Risk & Insurance

Newsmakers | Switzerland
Swiss giant Credit Suisse stepped out of the industry’s traditional talent pool in March when it hired Tidjane Thiam as chief executive.

with Jan Rasmussen, Nordea Markets

Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds are notoriously secretive in terms of their investments and strategy. So what will they do in response to the oil price drop? 

Banking | United Kingdom
In its 2014 annual report published in February, RBS announced that CIB, which includes global transaction services, will reduce its geographical footprint from 38 to 13 countries.

Country Report | Taiwan
The nation’s banks have benefited from a strengthening economy, but now they must look overseas for growth. And there lies more risk.

Introduction
With a broad-ranging project such as Global Finance’s annual Middle East supplement, success means providing clear insights and stripping away layers of confusion and misunderstanding.

Country Report | India
Indian growth and development hold great promise. And policymakers look set to unlock that potential.

Capital Markets | Foreign Exchange
The strong dollar has beaten down emerging markets currencies ahead of prospective Federal Reserve rate increases, but the fallout for developing economies will vary widely.

Milestones | India
The Reserve Bank of India’s recent bid to offer licenses for setting up small finance and payment banks has elicited an overwhelming response, with at least 113 companies entering the fray.

Management | Foreign Direct Investment
FDI volumes are declining globally, as some national governments take a stronger stance against foreign ownership of their companies and land.
 

Newsmakers | Greece
Following political party Syriza’s triumph in the recent Greek elections, Finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, faces the most critical match of his career.

The 2015 World’s Best Global Insurers were selected on the basis of responses from more than 1,500 readers of Global Finance from around the world, as well as the expertise of the magazine’s editors and reporters.

India’s right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party government, led by prime minister Narendra Modi, seems set to give a new lease on life to insurance sector reforms.

Eddie Listorti, co-global head of fixed income, currencies and commodities at ANZ Group in Singapore, sees intra-Asian currency flows as a lucrative opportunity.

Global Salon
Global Finance sat down with Jochen Dümler, president and chief executive officer of insurer Euler Hermes North America, to look at the global market for trade credit insurance.

Mikhail Palei, head of foreign exchange flow at VTB Capital in Moscow, expects international banks to lose their appetite for risk in the Russian ruble—which he sees as an opportunity for Russia’s FX desks.

Antti Ranta, head of FX at Nordea in Helsinki, sees demand growing for emerging markets currencies in Nordic countries—and for advice on how to trade them.

Philip Nel, head of FX trading for Africa at Standard Bank in Johannesburg, anticipates a proliferation of new foreign exchange products in countries across the continent.

European Banking | Trends
The degree to which the recent stress tests of big European banks by EU regulators lack credibility is becoming clear.
 

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