CFI.co Spring 2019 – Chairman and Columnist: Tor Svensson
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- FinanceEconomics & Development
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- Banking & Finance
Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser
Jane Fraser, the CEO of Citigroup, is no stranger to glass ceiling and glass cliffs. Fraser,
New York — the preeminent financial district
“It was never built for the comfort and happiness of its citizens, but to astonish the
Singapore — the leading financial centre in the Asia-Pacific region
Hear the Merlion roar. Singapore is the case study for a DIY global financial centre. It
- 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
The Long-term Growth of Sustainable Investing
In April 2013, the concrete roof of a dilapidated factory in a densely populated district of
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
- 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
Oracle CEO Safra Catz
Tech bros beware, there’s a new queen of the cloud. Safra Catz, the head of operations
I, Robot (Ninja): A Pioneer of the Autonomous Space
Robots are here to stay, making life easier in many sectors — and Fetch Robotics founder
Gender Holds Secrets for Effective Treatments
Dr Antonella Santuccione Chadha, co-founder and pro-bono CEO of the Women’s Brain Project, wins the prestigious
- 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
OECD: What Will It Take to Achieve UN’s Sustainable Development Goals?
Achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires financial and non-financial investment to discover sustainable development
OECD: Only Scale and Development Impact Will Help Us Reach the SDG Mountain Summit
The development community is used to responding to crises but current events, not least COVID-19, have
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
- Columnists
Otaviano Canuto: Going Around the Bend? Assessing the Phillips Curve May Be of Help
Unemployment and wage rates are theoretically linked, and may hold a key to our immediate economic
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
- Lifestyle
Is a Life of Luxury a Worthy Pursuit in the Modern Day?
Coco Chanel once said, “Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.” She also noted:
Film Review – Blonde: Is Marilyn Biopic a Bombshell … or a Bust?
“Monroe is more than a sex symbol in new film”, one headlined review of Blonde declares.
Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul: No Caprice, Simply Sadness…
Song, civil disobedience, heartache, sympathy for the oppressed: Aretha Franklin singer gave her all for her
- 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 Earns More Than Elon Musk, Would You Believe?
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
Think Big and Buckle-Up for a Fast-Paced, Pithy Memoir
Book Review: Kick Up Some Dust by Bernie Marcus The life and times of entrepreneur Bernie
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
- 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
Mortgages Agreed Within Seconds? This Banker Vaults Digital Frontiers
KBC Bank chief executive Johan Thijs has no truck with bureaucracy or time-wasting — but stays
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
- 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
World Bank MD and CFO Anshula Kant: Financing Where It Matters Most
Financing Where It Matters Most — People, The Planet, and the Role of Investors Amid overlapping
Paul Horrocks, OECD: Risk, Return, Impact – SDG Aims Need a Shift of Focus
Russia’s war on Ukraine and interruption of global food supplies has put greater pressure on the
OECD: Only Scale and Development Impact Will Help Us Reach the SDG Mountain Summit
The development community is used to responding to crises but current events, not least COVID-19, have
- 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
UNCDF: COP27 Pledges Biodiversity Finance to Boost Climate-Change Resilience
Forests, coral reefs and populations most at-risk come into focus at 2022 summit in Egypt. “From
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
- Projects
Sri Lanka: Recovery, Redemption & Re-Birth
Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sri Lanka’s most resilient and experienced politician, was gifted his country’s presidency by his
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
- 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
Alexandre Mars serial entrepreneur and philanthropist
French businessman and philanthropist Alexandre Mars established the charity Epic Foundation in 2014 with the goal
Chieh Huang, cofounder and CEO of Boxed
Boxed CEO Chieh Huang defines retail as “the business of making genuine, lasting connections with customers
Ginni Rometty, former IBM boss
A well-known American entrepreneur named Virginia “Ginni” Rometty led IBM as CEO from January 2012 until
- Events
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