FinanceEconomics & Development
- - Banking & Finance
    
    IFC’s Blended Finance Department: Blending Public and Private Finance to Invest in Challenging Markets
    
    What can be done to encourage more private investment in developing countries, especially the poorest and
    
    John Häfelfinger, CEO of Basellandschaftliche Kantonalbank (BLKB): Finding Strength and Promise by Planning for the Long Term
    
    John Häfelfinger, CEO of Basellandschaftliche Kantonalbank (BLKB), talks to CFI.co about the opportunities afforded by sustainable
    
    Asian Development Bank: What Emerging Markets Can Teach Us About CSR
    
    Fifty years after Milton Friedman’s famous essay arguing that companies should focus solely on shareholder profits,
  - Markets
    
    Otaviano Canuto: Are We on the Verge of a New Commodity Super-Cycle?
    
    Commodity prices have recovered their 2020 losses and, in most cases, are now above pre-pandemic levels
    
    Otaviano Canuto: Dependency and Disconnect of U.S. Financial Markets
    
    U.S. stock and corporate bond markets performed extraordinarily well from the March financial shock caused by
    
    Evan Harvey, Nasdaq: Medium Is the Message – ESG Delivery and Market Distrust
    
    Despite cultural assumptions surrounding content and interpretation, we tend to believe that the way we communicate
  - SMEs
    
    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
    
    Financial Centres Promote Economic Development: AIFC Goes for Growth by Backing SMEs Globally
    
    International Financial Centres (IFCs) are a necessary component of national and global economic growth. And increasingly,
    
    UNCTAD: Africa Rising
    
    Africa needs investment to advance sustainable development and see the continent prosper. James Zhan, Astrit Sulstarova
  - Economics & Convergence
    
    Otaviano Canuto: Are We on the Verge of a New Commodity Super-Cycle?
    
    Commodity prices have recovered their 2020 losses and, in most cases, are now above pre-pandemic levels
    
    Brexit: Fishing in Troubled Waters
    
    It’s perhaps a case of having your fish and eating it too. The number of analogies
    
    Otaviano Canuto, Center for Macroeconomics and Development: China’s Rebalancing Act is Slowly Addressing Sliding Growth Figures
    
    China’s economic growth has been sliding since 2011, while its economic structure has gradually rebalanced toward
SustainabilityBusiness Environment
- - CSR
    
    Evan Harvey, Nasdaq – SPACs and ESG: Convergence or Collision?
    
    The capital markets love nothing more than a new idea, especially one that promises to reward
    
    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
    
    Evan Harvey, Nasdaq: The Board Perspective on ESG
    
    Sustainability is a moving target. Though we might want uniformity, unanimity, and harmonisation — of standards,
  - Energy
    
    Sherzod Khodjhaev, Deputy Minister for Energy, Republic of Uzbekistan: Uzbekistan Gets to Grips with Challenges of Responsible Electric Power Generation
    
    There is something magical about electricity: it has always been present, but its power was only
    
    Alisher Sultanov, Energy Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan: There Must Be Conservation and Cooling in Uzbekistan
    
    Driving from the airport to Uzbekistan’s ancient city of Bukhara, visitors can see a series of
    
    UAE Backs China’s One Belt One Road Initiative at Annual Investment Meeting
    
    His Excellency Abdulla Al Saleh, Undersecretary for Foreign Trade Ministry of Economy UAE stated,“ Trade activities
  - Innovation & Technology
    
    Banking CEOs Tell IBM What is Essential In A Post-Pandemic Reality
    
    “Uncertainty is the new normal” as reminded by Kristalina Georgieva, chairperson of the IMF, during her
    
    Jamie Smith: Champion of Tech that Keeps Crypto Functioning was Once in the Doubters’ Camp Herself
    
    Jamie Smith has great enthusiasm for blockchain, the secure distributed database technology that underlies cryptocurrency major
    
    Inclusive Markets Are Not Born: How UNCDF is Supporting Inclusive Digital Economies
    
    Inclusive Markets Are Not Born: How UNCDF is Supporting Inclusive Digital Economies by Advancing the Right
  - Governance & Legal
    
    OECD: Business as Usual? Forget About That, and Prepare for Novel and Impactful Variations on a Theme
    
    As we turn our attention towards the imperative of “building forward greener” post-pandemic, there can be
    
    PwC Africa: Africa’s Finance Leaders Take Steps to Ensure the Safety of Workers
    
    As lockdown regulations are eased all over the world, business leaders are recognising that they have
    
    How Will the Pandemic Impact Pay Equity Within the Finance Industry?
    
    The financial services industry is at a turning point. Though there is evidence to suggest that
PerspectivesEssays & Columns
- - Multilaterals
    
    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
    
    World Bank’s Vice President for Infrastructure: Now is the Time to Rethink Transport and Logistics
    
    Covid-19 has had a huge impact on transport. The response to the pandemic, from social distancing
  - Columnists
    
    Lord Waverley: Quest for Balance and Unity Hampered by Blurred Lines and Differing Standards
    
    There is an increasing recognition of the need to reassess the intersection of global co-operation and
    
    Lord Waverley on WTO: Inclusive and Sustainable Trade Reforms are Vital for Shared Benefits
    
    The previous US administration, the politicisation of trade and a looming economic crisis due to the
    
    Lord Waverley: A New Chapter for the UK and a Meeting Place for the World
    
    With the EU agreement now in place, the United Kingdom has the chance to develop a
  - Lifestyle
    
    How the Super-rich Will Be Spending Their Money as Wealth Trends Fluctuate
    
    As part of its upcoming 2020 Global Wealth Migration Review, New World Wealth examines the potential
    
    Stacey Ferreira: The Billion Dollar Pitch
    
    Few people make their first million before they turn twenty, and fewer still can say they
    
    Maserati on Value Creation: Trident Badge and a Heady Rumble Mean Business, On the Road and In the Showroom
    
    How many syllables would you like with your supercar? One? Porsche will do nicely. Two? Bentley,
PeopleHeroes & Leaders
- - Heroes
    
    Balsam Al-Ayoub: Cut and Thrust for Multi-talented Philanthropist
    
    Balsam Al-Ayoub has been fighting for Kuwait — and gender equality — since she was a
    
    Anna Radulovski: ‘Mompreneur’ Shares Struggles and Wins: is This the Next Unicorn in the Making…?
    
    Anna Radulovski doesn’t just want to make money — she wants to make impacts. Born and
    
    Dr Chitwan Malhotra: Healthcare Hands Meet Across the Waters in Push for Rebuild
    
    The global pandemic has exposed the flaws and inequalities of the world’s healthcare systems. But doctor
  - Editor’s Ten
    
    Cristina Junqueira, Nubank Co-Founder: Brazil’s Wonder Woman of Fintech
    
    When the first Nubank card transaction was made in Brazil on April 1, 2014, you wouldn’t
    
    Hadiyah Mujhid, CEO and founder of HBCU.vc: George Floyd’s Death Brought in Flood of VC Offers for Black Founders in US
    
    Hadiyah Mujhid is CEO and founder of HBCU.vc, a not-for-profit organisation that helps African American and
    
    Ambareen Musa, Founder & CEO of Souqalmal: From Mauritius with Love for Fintech, and lots of Ambition
    
    Ambareen Musa, founder and CEO of financial aggregator marketplace Souqalmal, sees a glowing future for fintech
  - 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
    
    PwC Nigeria: Nigeria’s Finance Act Gets a Facelift to Attract Business and Investment
    
    Earlier this year, Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari signed the Finance Bill 2019 into law as the
    
    Natarajan Chandrasekaran: Ensuring Tata Group’s Future
    
    India’s largest business by revenue, Tata Group comprises no less than 289 businesses that together have
    
    Marc Langenbrinck, Mercedes-Benz Schweiz CEO: Finding and Keeping the Exact Right Competitive Angle
    
    Mercedes-Benz is enjoying a great run. Its cars have set new sales records in Switzerland, Spain,
  - Obituaries
    
    Obituary: Stephen Hawking (1942-2018)
    
    The word battle used in connection with any ailment is an odd euphemism, but particularly so
    
    Fidel Castro: An Antagonist Remembered
    
    The last Marxist-Leninist to hold a place on the world stage has left, signalling the end
    
    Zaha Hadid (1950-2016): “I Don’t Design Nice Buildings”
    
    Zaha Hadid orphaned this world on March 31 and left it waiting for great works that
LiteratureBook Reviews
- - Reviews
    
    Book Review: Numerology, Mystery, Romance… and the Development of an App
    
    7 Unicorn Drive: From Start-up To A Billion Dollar Sale In 7 Years by Dani Polajnar
    
    Book Review: The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger – Iger’s Wild Ride to the Top of ‘the Happiest Place on Earth’
    
    Back in 2005, Robert Iger’s 31-year journey at Disney and ABC looked like it could come
    
    Customer Commandments and Importance of the ‘R’ in CSR: Ignore this at your Peril
    
    The Ethical Business Book by Sarah Duncan Reviewed by John Foot Sarah Duncan is to be
  - Must-Reads
    
    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
    
    Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values
    
    “The real purpose of the scientific method is to make sure nature hasn’t misled you into
  - The Editor’s List
    
    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
    
    The Grapes of Wrath
    
    “Man, unlike any other thing organic or inorganic in the universe, grows beyond his work, walks
In-DepthExtended Coverage
- - Hidden Gems
    
    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.
    
    President Armen Sarkissian: Quantum Politics Defined, Explained, and Considered
    
    Armenia is ready for its time in the spotlight. The landlocked country experienced a watershed moment
  - Business in Times of Corona
    
    Poland Closes the Gap and Calms Covid Jitters with a Bold Programme of Reform
    
    The pandemic has brought an end to its 30 years of GDP growth for Poland —
    
    Bonds: Name of the Game for Cool (and Resilient) Operators
    
    US corporate bonds certainly lack the thrill of that other famous Bond, James. But when it
    
    A COVID-19 Silver Lining: Precision Medicine for Brain & Mental Health
    
    Did you know that nearly 17% of the Swiss population suffer from one or more mental
  - 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
    
    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
    
    Smart City Prince: A Prince with a Mission, a Vision
    
    For anyone familiar with the dashing Crown Prince of Dubai, it would have come as no
AwardsExcellence
- - Awards
    
    UAE is Recognised by CFI.co as Best FDI Destination in the Middle East
    
    Following presentation of the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) Awards for FDI-agencies at a Gala Dinner at
    
    British Airways: Best Premium Travel Experience Global
    
    Unveiling a major investment drive to upgrade its long-haul business and premium economy class services, British
    
    UBS: Best Green Bank Switzerland
    
    An increasing number of businesses, including banks, are adapting their corporate structures and processes to incorporate
  - Africa
    
    Schlumberger Nigeria: Best Sustainability Award
    
    In 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 Plc
    
    Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc traces its proud history back to 1907. This top petroleum products marketing
    
    Old Mutual: Best Community Engagement Programme, South Africa
    
    Responsibility 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 Merchants
    
    China Merchants Bank, headquartered in Shenzen and boasting 500 branches, is the CFI.co 2014 winner of
    
    Colombo Stock Exchange: Most Sustainable Growth Exchange Asia
    
    With 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 Philippines
    
    With a passion for quality in both service and product plus an uncannily keen sense for
  - Europe
    
    Julius Bär Group: Best Private Bank Switzerland
    
    Managing the assets of private clients across the globe, Julius Bär Group maintains offices in over
    
    UBS: Best Green Bank Switzerland
    
    Picture a world in which large power plants spewing noxious fumes into the atmosphere have been
    
    Nordea Asset Management: ESG Award Winner in Europe
    
    According to the CFI.co Judging Panel, ‘Nordea well understands the benefits that accrue to investors when
  - Latin America
    
    BCI: Our Fund Manager Winner in Chile
    
    The 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 America
    
    The Bolsa de Valores de Colombia (BVC) – a private organisation – was established in 2001
    
    The Odebrecht Foundation Wins CFI Award for Community Engagement, Brazil
    
    The 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 Year
    
    The 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 East
    
    There has been powerful performance at Bentley Motors, Middle East this past year. Dubai is the
    
    UBP Wins the CFI.co Private Banking Award, UAE
    
    Now that many of the global universal banks are returning to their core business and divesting
InitiativesCorporate & Events
- - Events
    
    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
    
    UAE’s International Human Fraternity Virtual Summit Successfully Concluded
    
    The United Arab Emirates has successfully concluded the International Human Fraternity Virtual Summit (IHFS), an initiative
    
    Sparkling Dubai: Tourism and Business Hub — and the Perfect Events Venue
    
    CFI.co’s Chairman Tor Svensson puts questions to Dawood Al Shezawi, AIM organiser and CEO of Strategic,
  - Projects
    
    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
    
    Q&A with Chairman of Eriell Group and Enter Engineering: Bakhtiyor Fazilov
    
    Please, tell us a little about yourself. How did you reach your current position? As you
    
    World Bank Group Unveils New Initiatives in Investment Policy and Promotion
    
    For many developing countries, foreign direct investment (FDI) has become the largest source of external finance,
  - Start-Ups
    
    Ambareen Musa, Founder & CEO of Souqalmal: From Mauritius with Love for Fintech, and lots of Ambition
    
    Ambareen Musa, founder and CEO of financial aggregator marketplace Souqalmal, sees a glowing future for fintech
    
    Ann Low, US Department of State: Go Green by 2019 – Make Business Registration Easy Everywhere by 2019
    
    The “Go Green by 2019” campaign is designed to promote transparent and user-friendly business registration processes
    
    Stacey Ferreira: The Billion Dollar Pitch
    
    Few people make their first million before they turn twenty, and fewer still can say they
  - Corporate
    
    20 Years of Safe Trading. TGE: Trading – Guaranteeing – Educating
    
    Creating an exchange-traded energy market in Poland was not a trivial task but Towarowa Giełda Energii
    
    Whitecroft Capital: Banks, Buffers, and One Strategy’s Vital Role in Bolstering Battered Economies
    
    Bank risk sharing – what is it? When asked to write a few words about Whitecroft
    
    The Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP): At the Heart of the Arab Oil-Producing World
    
    The Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP) is a multilateral development financial institution whose shareholders are the

Winter 2018-2019

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