The FS Club Podcast

Perennial financial crises and scandals call for a change in culture. However, what is the role of science and ideology in shaping the modern institutions and education in the accounting and finance professions?  In this seminar, award-winning scholar, broadcaster and lecturer, Professor Atul K. Shah will share his latest findings based on thirty years of research. The book published by Routledge and available globally is called 'Inclusive and Sustainable Finance - Leadership, Ethics and Culture' .

People need knowledge in order to act. Sometimes people need to act collectively (e.g. in a business organization, or a democratic society), and then they need group knowledge. How can they get it – especially under adverse conditions? One way is for the individuals that constitute these groups to learn from their network of peers. Perhaps they can connect to epistemically prosper?

This talk reports the models, methods, and initial findings of PolyGraphs, an interdisciplinary project supported by the Royal Society and others. Using a model devised in economics, and adapted by philosophers, the PolyGraphs team runs computer simulations on graph datasets to investigate knowledge and ignorance in communities of inquiring agents.

Our presentation will touch on: the role of social network structure in producing knowledge and sustaining ignorance; homophily models of mistrust and the possibility of polarization; measures of group knowledge; and the effects of mis- and disinformation in trusting and cautious communities. A common theme will be the persistence of the trade-off between error and agnosticism, first discussed in the 19th century debate over ‘the ethics of belief’, now updated for the digital age.

Nestled in the heart of the Atlantic Ocean, Bermuda has emerged as a prominent hub for international finance, attracting investors, corporations, and institutions from around the world. With its stable regulatory environment, tax advantages, and strategic location, Bermuda offers a unique blend of opportunities and advantages for financial services. In this webinar, we will delve into the key factors that have propelled Bermuda onto the global financial stage and explore the myriad benefits it offers to businesses and investors alike.

Fukuoka City is widely recognized as the most dynamic and fastest growing city in Japan. Why are individuals and companies moving to Fukuoka over Tokyo or Osaka? In recent years, economic size is no longer the sole determinant of business location decisions. Quality of life is playing an increasingly important role. In this context, I hope you will discover the hidden potential of Fukuoka as a global financial center that often goes unnoticed.

In this webinar, we launch the eighth edition of the Smart Centres Index (SCI 8). The SCI is designed to track the development of technology and financial centres across the world in their support for and readiness for new technology applications.

Background: Malta may be one of the world’s smallest countries, but it is also a vibrant financial hub where FinTech start-ups, fund managers, insurance firms, payment providers and family offices work in close proximity to one another. Despite our small size, we made the conscious decision to support a variety of financial activities and specialist segments, including a rich mix of international, regional and local institutions.

This session will explore UAE's 2022 economic landscape as well as what's in store for the country's economic future. In a standout year, the UAE achieved historic FDI inflows, defying global trends with 10% growth. We delve into critical aspects, from infrastructure developments, green energy progress, and the remarkable performance of UAE stock exchanges, to record-breaking M&A deals. Additionally, we spotlight the UAE's thriving venture capital ecosystem. Join us as we unveil the UAE's economic journey of 2022 and beyond.

Three years after leaving the EU, there are no discernible signs of any benefits for UK finance. Instead, there are multiplying, and worrying, signs of a lack of substance to the initial, bold slogans. The MoU on financial service co-operation with the EU is revealed as a talking shop that leaves EU autonomy unfettered. The City’s global standing is slowly sinking, and leadership seems to be slipping away from the UK in many fields as the EU continues to exercise its soft power of setting standards that acquire global standing due to its economic scale.

In the latter half of 2022, faster payments (also known as authorised push payments) fraud losses in the United Kingdom reached an alarming £249 million, with a mere 5% recovery rate reported by financial institutions. These troubling statistics come as the industry prepares for the impending 2024 regulation, which will impose a 50/50 liability on both the initiator and beneficiary institutions for reimbursing victims of fraud.

Current preventative measures predominantly rely on risk-scoring methods to flag suspicious transactions or engage in post-transaction fraud recall—both of which have limitations. Our forthcoming webinar will introduce a nuanced approach that aims to seamlessly bridge the gap between conservative fraud prevention and post-transaction recall processes. This methodology promises to reduce the time delays associated with awaiting confirmations, such as victim reports, while simultaneously minimizing customer impact caused by overly stringent real-time controls.

Join us for this essential discussion, as we explore this timely topic that has significant ramifications for risk management within financial institutions. Mark your calendar for a webinar that promises to offer actionable insights for a more secure financial future.

The transformation of the economy to net zero is proceeding much too slowly. Globally, trillions of dollars of additional low-carbon investments are needed every year -- multiples of the current level of investment.

Meanwhile governments are providing $7 trillion of annual subsidies to support fossil fuel usage. These enormous subsidies create a hurricane force headwind that prevents progress in decarbonizing the global economy.

A carbon-linked bond is a simple financial instrument that would allow governments to create a credible time path in which to eliminate those subsidies and a globally harmonized forward curve of carbon prices. Together they would incentivize private capital markets to quickly fund the necessary transformation.