Barclays Wealth has received two major accolades at the annual Euromoney Pr [...]
Nominees Announced for ICSA Jersey Awards 2012 The Jersey Branch of the In [...]
Brussels, 22nd February 2012 - The European Fund and Asset Management Assoc [...]
Gentoo Fund Services Limited, an independent private equity fund administra [...]
Legis Group has appointed Gary Mauger (pictured) as Director of its fund se [...]
Kleinwort Benson has been appointed administrator for a landmark €200 milli [...]
Skipton International has announced a 50% increase in profit before taxatio [...]
In the wake of the financial crisis, the UK Government plans to reform British banks by separating retail and investment arms. Liz Salecka weighs up the implications for the Channel Islands’ banking sector. In December last year, the UK Government revealed the results of an Independent Banking Comm... [read more]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
Could the financial industries in Jersey and Guernsey benefit from having one regulator and one promotional body? Dave Waller investigates. Butch and Sundance, Bonnie and Clyde, even Turner and Hooch – Hollywood has always loved unlikely partnerships and the emotive power of joining forces to battl... [read more]
There’s a growing and admirable desire among wealthy individuals to support charities and other deserving projects. Sound interesting? David Craik helps you get started. At 78 years of age, Dame Stephanie Shirley says she could easily spend most of her days playing bridge with friends. But as the f... [read more]
As Jersey welcomes an exclusive and historic new relationship with UK Israel Business, just what can the island expect from it? Dave Waller examines the opportunities ahead. The word ‘Israel’ tends to conjure images of the past. As home to the sacred centre of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, it’s ... [read more]
An amendment to a European Directive could provide a much-needed boost to an ailing venture-capital fund industry – but there’s still a need for clarification, as Brendan Scott discovers. On August 10 2011, two years on from the initial draft of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (A... [read more]
As Guernsey announces its intention to follow Jersey by introducing foundations, just what has it learned from its neighbour and how will its offering differ? Christian Doherty investigates. In 2009, the Jersey authorities decided to launch their own foundations product aimed at jurisdictions with... [read more]
As the deadline for a piece of US legislation approaches, there’s still uncertainty as to what the final repercussions may be, leaving some financial companies in the Channel Islands in limbo, as Liz Salecka discovers. While the Channel Islands may have welcomed the recent scrapping of a list of 34... [read more]
The introduction of a new payments system across Europe could make transactions faster and cheaper for countries that choose to sign up. Liz Salecka takes a look at where the Channel Islands stand. Banks, businesses and citizens in Jersey and Guernsey who are involved in pan-European business trans... [read more]
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]
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]
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]
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]
Women are setting up their own businesses in record numbers, but how easy is it for them to get started in the Channel Islands? Alison Steed speaks to some of the islands’ businesswomen to find out. Female entrepreneurs are a growing force in UK business, and are being targeted as a key way of help... [read more]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
All you need to do is sign up for our newsletter and indicate your preferences below. You'll receive a daily summary email for each type of article when new items are published. Please be advised that the volume of Business News articles which we publish is fairly high and you should expect to receive an email most days if you opt in for them. You can update your preferences at any time by registering for a businesslife.co account and visiting the 'Your Profile' page.
Email Address: Business News: Commentary: Features: Subscribe
It's easy to stay current with businesslife.co. Just sign up for our email updates!
Yes please! No thanks!