The City of London is fighting to restore its tarnished
reputation – and it’s chosen a banker to lead the way.
Lord Mayor Roger Gifford talks to businesslife.co’s
‘Man in the City’, Tony McMahon, about the
Channel Islands, building bridges and financial ethics.
Roger Gifford, the
Lord Mayor of Lond...
[read more]
By Tony McMahon on
21 March 2013
Since businesslife.co launched four years
ago, the biggest challenge faced by Jersey
and Guernsey’s finance industries has been
legislative change from the UK, US and
Europe. Here Liz Salecka summarises
the more significant issues we’ve featured.
MiFID marches on
There have been ongoing concerns i...
[read more]
By Liz Salecka on
21 March 2013
When it comes to the finance industry in the Channel Islands, here at
businesslife.co we’ve seen a lot of water pass under the bridge in the last
four years. Orlando Crowcroft highlights some key points.
It’s been a long hard road for the
finance industry in the Channel
Islands since businesslife.j...
[read more]
By Orlando Crowcroft, businesslife.co on
15 March 2013
The possibility that the Channel Islands might have to give
details of UK taxpayers with accounts in the islands to
HMRC caused borderline hysteria at the end of last year,
but everything seems to have gone quiet since then.
Orlando Crowcroft looks at how things stand.
It was no surprise that a flu...
[read more]
By Orlando Crowcroft, businesslife.co on
15 March 2013
It’s been said time and again that Jersey and Guernsey need
to diversify away from finance, so here Dave Waller rounds
up the industries we’ve explored as potential alternatives.
Energy
Back in October/November 2010, when we shone
the light on renewable energy, the argument for selfsufficiency
was...
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
14 March 2013
As businesses of all sizes become
increasingly reliant on technology, could
smaller firms not only be at risk of cyber
crime, but also have insufficient insurance
cover? Orlando Crowcroft investigates.
When Jersey law firm Hanson Renouf was
targeted last December by hackers who plastered
their webs...
[read more]
By Orlando Crowcroft, businesslife.co on
8 March 2013
Could the way in which energy is supplied to the Channel
Islands have an impact on their ability to develop digital
industries? Kirsten Morel looks at the lie of the land.
Although renowned as successful offshore
centres, the financial crisis and subsequent recession
has forced the Channel Islands ...
[read more]
By Kirsten Morel on
7 March 2013
While homosexuality may be more
acceptable now in everyday life than in
years gone by, unfortunately the same can’t
be said for the higher echelons of business.
Dave Waller investigates what needs to be
done to increase the acceptance of lesbians
and gay men in senior positions.
Is sexuality the la...
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
6 March 2013
As it prepares to pass laws to set up
an aircraft registry, has Guernsey
left Jersey trailing in its wake?
Orlando Crowcroft investigates.
It’s no secret that the core business of the
Channel Islands has been under pressure in recent
years, and a host of alternatives to finance have been
put forwar...
[read more]
By Orlando Crowcroft, businesslife.co on
19 February 2013
As the UK’s General Anti-Abuse Rule reaches
a key stage in development, there are still
concerns that it’s fundamentally flawed,
as Orlando Crowcroft discovers.
It’s seems fitting, for politicians at least, that
the very public outing of aggressive tax avoidance
schemes and their celebrity subscrib...
[read more]
By Orlando Crowcroft, businesslife.co on
18 February 2013
Entrepreneur Hilary Devey
kicked the hornets’ nest
recently when she implied
women may well be to blame
for their own lack of success
in the boardroom. But as
Emma De Vita discovers,
not everyone agrees.
With her trademark
Dynasty-style shoulder pads,
Hilary Devey, (pictured
below) Founder and Chie...
[read more]
By Emma De Vita on
17 February 2013
Once a dubious Caribbean
jurisdiction, now a respected
offshore financial centre, the
British Virgin Islands have
developed an enviable global
reach, says Dave Waller.
In 1493, Christopher Columbus spotted a group
of islands that are said to have reminded him of
the story of Ursula, a Christian sai...
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
16 February 2013
Ever wonder why investors
make seemingly irrational
decisions, or what lies behind
the psychology of ‘loss aversion’,
‘anchoring’ or ‘herd instinct’?
Follow David Burrows as he
steps into the weird world
of behavioural finance.
How we mere mortals behave in regard
to investing often defies all logi...
[read more]
By David Burrows on
14 February 2013
For many former military personnel,
entering the corporate world can be
a natural next step. But the transition
from the services to civilian life can
be tricky, as Dave Waller discovers.
From 1994, the British Army began attracting
budding recruits with a chance to ‘Be The
Best’. It was a potent s...
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
13 February 2013
With employee ill health affecting company productivity and the
bottom line, it’s no wonder employers are working to improve the wellbeing
of their staff, as Nick Kirby discovers.
If you believe all the headlines you read in
the papers and see on TV, we are a nation of
obese, stressed-out (or depre...
[read more]
By Nick Kirby on
13 February 2013
From avant-garde black-and-white classics to
modern masterpieces, film posters offer collectors
the chance to own a distinctive piece of cinematic
history, as Rob Allen discovers.
From Clark Gable
planting a smacker on
Vivien Leigh in Gone with
the Wind, to Michael J Fox
travelling Back to the Futu...
[read more]
By Rob Allen on
6 February 2013
Channel Island employers are facing
a graduate recruitment crisis – not
from a lack of candidates, but from
a lack of quality. Kirsten Morel
examines why so few graduates
stand out from the crowd.
It will come as little surprise that the rise of
tuition fees in the UK is being seen as the main
reas...
[read more]
By Kirsten Morel on
5 February 2013
The Channel Islands have taken a bashing
at the hands of a media portraying them as
tax-avoidance havens. Dave Waller examines
the truth behind the headlines.
For years, Jimmy
Carr’s omnipresence was
merely a fixture of modern
media life. At least he
was possible to ignore if
you tried hard enough....
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
3 February 2013
Personal ‘boxes’ or open plan?
Dedicated spaces or hot desking?
Over the years, the way we use our
offices has changed radically and new
trends are emerging, finds David Harris.
In the 21st century, offices
are a completely different beast
to how they were mere decades
ago – and the reasons for thi...
[read more]
By David Harris on
3 February 2013
Are emerging markets directing business
through each other and bypassing the
West – and, if so, what are the
implications for the Channel Islands?
Orlando Crowcroft investigates.
Take an elevator
in a flashy new financial
tower in Dubai and
you are as likely to hear
Mandarin as you are the
familiar...
[read more]
By Orlando Crowcroft, businesslife.co on
1 February 2013
Could the Channel Islands benefit from a
cleantech boom? Dave Waller investigates
the work currently underway and the
opportunities nature could provide.
Fresh opportunities come
with the changing tides – and, so
it seems, with the wind, the sun,
and even the way we dispose of
our rubbish. Whether ...
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
29 October 2012
With the abolition of
LVCR affecting business
between the Channel
Islands and the UK, is
it time for e-commerce
and fulfilment industries
to focus on Europe?
Christian Doherty
looks at the possibilities.
According to the Office for National
Statistics, one pound in every 10 in the UK is
now spent ...
[read more]
By Christian Doherty on
18 October 2012
businesslife.co’s forum for the funds
industry came to Guernsey for the
first time in July, with top quality
speakers attracting an enthusiastic
audience. Jennifer Bollen was
there to capture the mood.
The Eurozone,
engagement with
policymakers and the need
for greater efforts to adapt
to a post-c...
[read more]
By Jennifer Bollen on
17 October 2012
Dublin’s finance
industry may be
booming, but it is doing
so in an environment
of austerity and
economic turbulence.
Dave Waller takes
a look at the fine line
Ireland is walking.
Think of Dublin these
days and chances are
you’re not picturing a
land ripe with economic
possibility. Crippled by
the f...
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
15 October 2012
Are systemic failings in the teaching of IT in
the UK leading to a significant shortage of
skilled people? And could this hamper
future industry growth? Kirsten Morel
takes a look at what needs to be done.
A charge often levelled
at Jersey and Guernsey
when it comes to
developing strong digital
ind...
[read more]
By Kirsten Morel on
12 October 2012
The UK government
recently introduced
measures to charge
increased stamp duty
land tax on UK
residential property
held in corporate
vehicles, along with
further taxation
proposals. Santhie
Goundar examines
the effect on the
Channel Islands.
In the March Budget, UK
Chancellor George Osborne
announc...
[read more]
By Santhie Goundar on
4 October 2012
From Leonardo da Vinci and
William Shakespeare to James
Joyce and JK Rowling, rare books
and first editions make
interesting reading for aficionados
and investors, as Sharon
Gethings discovers.
For those people who choose to
invest outside the standard asset classes
of equities, bonds, property and...
[read more]
By Sharon Gethings on
27 September 2012
Will a new body for Jersey’s
digital industry finally bring
much needed diversification
away from the finance
industry? Kirsten Morel
canvasses opinion from those
in the know.
Cynics may argue that
calls for Jersey to diversify
its economy are becoming
something of a broken record
– indeed, the su...
[read more]
By Kirsten Morel on
26 September 2012
Arguments among family members can tear apart
a family business, so the role of advisers in putting
together the right structures and planning ahead can
be crucial, as Christian Doherty discovers.
Running a business
in this day and age can
be a pretty monumental
challenge – and the
last thing anyon...
[read more]
By Christian Doherty on
18 September 2012
A raft of fundamental changes to Europe’s private equity
market means the Channel Islands are busy keeping
pace, and the industry is unsure which direction
it will head in next, as Jennifer Bollen explains.
Today’s private equity
landscape pales in comparison with
the boom years, when abundant
chea...
[read more]
By Jennifer Bollen on
18 September 2012
If you have a passion for horses, why not invest
in a bloodstock fund or become part of
a syndicate? Though, as Nick Kirby discovers,
there’s no such thing as a safe bet.
Have you ever fancied taking in the rare!ed air of the Owners’
Area at Royal Ascot, rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous?...
[read more]
By Nick Kirby on
29 June 2012
If you want to be successful in
business on a global scale, it’s
vital you understand how certain
countries’ social and cultural
mores differ from your own, as
Christian Doherty discovers.
There is a cliché that has permeated the
popular consciousness, that the modern
world is somehow smaller now. ...
[read more]
By Christian Doherty on
27 June 2012
Want to get your business to the ‘next level’?
Thinking of getting outside help but not sure
whether it’s worth it? Dave Waller takes
a look at the world of business coaching.
They call it ‘the edge’ – and we’re
not talking about the guitarist from the
most tedious band on the planet (U2,
for anyon...
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
26 June 2012
With the implementation of FATCA fast
approaching, the challenges for fund
administration companies are proving
significant. Liz Salecka talks to some
companies on the front line about the
impact the legislation is already having.
Having guided their clients through the
registration process for the...
[read more]
By Liz Salecka on
1 June 2012
Have you ever fancied doing the wild
thing by trying to make money from
the worlds of rock and pop? Kirsten
Morel plunges into the nostalgic,
heady world of music memorabilia.
As interest rates
stagnate and stock markets
flip-flop erratically, active
investors get frustrated at
the lack of any con...
[read more]
By Kirsten Morel on
29 March 2012
Being a CEO might bring certain financial rewards,
but it can also be fraught with problems.
So just what qualities do you need
to do the job? Dave Waller
gets the view from the
Channel Islands.
When Portugal’s
António Horta-
Osório became CEO
of Lloyds Banking
Group in March last
year, he was see...
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
28 March 2012
In a congested
marketplace, a strong
brand presence can be
the difference between
success and failure.
Christian Doherty
get to grips with
how branding
actually works.
Defining what a brand
does and why it matters is
one of the more pressing
questions for modern
companies. But ask anyone
in the ind...
[read more]
By Christian Doherty on
27 March 2012
More men than ever are going under
the knife – and it’s not just simple
vanity. Thom O’Dwyer pokes his
perfectly formed nose into the world
of male cosmetic surgery.
I blame David Beckham. The
world-famous and rather aesthetically
pleasing footballer has made it
perfectly acceptable for men to look...
[read more]
26 March 2012
While we are seeing a distinct
lack of basic financial education
in schools, business initiatives seem
to be moving ahead in great strides,
but is this a dangerous disparity?
Are we becoming a
nation of financial illiterates?
Given the disturbing level
of consumer debt in the UK
and general ignoran...
[read more]
By David Burrows on
23 March 2012
The global IPO market
may be in the doldrums,
but the Channel Islands
are ideally placed to
profit when confidence
returns, as Christian
Doherty explains.
There are many ways for
private businesses to raise
capital. They can ask the
bank; they can try to attract
an investor; or they can look
to the...
[read more]
By Christian Doherty on
19 March 2012
If it wasn't bad enough that Channel Island regulators, financial businesses and funds are being flooded with a wave of new regulation from across the Atlantic, they are seeing their work cut out for them by regulators in Europe too.
While controversy continues to surround the European Commission’s...
[read more]
By Liz Salecka on
1 January 2012
A new code of corporate governance in Guernsey aims to provide clear guidelines for the finance sector. Marcel Cariou from Mourant Ozannes examines the fine print.
On 30 SEPTEMBER 2011, the Guernsey Financial Services Commission (GFSC) issued the Guernsey Finance Sector Code of Corporate Governance...
[read more]
By Marcel Cariou on
1 January 2012
Businesses that understand and exploit the quirks of human behaviour can often get ahead in the race for customers. Christian Doherty looks at how marketers get inside our heads
OF THE MANY cultural tropes that the US TV series Mad Men has contributed to recent popular culture, one has been its gle...
[read more]
By Christian Doherty on
1 January 2012
The option of public-private partnerships has recently been debated by leading politicians and business figures in both islands
We all know that the wise man built his house upon the rock. Jersey and Guernsey may have constructed world-beating reputations, but you only have to look at the roads, ho...
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
1 January 2012
Rosemary Marr examines new recommendations from the Financial Action Task Force and their potential impact on the trust industry
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is recognised as setting the standard, through its 40 + 9 Recommendations, in protecting the world’s financial system against money...
[read more]
By Rosemary Marr on
1 January 2012
THE US DODD Frank Act, which is being introduced to improve the accountability and oversight of the US financial system, looks set to bring headaches for Channel Island funds, many of which now face the prospect of regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
In June this year, the S...
[read more]
By Liz Salecka on
1 January 2012
Since the young British Artists burst onto the scene in the late 1980s, public awareness of contemporary art has exploded, thanks in no small part to names such as Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin.
This raised profile, coupled with the opening of major new public spaces, such as Tate Modern and the Bal...
[read more]
By Howard Litchfield on
1 January 2012
At a recent Institute of Directors event in Jersey, former Senator Freddie Cohen announced that the island needed to build a £40 million technology park at the airport. The certainty of the statement caught people by surprise and turned the spotlight on what would be needed to encourage growth in th...
[read more]
By Kirsten Morel on
1 January 2012
A long-awaited Privy Council judgment on a Guernsey trust case is expected
to have a significant impact on how trust law is interpreted in the future.
Carey Olsen’s John Greenfield and Kelly Walton look at the ramifications.
Having sat for two
full days in December
2010, the long-awaited
landmark ...
[read more]
17 August 2011
Branchage Film Festival returns to Jersey with cutting-edge screenings, live shows
and special events. The islanders love it, and its international reputation is growing…
With a dozen venues spread across the island and a 300sqm
Spiegeltent in the Weighbridge, Jersey’s Branchage Film Festival is
d...
[read more]
15 August 2011
Proposed changes to UK residency laws look set to make
things clearer for everyone involved, despite some mandatory
scaremongering, as Dave Waller discovers.
They say that home is wherever
you lay your hat. But rolling stones
had best beware – if you pop your
headgear down for too long, you
should...
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
15 August 2011
Beneficiaries squabbling, family feuds, trustees in the firing line –
disputes are par for the course in the trust world. Christian Doherty
looks at the problems that arise and how they can best be resolved.
The trust is one of the most important
elements of the financial services industry
in the...
[read more]
By Christian Doherty on
8 August 2011
Recruitment can be a tricky and expensive process. In this, the first of a new series on problems facing management, Shelley Kendrick examines the importance of recruiting the right person for the job, and how to go about it.
So, how much does your
organisation spend on
recruitment? Or, put anothe...
[read more]
By Shelley Kendrick on
20 June 2011
Could a change to European insurance legislation bode well for business in the Channel Islands? Liz Salecka gets to grips with the implications of Solvency II.
The European Union’s Solvency II regime, which
aims to improve the capital adequacy and riskmanagement
practices of the insurance industry...
[read more]
By Liz Salecka on
16 June 2011
The cost of higher education off-island can prove prohibitive for potential students in Jersey and Guernsey. But could a Channel Islands university offer a solution? Christian Doherty investigates.
Ever since
Tony Blair
adopted it as
his mantra,
education has
enjoyed a place firmly at the top of
t...
[read more]
By Christian Doherty on
13 June 2011
Sharia-compliant financial products are gaining an increased
presence on the global stage, but just what are the rules that
govern them? David Burrows explains all.
The term ‘Sharia finance’
is becoming more familiar,
and this is of little surprise
since the $1 trillion Islamic
finance industry is ...
[read more]
By David Burrows on
10 June 2011
With the government reducing the VAT threshold on low-value exports, just how catastrophic could the impact be for legitimate business in the Channel Islands? Dave Waller investigates.
Tax avoidance is a beloved
hobby horse of the UK
press, but coverage tends
to centre on the idea of
high rollers ...
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
9 June 2011
Simply putting your company on Facebook or Twitter won’t guarantee social
media success: getting it right is far more complicated, as Dave Waller finds out.
With friends like these…” That’s what Nestlé
must have been thinking last year after it
demanded a Greenpeace video criticising the
company b...
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
7 June 2011
Fiona Le Poidevin from Guernsey Finance
takes a look at how the island’s finance industry
is facing current challenges, and what it must
do to move forward successfully.
What is the current
state of the finance
industry in Guernsey?
Guernsey’s finance
industry is in great shape at present. Fund...
[read more]
By Fiona Le Poidevin on
6 June 2011
The finance industry in Jersey is in a strong
position, but faces some real challenges in the months and years ahead. Heather Bestwick
from Jersey Finance scopes out the landscape.
What is the current state of the finance industry in Jersey?
The Jersey economy in general has shown resilience, a...
[read more]
By Heather Bestwick on
6 June 2011
Investor demands for improvements to the
transparency and supervision of funds, coupled
with major new regulatory initiatives, are having
a major impact on the funds industry globally,
bringing additional costs as well as potential
changes to their geographic mapping.
In the US, both the Dodd-Fran...
[read more]
By Liz Salecka on
17 May 2011
Just as laws in Europe are set to impact the funds business, the industry will
also be affected by changes taking place in the US. Liz Salecka investigates
While many Channel Island fund managers may have escaped compliance with the EU’s AIFMD, those active
in the US are unlikely to be exonerated f...
[read more]
By Liz Salecka on
16 May 2011
With the price of commodities soaring pretty much across the board, could we be approaching a crisis of global proportions? Dave Waller investigates.
What product best
defines the modern
world? A Starbucks
latte? Or how about
a Microsoft PC?
I’d suggest it’s something decidedly more
low-tech. Com...
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
1 May 2011
Are the Channel Islands in a position to embrace digital industries
as part of their economic diversification? Kirsten Morel investigates.
Rental income is Jersey’s
second largest industry
sector, providing
11 per cent of the
island’s economic
activity, according to Jersey in Figures
2009. As econo...
[read more]
By Kirsten Morel on
1 May 2011
With Swiss banking under pressure from foreign nations, and
clients taking their business elsewhere, is this the beginning
of the end for banking ‘secrecy’? Dave Waller investigates.
Secrets don’t tend to remain
secret for long these days
– just look at WikiLeaks.
People are so hungry
for transpar...
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
3 February 2011
Since their launch in 2009, Foundations have become an integral part of
Jersey’s financial services industry. Christian Doherty examines whether
they have been as successful as was hoped.
When Jersey introduced
Foundations in July
2009, there was some
uncertainty over whom
the product would
appeal...
[read more]
By Christian Doherty on
1 February 2011
The ratification of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive has
delivered a piece of legislation much better for the Channel Islands than was
originally expected, as Liz Salecka explains.
After two years of prevarication, uncertainty,
lobbying and amendments, the European
Parliament fin...
[read more]
By Liz Salecka on
1 February 2011
The relationship between the Channel Islands, the UK and Europe has always been a contentious topic. Professor Alastair Sutton examines the historical backdrop and the challenges the islands could face in the future.
The Channel Islands are
unique in British constitutional
law and history. Follow...
[read more]
By Professor Alastair Sutton on
1 February 2011
Could the Channel Islands become an intellectual property
hot spot? With Guernsey well off the mark and a new law
proposed in Jersey, Dave Waller looks at what comes next.
How’s this for a film idea? A load of
people turn up at the beach in Brighton
and do general beach things. Now
that’s hardly g...
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
1 February 2011
The imminent arrival of the UK Bribery Act has set heads spinning, not least because of how far-reaching it might be. Dave Waller looks closely at the Act to see how Channel Island firms might be affected.
When Nepal’s government faced a flood of corruption at its main airport last year,
it found a...
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
4 January 2011
Singapore has quietly but steadily grown to become one of the world’s most outstanding financial centres. Dave Waller investigates the secret of its success.
Singapore’s government
knows how to get what it
wants. Take its notorious
ban on chewing gum sales,
and its hefty punishments
for littering....
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
3 January 2011
New rules will affect how we pay for financial advice, but they will also have an impact on advisers and providers, as Madeline Thomas discovers.
Investment advice across the
UK and the Channel Islands is
changing. Financial advisers will
have to take account of a new set
of rules that will affect ...
[read more]
By Madeline Thomas on
3 January 2011
Regulatory initiatives, such as the
Basel III framework, are expected to
force banks to rein in their lending,
with SMEs – already impacted by
banks’ stronger focus on large
corporate clients – likely to be among the worst hit.
According to a recent report by ratings agency Standard
& Poor’s, th...
[read more]
By Liz Salecka on
3 January 2011
With the world’s largest tech companies declaring that the
‘cloud’ is the future, is the relationship between business and
technology about to change forever? Dave Waller investigates.
The world of technology and computing is
littered with jargon and business buzzwords,
and as each new piece of ki...
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
3 January 2011
How an independent organisation is helping defend international finance centres
from political misconception. Businesslife.co profiles the work of the IFC Forum.
Against a backdrop of economic
and political pressures, the way that
international finance centres (IFCs)
respond to allegations made aga...
[read more]
1 October 2010
Will the formation of a new body to oversee European regulators be
positive or negative for the Channel Islands? Liz Salecka investigates.
The European Union is launching
a more empowered pan-European
supervisory authority early next year
in a move which could have major
implications for regulators...
[read more]
By Liz Salecka on
1 October 2010
Despite having ample renewable energy resources, the Channel Islands
have been slow off the mark in developing the technologies to harness
them. But, as Derek Wingfield finds, times are changing and the islands’
coastlines may soon deliver more than just sea views.
At first glance, an
abundance of...
[read more]
By Derek Wingfield on
1 October 2010
If you are establishing a trust, should you appoint
a protector? And, if so, just who should it be?
Appleby’s Naomi Rive explores the options.
Protectors have for some
time been the must-have
accessory of high-net-worth
settlors establishing a trust.
It seems that for many
settlors, the presence of...
[read more]
By Naomi Rive on
1 October 2010
Could a small peninsula tagged on to the bottom of Spain
steal business from the Channel Islands, or could it prove to
be a worthwhile ally? Dave Waller takes a good look at Gibraltar.
The Rock of Gibraltar rises over 400m
from the Mediterranean, guarding the
mouth of the great sea. To the ancient
...
[read more]
By Dave Waller on
1 October 2010
In the face of falling mail volume and competition from outsiders, the Channel
Islands’ postal services must change to survive. Kirsten Morel looks at the
issues the islands’ mail operators face, and what the future may bring.
From offices in St Helier
to living rooms in St Peter
Port, there’s one ...
[read more]
By Kirsten Morel on
1 October 2010