Opinion

Twitter is not for teens, Morgan Stanley

It surprises me to read that a teen intern's paper on social media has created a massive flurry of interest in Morgan Stanley and their clients' middle-aged management teams. "The Financial Times reported today that the US investment bank's European media analysts asked Matthew Robson, a (15-year old) intern from a London school, to write…

Cisco

A remittance strategy scribble

As mentioned, last week was a Remittances week in Rome. Remittances continually intrigues me as a market, especially the major focus financial institutions are now placing on this area as an opportunity. This is contradictory as those who need remittance services the most are often those who do not use banks or have bank accounts. …

Remittances Strategy

A remittance strategy scribble

As mentioned, last week was a Remittances week in Rome. Remittances continually intrigues me as a market, especially the major focus financial institutions are now placing on this area as an opportunity. This is contradictory as those who need remittance services the most are often those who do not use banks or have bank accounts. …

Remittances Strategy

Banking and technology go hand-in-hand

It occurred to me today that many of the revolutions in banking have occurred as a result of technology change. For example, the mainframe enabled back office automation of accounts to support banks becoming national and international behemoths. Without the power of the mainframe systems of the 1960s, Visa, MasterCard and SWIFT would not exist…

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Banking and technology go hand-in-hand

It occurred to me today that many of the revolutions in banking have occurred as a result of technology change. For example, the mainframe enabled back office automation of accounts to support banks becoming national and international behemoths. Without the power of the mainframe systems of the 1960s, Visa, MasterCard and SWIFT would not exist…

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Why are we so worried about bonuses?

I got caught up in a debate about pay and remuneration in finance this week. This is because Stephen Hester at RBS had his package hiked to £9.6 million if he delivers all of his targets – of which the main target appears to be achieving a 70 pence share price as that will make…

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Michael Jackson blows Google, Twitter and Facebook apart

The shock death of Michael Jackson last night created a raft of news stories about how it has impacted the world of global connections via the internet. From the crash of Google, to the explosion of Facebook and Tweets about him, to the proof that we can't even spell his name, to amazing tributes (and…

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Michael Jackson blows Google, Twitter and Facebook apart

The shock death of Michael Jackson last night created a raft of news stories about how it has impacted the world of global connections via the internet. From the crash of Google, to the explosion of Facebook and Tweets about him, to the proof that we can't even spell his name, to amazing tributes (and…

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SUN, IBM, SWIFT and more create a cloud crowd

I was asked twice yesterday about cloud computing. Firstly by a friend who wanted to know how it related to payments; and then by another mate in the investment world. The latter was inspired by a new report from IBM and SIFMA that states that cloud computing is ready for prime time: A survey of…

McKinsey Cloud

Desperate hedge wives

A year ago, I wrote a line in a blog: “Boy, how the markets have changed in a year. We now see investment bankers facing hard times and selling second homes or pawning their Aston Martins and Rolex watches, as their wives divorce them before poverty strikes. We see hedge fund managers faking suicide leaps…

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