Go inside the elite investment firm with Capital.

The Capital Group is one of the world's largest investment management organizations, but little is known about it because the company has shunned any type of publicity. This compelling book, for the first time, takes you inside one of the most elite and private investment firms out there?the Capital Group Companies?a value investment firm par excellence. It digs deeps to reveal the corporate culture and long-term investment strategies that have made Capital the one organization where most investment professionals would like to work and would most recommend as long-term investment managers for their family and friends.

The banking and financial landscape has been inundated with technology over the last decade, with FinTech, InsurTech and RegTech being just some of the new applications within finance. In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), FinTech is yet to find its feet despite several digital transformation drives initiated by the regional governments in the UAE and Bahrain. In comparison to conventional finance, the use of FinTech within Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) in GCC countries is still in its very early stages. However, the potential disruption that technology may cause for the Islamic finance sector within this region cannot be underestimated. Aiming to highlight, examine and address key strategic, operational and regulatory issues facing IFIs as they make an effort to keep up with the FinTech revolution, this book explores the market positioning, product structure and placement, delivery channels and customer requirements within the GCC market. The authors evaluate the current situation and look forward to future regulation surrounding technology and financial institutions within the GCC. Scholars and students researching Islamic finance and financial technology will find this book an insightful and valuable read, as well as those interested in international finance more generally.

This book offers an overview of the best-working strategies in the field of equity and fixed income mutual fund-based portfolio management. This timely research considers different market conditions, such as global financial crises, across various geographical regions such as the USA and Europe. Combining academic and practical findings, the author presents a practitioner perspective on mutual fund-based portfolio strategies, appealing not only to finance scholars but also professionals within the asset management industry. This book synthesizes a large part of the academic research to date on the mutual fund industry by drawing from the most widely cited academic journals. The author makes a systematic use of numerical examples to facilitate the understanding of Investment themes organized around several important topics: size, diversification, flows, active management, volatility, performance persistence and rating.

This book presents the best papers from the 2nd International Conference on Mathematical Research for Blockchain Economy (MARBLE) 2020, held in Vilamoura, Portugal. While most blockchain conferences and forums are dedicated to business applications, product development or Initial Coin Offering (ICO) launches, this conference focused on the mathematics behind blockchain to bridge the gap between practice and theory. Blockchain Technology has been considered as the most fundamental and revolutionising invention since the Internet. Every year, thousands of blockchain projects are launched and circulated in the market, and there is a tremendous wealth of blockchain applications, from finance to healthcare, education, media, logistics and more. However, due to theoretical and technical barriers, most of these applications are impractical for use in a real-world business context. The papers in this book reveal the challenges and limitations, such as scalability, latency, privacy and security, and showcase solutions and developments to overcome them.

This book explores how new and small ventures with comparatively fewer financial resources have been able to compete with big banks and financial institutions. It discusses entry, competition, and growth strategies based on new business models enacted by current FinTech ventures. An analysis of strategies for Fintech and of cases from banked as well as non-banked and underbanked customer segments produces a framework based on effectuation, resulting in a final discussion of the broad societal outcomes of FinTech related to financial inclusion, the digital divide, and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. This book, linking theory with practical application, offers scholars a comprehensive strategic view on FinTech from effectual, causal, and entrepreneurial innovation standpoints.

Bill Gates' quote, "Banking is necessary, but banks are not," showcases the opportunity for financial services digital transformation. The next transition from industry 4.0 to 5.0 will impact all sectors, including banking. It will combine information technology and automation, based on artificial intelligence, person-robot collaboration, and sustainability. It is time to analyze this transformation in banking deeply, so that the sector can adequately change to the 'New Normal' and a wholly modified banking model can be properly embedded in the business. This book presents a conceptual model of banking 5.0, detailing its implementation in processes, platforms, people, and partnerships of financial services organizations companies. The last part of the book is then dedicated to future developments. Of interest to academics, researchers, and professionals in banking, financial technology, and financial services, this book also includes business cases in financial services.

A guide, for financial institutions, to constraints on securities underwriting, brokerage activities, and trading and investments. It provides background and interprets bank securities laws covering underwriting, trading; mutual funds; and derivative products and overseas securities activities.

Exploring the negative social impact of cyber-attacks, this book takes a closer look at the challenges faced by both the public and private sectors of the financial industry. It is widely known amongst senior executives in both sectors that cybercrime poses a real threat, however effective collaboration between individual financial institutions and the public sector into detecting, monitoring and responding to cyber-attacks remains limited. Addressing this problem, the authors present the results from a series of interviews with cybersecurity professionals based in Canada in order to better understand the potential risks and threats that financial institutions are facing in the digital age. Offering policy recommendations for improving cybersecurity protection measures within financial institutions, and enhancing the sharing of information between the public and private sector, this book is a timely and invaluable read for those researching financial services, cybercrime and risk management, as well as finance professionals interested in cybersecurity.

Rapidly growing technology and globalization have put tremendous pressure on management teams. Technological developments with far reaching implications on social, economic, political, and environmental ecosystems cannot be underemphasized. Currently, organizations are trying to be more inclusive and aware of diversity, rapid technology growth, and globalization along with remotely operating businesses for profit motivation. The delegative and individual employee-based management styles of the past have become obsolete. With globalization, virtual offices, and rapid technology growth, management challenges have become an expensive force to reckon with. In this book, the authors address the recent trends in management in global environments. The authors explore issues such as managing virtual teams, gender and management, e-commerce, biased financing, quantum computing, and disruption in the financial services industry. The book will serve as a valuable resource to researchers interested in the future management challenges facing global organizations.

This book presents a collection of high-quality contributions on the state-of-the-art in Artificial Intelligence and Big Data analysis as it relates to financial risk management applications. It brings together, in one place, the latest thinking on an emerging topic and includes principles, reviews, examples, and research directions. The book presents numerous specific use-cases throughout, showing practical applications of the concepts discussed. It looks at technologies such as eye movement analysis, data mining or mobile apps and examines how these technologies are applied by financial institutions, and how this affects both the institutions and the market. This work introduces students and aspiring practitioners to the subject of risk management in a structured manner. It is primarily aimed at researchers and students in finance and intelligent big data applications, such as intelligent information systems, smart economics and finance applications, and the internet of things in a marketing environment.

This book offers an in-depth analysis of the most salient features of contemporary financial systems and clarifies the major strategic issues facing the development of digital finance. It provides insight into how the digital finance system actually works in a socioeconomic context. It presents three key messages: that digital transformation will change the financial system entirely, that the State has a particularly important role to play in the whole process and that consumers will be offered more opportunities and freedom but simultaneously will be exposed to more risk and challenges. The book is divided into four parts. It begins by laying down the fundamentals of the subsequent analysis and offers a deep understanding of digital finance, including a topology of the key technologies applied in the transformation process. The next part reviews the challenges facing the digital State in the new reality, the digitalization of public finance and the development of digitally relevant taxation systems. In the third part, digital consumer aspects are discussed. The final part examines the risks and challenges of digital finance. The authors focus their attention on three key developments in financial markets: accelerated growth in terms of the importance of algorithms, replacing existing legal regulations; the expansion of cyber risk and its growing impact and finally the emergence of new dimensions of systemic risk as a side effect of financial digitalization. The authors supplement the analysis with a discussion of how these new risks and challenges are monitored and mitigated by financial supervision. The book is a useful, accessible guide to students and researchers of finance, finance and technology, regulations and compliance in finance.

As technology continues to revolutionise today's economy, Big Data, Blockchain and Cryptocurrency are rapidly transforming themselves into mainstream functions within the financial services industry. This book examines each concept individually, analysing the opportunities and challenges they bring and exploring the potential for future development. The authors further evaluate the fusion of these three important products of the FinTech revolution, illustrating their combined influence on the digital economy. Providing a comprehensive analysis of three innovative technologies, this timely book will appeal to scholars researching innovation in the finance industry and financial services technology more specifically.

This book sheds light on current issues in sustainable finance through an in-depth analysis and discussion of relevant sustainable products and sustainable initiatives of several financial institutions. This edited collection critically presents and discusses several relevant theoretical issues, case studies of innovative financial products and sustainable institutions, as well as empirically investigates issues related to both financial and social performance. The book focuses on several innovative products across the sustainable finance ecosystem, including social impact bonds, crowdfunding and green bonds. Similarly, the book spotlights the sustainable investment strategies of institutions ranging from family foundations to asset managers.

The book explains the impact of bank business models on company business models by discussing the relationship among banks decision-making processes, sustainable values creation in company business models, and ESG risk. The monograph provides a combination of financial and management-related activities, in the context of bank business models, taking into account the concept of sustainability, and will be of particular interest to both in-house practitioners, giving them innovative knowledge about the models presented and used, and to students and young researchers. The project is financed within the framework of the program of the Minister of Science and Higher Education under the name "Regional Excellence Initiative" in the years 2019 - 2022; project number 001/RID/2018/19; the amount of financing PLN 10,684,000.00.

Sustainable investments, although not yet working under a comprehensive regulatory framework, represent a growing, worldwide phenomenon. Such growth reflects the renewed public and private interest in environmental issues such as climate change, poverty and financial inclusion, as well as growing support from conscious investors looking to finance environmental and social initiatives. However, despite the interest that sustainable investments are gaining among governors, investors and practitioners, important challenges remain that must be addressed. Comprising a collection of research presented at the 2nd Social Impact Investments International Conference, this contributed volume offers a global analysis of the current state of the sustainable finance sector, proposing solutions to challenging obstacles and exploring topics including impact investing, social impact bonds and green banking. Providing real-life case studies from Europe, Latin America and Africa, this book is an insightful and timely read for scholars interested in sustainable finance, social impact investing, development finance and alternative finance.

This book provides an overview of the historical financial reforms and regulatory changes in China, highlighting the background to and causes of changes in the income structure of China's banks. It also investigates ongoing concerns with regard to banking diversification in China, and its consequences, amid the global trend of banks' shift to non-traditional businesses. Focusing on three critical aspects of bank-income diversification, namely the effects on profitability, risk level, and efficiency, it employs the concept of systemically important banks, which describes the scale and degree of influence a bank has in global and domestic financial markets. More importantly, rather than replicating techniques employed in the research on developed markets, it applies several improved methodologies to address bank diversification in the specific context created by China's unique institutional background and data characteristics, such as GMM-type threshold models and stochastic frontier analysis with the within maximum likelihood estimation. Shedding new light on the current status of income diversification in the Chinese banking sector, this book is a valuable resource for readers in fields such as banking and financial stability. It will also help banking professionals and financial regulatory authorities to better understand the reform of China's financial industry and the future direction of banking.

Helps understand China's latest regulation on Fintech and Big Tech companies after the suspension of Ant Group IPO in late 2020 Gives insights into China's digital currency plan and its possible implications Dicussess China's latest regulation on data privacy and market competition Offers an overview on China's strategy in developing the world's most advanced Fintech industry

Industry 4.0 has spread globally since its inception in 2011, now encompassing many sectors, including its diffusion in the field of financial services. By combining information technology and automation, it is now canvassing the insurance sector, which is in dire need of digital transformation. This book presents a business model of Insurance 4.0 by detailing its implementation in processes, platforms, persons, and partnerships of the insurance companies alongside looking at future developments. Filled with business cases in insurance companies and financial services, this book will be of interest to those academics and researchers of insurance, financial technology, and digital transformation, alongside executives and managers of insurance companies.

This open access volume of the AIDA Europe Research Series on Insurance Law and Regulation offers the first comprehensive legal and regulatory analysis of the Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD). The IDD came into force on 1 October 2018 and regulates the distribution of insurance products in the EU. The book examines the main changes accompanying the IDD and analyses its impact on insurance distributors, i.e., insurance intermediaries and insurance undertakings, as well as the market. Drawing on interrelations between the rules of the Directive and other fields that are relevant to the distribution of insurance products, it explores various topics related to the interpretation of the IDD - e.g. the harmonization achieved under it; its role as a benchmark for national legislators; and its interplay with other regulations and sciences - while also providing an empirical analysis of the standardised pre-contractual information document. Accordingly, the book offers a wealth of valuable insights for academics, regulators, practitioners and students who are interested in issues concerning insurance distribution.

This book examines the business models, performance, and decision-making approaches employed by financial institutions in Central and Southeast Europe. The respective contributions cover a wide range of industries, including banking, pharmaceuticals, and airline business services, and present both theoretical and empirical studies that highlight economy-wide risks and opportunities for European companies. The book is divided into four parts, the first of which provides a critical assessment of the competitiveness and performance of European companies, while the second examines decision-making approaches at financial institutions; the third and fourth parts address the macroeconomic risks and opportunities for business development in Europe. Intended for scholars, political decision-makers, and practitioners, the book offers new perspectives on Central and Southeast European financial and business research.

The Routledge Companion to Banking Regulation and Reform provides a prestigious cutting edge international reference work offering students, researchers and policy makers a comprehensive guide to the paradigm shift in banking studies since the historic financial crisis in 2007. The transformation in banking over the last two decades has not been authoritatively and critically analysed by the mainstream academic literature. This unique collection brings together a multi-disciplinary group of leading authorities in the field to analyse and investigate post-crisis regulation and reform. Representing the wide spectrum of non-mainstream economics and finance, topics range widely from financial innovation to misconduct in banking, varieties of Eurozone banking to reforming dysfunctional global banking as well as topical issues such as off-shore financial centres, Libor fixing, corporate governance and the Dodd-Frank Act. Bringing together an authoritative range of international experts and perspectives, this invaluable body of heterodox research work provides a comprehensive compendium for researchers and academics of banking and finance as well as regulators and policy makers concerned with the global impact of financial institutions.

This book contributes to the present state of knowledge, offering the reader broad evidence on how new digital technologies impact financial systems. It focuses on both macro- and micro-perspectives of ICT influence on financial markets. The book demonstrates how ICT can impact trading systems or information systems, which are crucial for financial systems to work effectively. It also shows how individuals can benefit from the adoption of digital technologies for everyday financial (e.g., banking) systems usage. The book provides empirical evidence of how digital technologies revolutionize the banking sector and stock exchange trading system and explores the associations between technology and various aspects of firms' functioning. Furthermore, it raises elements of financial inclusion, ICT-based microfinance service and finance-related gender issues. The principal audience of the book will be scholars and academic professionals from a wide variety of disciplines, particularly in the fields of finance and economics. It will be especially useful for those who are addressing the issues of new technologies and the financial markets, FinTech, financial innovations, stock markets, and the role of technological progress in a broadly defined socio-economic system. It will be a valuable source of knowledge for graduate and postgraduate students in economic and social development, information and technology, worldwide studies, social policy or comparative economics.

PRAISE FOR Banking on Change "In this 140th Anniversary celebration book, The London Institute of Banking and Finance stick to their core function of educating us all, but especially aspirant bankers, on the role and concerns of (retail and commercial) banking in the UK. They have assembled a well-chosen group of practitioners from a range of professions to write clear and easily assimilable essays, no technical expertise required, on a wide variety of current banking issues. If you want to learn about the current practices and problems of UK retail banking, this book must be essential reading." --Charles Goodhart, emeritus professor of banking and finance at the London School of Economics "In this important book, a line from Bill Allen's contribution is key: 'Nobody can predict the ferocity of the gale of creative destruction' that faces the financial services sector. True; but if you read the many and varied contributions, you'll have a pretty good idea. Moreover, you'll understand how we (that is, bankers) got here - and what we should do to make the industry more competitive, fairer and more genuinely useful. It is a soup-to-nuts look at banking - from the early days of the Institute of Banking, through the go-go years of ifs, to a present and future that are likely to be dominated by technology. It is well-worth a long read." --Andrew Hilton, director, Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation "If you were to imagine what a book celebrating 140 years of financial knowledge might contain, you could not come up with a better selection than this. As well as a historic sweep - from no-tech to fintech, the decline of trust and the rise of competition - today's hot subjects are addressed, including sustainable investing, cultural diversity and digital identity. The cradle-to-grave nature of the industry is captured in pieces about financial education and pensions. And it's well written, setting the scene nicely for the next era." --Jane Fuller, Fellow of the Society of Investment Professionals Financial services are undergoing rapid, and potentially dramatic, change. What will happen in payments, in sustainable finance and in fintech? How can the industry boost financial inclusion and ensure that its workforce has the skills it needs to meet regulatory requirements and to compete with new entrants? Can trade finance rise to the challenge of underpinning global trade for all and help the developing world avoid "financial abandonment"? What do financial services need to do to protect our digital identities? Banking on Change provides insights by experts and influencers from across the financial services industry on these and other questions. Published to mark the 140th anniversary of The London Institute of Banking & Finance, this book is intended to be of lasting value to both students and professionals.

This book presents a wide range of tools and techniques used in entrepreneurial finance in emerging markets. Among them, venture capital is perhaps the best known, understood, and researched mode of entrepreneurial finance. However, a significant focus of the book is dedicated to other modes of entrepreneurial finance such as 'bootstrapping,' angel financing, bank financing, and other alternative means of financing, which could include government assistance programs, business incubation, technology parks, or family financing. In addition, the book highlights how new and innovative financial technologies (comprised of software, business processes, and other modern technologies), known under the term of FinTech, may support, enable, and enhance the provision of different modes of entrepreneurial finance in emerging markets. The book also discusses entrepreneurial finance in emerging markets in the context of women entrepreneurs. A comprehensive analysis of entrepreneurial finance in emerging market countries, this book will appeal to academics, researchers, and students of entrepreneurial finance, venture capital and private equity, entrepreneurship, and international business.

Is an investors' "perfect storm" brewing? If you're not careful, it could sweep your wealth away. Long-dormant inflation looks to be catching fire. A stock market in overdrive may crash and burn for years. And taxes to fund deficits and social programs look to be rising to punishing levels not seen in a generation. This triple threat could mean a financial apocalypse from which many investors won't ever recover. Getting straight talk on smart wealth management has never been more critical. With Social Security and Medicare tracking to go belly-up in a few short years, there will be dire consequences for millions. Already-retired boomers, living far longer than ever expected, will strain government resources and risk running out of money. Who will pay for it all? Without smart planning, your taxes may rise to confiscatory levels, sapping net worth and lifestyle quality. Your retirement lifestyle and legacy for your kids could get crushed. Some may never be able to retire. Investors and savers of every age and stripe will want to pay careful attention to the concentrated wisdom in this book and take proactive steps to protect themselves while there's still time.