal Services: Opportunity and Optimism Abound in the Exciting Legal Services Sector
Co-op Legal Services, which is part of the Co-op Group, offers legal advice and services for
- CSR
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- PerspectivesEssays & Columns
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- Multilaterals
IFC: After Glasgow, Four Steps to Keep Us On Track
The UN Climate Conference in Glasgow saw a flurry of commitments and proposals to limit temperature
World Bank on COVID-19: The Road Back Must Be Green, Resilient, and Inclusive
By Axel van Trotsenburg World Bank Managing Director of Operations COVID-19 has imposed a deeper, more
Geoffrey Okamoto, First Deputy Managing Director of the IMF: Knightmare Uncertainty
The American economist Frank Knight theorised about the difference between risk and uncertainty in his classic
- Columnists
Lord Waverley: First In, Best Dressed — UK’s Bid to Join Key Regional Trade Agreement
The United Kingdom has applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP),
Evan Harvey, Nasdaq: Language Locks and Building Blocks
Language has been an inhibitor to the progress of sustainable business. Rather than putting a trendy
World Debt Anchor to Keep Interest Rates and Growth Low
Debt — both public and commercial — is exploding in the US, and internationally. Interest rates
- Lifestyle
How Bernard Arnault Turned One Franc Into a Dynasty
French billionaire Bernard Arnault’s off-beat approach to business would be hard to replicate By KITTY WENHAM
Modest, Frugal, Retiring, and Famous for Being Anonymous: the Founder of Zara, Amancio Ortega
By TONY LENNOX When the famously private Spanish entrepreneur Amancio Ortega finally gave his consent to
New York, New York Still has the ‘Welcome’ Mat Out, but it Helps if you’re Wealthy…
“If you can make it there, you’ll make it anywhere…” — but just what does it
- Multilaterals
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- PeopleHeroes & Leaders
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- Heroes
Steve Fechheimer: Brewing Up a Storm to Combat Climate Change
New Belgium’s craft beers were inspired by a bike ride, first brewed in a basement, and
Patrik Lundström: Break on Through to the Green Side of Clothing Production…
Every entrepreneur wants to build a business on a breakthrough process; not many have done so.
Lutz Schwenke: Life — and Business — on an Ocean Wave
Devon has some of the best surfing beaches in the UK — a fact which may
- Editor’s Ten
Denise Coates: ‘Quiet Queen of Online Betting’ Who Keeps Out of the Spotlight
British business leader Denise Coates is the highest-earning woman in Britain — testament to the fact
Elaine Yan Ling Ng: Designer Egged-on by Nature’s Potential for Unique Beauty
The design world often looks to nature for inspiration, and Elaine Yan Ling Ng, a traditional
Mahendra Singh Dhoni: Captain Cool Meets his Younger Self to Pass on Business Tips
Mahendra Singh “MS” Dhoni, one of India’s most celebrated cricket players, has earned the nickname “Captain
- Corporate Leaders
Pavilion Global Markets: Global Recognition in Two Niche Services, Transition Management and Global Portfolio Strategy
Pavilion Global Markets Ltd was founded in Canada more than 50 years ago as an institutional,
A New Era for Kuwait International Bank: Architecting the Future of Technology-based Banking
Digital renaissance in the global banking sector was well underway prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. In
Multiply Marketing Consultancy with Samia Bouazza at the Helm: Always Prepared, Armed with the Latest Tech, Determined to Be the Best
“Abu Dhabi residents. International specialists. Critical thinkers. Problem solvers. Marketing connoisseurs. Trained to get straight to
- Portraits
Elaine Yan Ling Ng: Designer Egged-on by Nature’s Potential for Unique Beauty
The design world often looks to nature for inspiration, and Elaine Yan Ling Ng, a traditional
Interview with Grete Faremo, Executive Director of UNOPS: Inclusive Infrastructure Development
In pre-pandemic Oct 2019 (about 20 months ago) you wrote an article for CFI.co magazine that
Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill: ‘Cheap Childcare’ Led to Winning Athletics Career, Jokes Ennis-Hill
Britain’s most celebrated track and field athlete, Jessica Ennis-Hill, announced her retirement from professional sports at
- Heroes
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- LiteratureBook Reviews
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- Reviews
The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity – A Non-Linear Anarchist Reading of World History
It’s an ideology that inspires fear and loathing in equal measure. Anarchism or the conviction that
Spring Reads: Three Business Books on the CFI.co Radar
Naomi Snelling buries herself in some inspiring works that bring meaning — and more — to
Book Review – Built to Last by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras – The X factor: What Makes Some Businesses Excel…?
Visionary companies need a strong ideology and big, hairy audacious goals. Naomi Snelling looks back at
- Must-Reads
The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity – A Non-Linear Anarchist Reading of World History
It’s an ideology that inspires fear and loathing in equal measure. Anarchism or the conviction that
Political Order and Political Decay: From the Industrial Revolution to the Globalization of Democracy
“When the middle class constitutes only 20–30 percent of the population, it may side with antidemocratic
Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945
CFI Must-Reads Title Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945 Author Tony Judt ISBN 978-0-1430-3775-0 link
- The Editor’s List
Lutz Schwenke: Life — and Business — on an Ocean Wave
Devon has some of the best surfing beaches in the UK — a fact which may
The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby
“He sounded like Jean-François Revel, a French socialist writer who talks about one of the great
The Gonzo Papers Anthology
“Absolute truth is a very rare and dangerous commodity in the context of professional journalism.” For
- Reviews
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- In-DepthExtended Coverage
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- Hidden Gems
In the Face of Grim Challenges, Uzbekistan Forges Ahead on Privatisation
Despite a pandemic, a European war involving its closest trading partner and the growing threat of
Uzbekistan’s Dynamism Presents New Opportunities for Post-Brexit Britain
Though 5,000 km apart, the UK, an economic leader in the world, and my emerging but
Chile Minister of Economy, Development, and Tourism José Ramón Valente: Escaping the Middle-Income Trap
Early in November, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) paid homage to Chile’s economic resilience and progress.
- Business in Times of Corona
Energy Sector Grapples with Hydra-Headed Problems of Global Supply and Demand
At the recent COP-26 climate summit in Glasgow, government officials and leaders of international organisations put
Inflation, Used Cars, Silicon Chips and Supply-Demand: Links in a Worrying Chain
Chips — no, not the potato or chocolate kind, the electronic ones – are a driving
World Bank: Sustained Global Solidarity Needed to Achieve Global COVID-19 Recovery
The pandemic has affected virtually everyone in the world, but its impacts have been hardest on
- World Economic Forum
Davos: Seizing the Moment – Or Not
The man himself was unable to attend the proceedings in Davos – he has other commitments,
WEF: Back to the Basics?
Concerned over widening geopolitical fissures, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has embarked on a quest to
Davos: Till We Meet Again – Bankers Packing Up
Dutch Finance Minister and President of the Eurogroup Jeroen Dijsselbloem is worried that the increased insularity
- Special Features
Interview with Alexis Lecanuet, Accenture Middle East: Creating Value Through Continuous Transformation
How has your professional journey qualified and prepared you for being the Middle East Region MD
António Guterres: SDG Champion
“The global coronavirus pandemic, which has already caused unimaginable devastation and hardship, has brought our way
Q&A with IBM’s Bashar Kilani: Need for New Skills Emerging as We Re-Imagine and Transition to the New Normal
Bashar Kilani oversees IBM business in the Gulf countries and the Levant, working with clients and
- Hidden Gems
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- AwardsExcellence
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- Awards
UAE is Recognised by CFI.co as Best FDI Destination in the Middle EastFollowing presentation of the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) Awards for FDI-agencies at a Gala Dinner at
British Airways: Best Premium Travel Experience GlobalUnveiling a major investment drive to upgrade its long-haul business and premium economy class services, British
UBS: Best Green Bank SwitzerlandAn increasing number of businesses, including banks, are adapting their corporate structures and processes to incorporate
- Africa
Schlumberger Nigeria: Best Sustainability AwardIn over forty countries, oilfield services company Schlumberger is actively engaged in promoting science, technology, engineering,
The CFI.co Award for Best HSE Standards, West Africa, goes to Mobil Oil Nigeria PlcMobil Oil Nigeria Plc traces its proud history back to 1907. This top petroleum products marketing
Old Mutual: Best Community Engagement Programme, South AfricaResponsibility is at the heart of Old Mutual’s success over the past 165 years and the
- Asia Pacific
Best Commercial Bank, China: CFI.co names China MerchantsChina Merchants Bank, headquartered in Shenzen and boasting 500 branches, is the CFI.co 2014 winner of
Colombo Stock Exchange: Most Sustainable Growth Exchange AsiaWith investor confidence solid and a booming economy, the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) is in a
A Touch of Class: Century Properties Group Wins Real Estate Award in the PhilippinesWith a passion for quality in both service and product plus an uncannily keen sense for
- Europe
Julius Bär Group: Best Private Bank SwitzerlandManaging the assets of private clients across the globe, Julius Bär Group maintains offices in over
UBS: Best Green Bank SwitzerlandPicture a world in which large power plants spewing noxious fumes into the atmosphere have been
Nordea Asset Management: ESG Award Winner in EuropeAccording to the CFI.co Judging Panel, ‘Nordea well understands the benefits that accrue to investors when
- Latin America
BCI: Our Fund Manager Winner in ChileThe CFI.co Judging Panel rates BCI Investment Management very highly and has announced that the award
Bolsa de Valores de Colombia: Best Stock Exchange, Latin AmericaThe Bolsa de Valores de Colombia (BVC) – a private organisation – was established in 2001
The Odebrecht Foundation Wins CFI Award for Community Engagement, BrazilThe Odebrecht Organisation is a very successful and highly diversified Brazilian group which is active in
- North America
Mercury Capital Advisors Group Best Fund Raising Team Global
Mercury Capital Advisors Group have perfected flat management within the company, creating a team where everyone takes
Banco Interacciones: Our Winner in Mexico for a Second Year
The CFI Judging Panel would like to congratulate Banco Interacciones on repeating its triumph of last
BNY Mellon: Winner of the CFI.co Wealth Manager Award, US
The CFI.co Judging Panel has named BNY Mellon as winner of the prestigious award, ’Best Wealth
- Middle East
Saudi Hollandi: Best SME Bank, KSA, for a Second YearThe CFI.co Judging Panel is always delighted when winners repeat their success in subsequent years. It
Bentley Powers Ahead in Customer Satisfaction: CFI.co Award Winner, Middle EastThere has been powerful performance at Bentley Motors, Middle East this past year. Dubai is the
UBP Wins the CFI.co Private Banking Award, UAENow that many of the global universal banks are returning to their core business and divesting
- Awards
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- InitiativesCorporate & Events
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- Events
WEF 2022: The World Is No Longer Flat
This week, a colourful cabal of cognoscenti gathered in Davos to offer diverse takes on the
Making Expo 2020 Deeply Personal: How Accenture Helped Put the Visitor at the Heart of the World’s Greatest Show
When we first started working with Expo and Etisalat Digital over six years ago, they had
Governance Champion Al Fozan Leads Private Sector’s Contributions to Saudi Vision 2030 — and a Sustainable Future
A strong governance system has been the pillar of Al Fozan Holding’s consistent growth over the
- Projects
Interview with Firas Sleiman – Partner and Technology, Digital & Cyber Leader at PwC in Qatar: Digital Leadership
About Qatar and Digital What technology or digital trends should the Qatari leader watch out for
Rescue by Helicopter Reserves
The world woke up on Monday 23 with higher international reserves for all countries. A new
Asian Development Bank: Towards a Blue Deal to Restore the World’s Oceans
Investments in recovering and maintaining a functioning marine ecosystem can form the foundation of a sustainable
- Start-Ups
Kickstart Seed Fund: From Recession to Co-operation
Kickstart Seed Fund was founded in 2008. Yes, 2008 — and despite the recession, the company
Gavin Christensen: Shared Values at Kickstart Management
Seed-stage venture capital firm Kickstart, founded by Gavin Christensen, started life in the 2008 recession —
Recipe for Success: Blend Inspiring Partners with Hard-Working Teams and Have a Proven ‘Killer’ Product
FasterCapital is an online incubator/accelerator diverse and inclusive global company whose expert team works with partners
- Corporate
Mutual Benefits: Scottish Friendly Puts Its Money Where Its Heart Is
Looking after members, not shareholders, makes for a healthy workplace. Scottish Friendly’s is one of the
How Bernard Arnault Turned One Franc Into a Dynasty
French billionaire Bernard Arnault’s off-beat approach to business would be hard to replicate By KITTY WENHAM
Jensen Huang: Vision of an AI future
Nvidia CEO and founder Jensen Huang sees the world differently — and believes we soon will, too.
- Events
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