Category Archives: Career

Career

Mike Baur: Die Veränderungen im Schweizer Bankwesen veranlassen viele Fachleute der Branche dazu, den traditionellen Karriereweg zu verlassen

ZURICH, Feb-19-2017 — /EPR FINANCIAL NEWS/ — Mike Baur machte sich im Schweizer Bankensektor einen Namen, als er 2008 ein wichtiger Akteur bei der Privatbank Clariden Leu wurde. Er fand sich in seiner Position gut zurecht und beriet schon mit Anfang zwanzig die wohlhabendsten Einwohner der Schweiz in finanziellen Angelegenheiten.

Das Bürogebäude, in dem Baur arbeitete, war auch sehr beeindruckend. Solch ein ehrwürdiges Gebäude konnte sich natürlich nur in der sehr eleganten Bahnhofstrasse befinden. Baur bezeichnete das Gebäude als „ein Juwel“, aber die guten Zeiten, die er dort verbrachte, fanden ein Ende, als die Finanzkrise ausbrach, und die Geschäftslage wurde sehr unruhig.

In diesen schwierigen Jahren entschloss sich die Muttergesellschaft von Clariden Leu dazu, die Türen der 250 Jahre alten Einrichtung zu schließen. Daraufhin wurde Clariden Leu ein Teil ihrer Muttergesellschaft, der Credit Suisse Group AG. Das wunderschöne Bürogebäude, in dem Baur einst arbeitete, ist mittlerweile verkauft worden.

Baur hörte im Jahr 2014 bei Clariden Leu auf, um anderen Projekten nachzugehen. Bei diesen Projekten handelte es sich um Technologie-Startups. Während Clariden Leu also kurz vor dem Ende stand, hatte Baur sich bereits Größerem verschrieben.

Baurs Karriere im Bankensektor nahm zunächst einen sehr positiven Anfang. Im Alter von 16 Jahren begann er seine Karriere als Lehrling bei der UBS Group AG. In einem Treffen mit dem Personalmanager der Firma erhielt er ein Diagramm, auf dem aufgezeichnet war, wie seine gesamte Karriere bis zu seinem Ruhestand aussehen würde. Baur folgte diesem Plan und erhielt eine Beförderung nach der anderen, bis er Teil einer Gruppe wurde, die auf der Suche nach innovativen Methoden für die Anwerbung sehr wohlhabender Investoren war. Seine Strategien funktionierten und UBS begann, in einem rekordverdächtigen Tempo zu expandieren. Das hielt an, bis die Wirtschaft schließlich von der Finanzkrise getroffen wurde.

Nachdem die Regierung UBS im Jahr 2008 gerettet hatte, fing die Bank an, sich zu verkleinern. Auch die Credit Suisse musste ihre Expansionsbemühungen zurückfahren und sich darauf konzentrieren, die Bank im Geschäft zu halten. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt verließ Baur UBS, um bei Clariden Leu zu arbeiten.

Baur blieb nur sechs Jahre bei Clariden Leu. Er war soweit, seinen eigenen unternehmerischen Ideen nachzugehen und sein großes Talent in Startup-Unternehmen zu investieren. Diese Entscheidung bedeutete, dass er ein üppiges Gehalt hinter sich ließ, aber er erfuhr später, dass die Leute, die sich auf sein Accelerator Programm bewarben, auch ehemalige Bankkaufleute waren. Für Baur ist der Grund dafür sehr klar. Aufgrund der verstärkten Regulierungen, mit denen Banker im gegenwärtigen finanziellen Klima zu kämpfen haben, ist das Bankwesen mittlerweile eine weniger attraktive Karrierewahl als in der Vergangenheit.

Derzeit versinkt das Bankwesen in gesetzlichen Vorschriften und viele Rechtsskandale sind ans Licht gekommen. Dazu kommt, dass die Zinsen stark gesunken sind und Banken nicht mehr die enormen Gewinne einfahren, die sie in der Vergangenheit erwirtschaften konnten. Die Finanzbranche war in hohem Maße für die bequeme Position verantwortlich, die die Schweiz in der Welt innehat, aber die aktuelle Stimmungslage hat dazu geführt, dass sie sich in einem anderen Licht betrachten. Präsident Johann Schneider-Ammann hat vor Kurzem eingeräumt, dass es für die Schweiz an der Zeit sei, weniger risikoavers zu sein und mehr unternehmerischen Esprit zu entwickeln.

Derzeit hat es nicht den Anschein, dass das Bankwesen sich in diese Richtung bewegt, da die Branche 2015 weniger als fünf Prozent zum Bruttoinlandsprodukt der Schweiz beigetragen hat. Das Beschäftigungswachstum in der Branche sank auch unter das Niveau des Beschäftigungswachstums in der Bau- und Immobilienbranche.

Mike Baur erkannte die Gelegenheit und machte sich die Talente, die der Bankenbrache abhanden gehen, zunutze. Er entwickelte eine Methode, um diesen Leuten zu helfen, ihre Karrieremöglichkeiten abseits des Bankensektors zu realisieren.

Es scheint, dass Baur und seine Kunden viel gemeinsam haben. Er war Teil einer traditionellen Branche, aber er hatte nicht immer das Gefühl, dass seine Ideen sehr traditionell waren. Es fiel ihm nicht schwer, seinen Job bei UBS hinter sich zu lassen, weil er dort seine kreative unternehmerische Seite nicht fördern konnte.

Das Unternehmen, das er gegründet hat, nennt sich „Swiss Startup Factory“. Er hat sein Unternehmen eine „Fabrik“ genannt, weil er die Absicht hat, Menschen dabei zu helfen, aus ihren Ideen erfolgreiche Unternehmen aufzubauen. Er betrachtet seine Aufgabe als eine Art Hersteller, der neue Unternehmen für den Markt „herstellt“.

Der andere Grund, der „Herstellung“ zu einem guten Wort für Baurs Unternehmen macht, ist seine Überzeugung, dass die jungen Leute, die mit ihm arbeiten, hart arbeiten müssen. Er hat in seinen Jahren als Banker viele wohlhabende Menschen kennengelernt und er glaubt, dass sie dazu neigen, nicht hart genug zu arbeiten, um Erfolg zu haben.

In dieser Branche gibt es andere Gründerzentren, aber Baur besteht darauf, dass sein Unternehmen anders ist. Der Hauptunterschied liegt darin, dass er und die anderen Gründer der Swiss Startup Factory ihr eigenes Geld in das Unternehmen investiert haben, sie wollen also wirklich erfolgreich sein. Sein Unternehmen ist zudem unabhängig und das macht einen riesigen Unterschied, weil sie so nicht durch die Agenda einer bestimmten Person eingegrenzt werden. Jeder einzelne ist wichtig.

Baur hat verlauten lassen, was seiner Meinung nach die Stärken sowie die Schwächen seines Unternehmens sind. Die Stärke der Swiss Startup Factory ist die Tatsache, dass es ein hochinnovatives Unternehmen ist. Seine Schwäche ist, dass sie Schwierigkeiten bei der Umsetzung ihrer Strategien haben. Er glaubt auch, dass sie daran arbeiten müssen, den Investoren die Chancen und Möglichkeiten auf professionellere Art und Weise zu präsentieren, damit diese Investoren mit mehr Begeisterung mit seinem Unternehmen zusammenarbeiten.

Unter dem Strich kann man sagen, dass Mike Baur sein Unternehmen mit Leidenschaft führt und hart daran arbeitet, seine Ziele zu verwirklichen. Er glaubt, dass dies die zwei Faktoren sind, die in jeder Branche zum Erfolg führen. Es schadet natürlich nicht, dass er das liebt, was er tut.

Mike Baur glaubt, dass man Menschen beibringen kann, was ein Unternehmer ist, aber dass man ihnen nicht die Mentalität beibringen kann, die man als Unternehmer braucht. Laut Baur wird man entweder mit der unternehmerischen Mentalität geboren oder eben nicht.

In Zukunft möchte Baur, dass sein Unternehmen der Schweiz etwas zurückgibt. Er und seine Partner leisten schon ihren Beitrag, aber er sieht in diesem Bereich noch Verbesserungspotenzial und wird weiter daran arbeiten, einen positiven Einfluss auf das Ökosystem der Schweizer Geschäftswelt zu haben.

‘SOURCE: EuropaWire

Ezra Penland Actuarial Recruitment Employs Two; Announces Scholarship Recipient; Sally Ezra Quoted

The Leader in Actuarial Recruitment, Ezra Penland, is proud to announce the hiring of two new employees at the rapidly-growing, Chicago-based firm. Thomas Clohisy joins Ezra Penland as an Actuarial Recruiter. Tom has executive recruiting experience, as well as recruitment business development skills. He was also a successful commodities trader for a number of years, after having earned an MBA from Loyola University and a Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University. Tom can be reached at tom@EzraPenland.com.

John Gieger joins Ezra Penland as Corporate Librarian and Data Specialist. John earned a Masters of Library and Information Science from Dominican University, as well as a Bachelor’s in Audio Engineering from Belmont University. He has varied experiences as a data manager and a librarian, and brings with him exceptional computer skills and an innate ability for information organization. John may be reached at john@EzraPenland.com.

Additionally, Ezra Penland proudly awards their most recent $500 Actuarial Scholarship to Jordan Nadler. Ms. Nadler is a junior at Missouri State University where she is a Mathematics major with a concentration in Actuarial Science, and she is minoring in Finance and Risk Management & Insurance. In addition to tutoring mathematics, she is a member of the Delta Sigma Pi Professional Business Fraternity and treasurer of the Alpha Lambda Chapter of Gamma Iota Sigma, the Risk Management,Insurance and Actuarial Science Fraternity. Nadler has held an internship at American National and will hold an internship at Ernst & Young this summer in New York. She has passed two Actuarial Exams and is pursuing a career as an Actuary.

And, finally, Sally Ezra, Partner at Ezra Penland Actuarial Recruitment, was interviewed in the May-June, 2012 Contingencies, the magazine of the American Academy of Actuaries. The topic was the “Workers Compensation Predictive Modeling Comes of Age”, and Ms. Ezra discussed the hireability and availability of actuaries with such skills.

Via EPR Network
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PruHealth Partners With The National Trust To Organise Walking Festival

PruHealth and the National Trust have reported that more than 32 million people plan to head outdoors to enjoy an autumn family walk, new research has shown.*

Over 16 million (33%) say it’s the season’s beautiful colours that makes autumn walking so special.

To celebrate the season and to promote the virtues of being active, the National Trust is holding its first ever National Festival of Walking this October half-term, with at least 50,000 people expected to take part.

The National Trust has partnered with a leading health insurer PruHealth to organise around 1,000 events all over the country, from barefoot walks to silly walks, adventure walks to wildlife walks.

The festival is the perfect opportunity for the public to get outdoors and have fun, especially with 41% of adults saying they don’t spend enough time with their families. **

William Wake from the National Trust’s outdoors team said: “From leaf kicking to finding conkers and wrapping up warm, there is something simply delicious about an autumn walk.

“We’re asking people to tell us what they think makes autumn walks so special, to see if we can identify the perfect formula for a family outing this half term.”

Events are taking place at 180 sites in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from 22-30 October.

There will also be more than 800 free walking routes available to download from the National Trust website at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/walks.

People can also log their own favourite walks on an interactive map on the website, and join a debate on the best things about autumn walking on the National Trust’s Facebook pages or on Twitter using #walkfest from October 20.

Dr Katherine Tryon, Head of Clinical Vitality for PruHealth, added: “The Walking Festival is a great way to get active with the whole family, and there are walks to suit all fitness levels.

“Government guidelines*** recommend we walk 10,000 steps a day, and just thirty minutes of brisk walking each day can help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, maintain a healthy weight, improve self-esteem and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.

“The average walk at the National Trust is three to four miles, which is approximately 6,000-8,000 steps – well on the way to reaching the target while having a fun day out. When you’re healthy, you can get more out of life – come along and see.”

Via EPR Network
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Claude Penland and Sally Ezra Launch Ezra Penland Actuarial Recruitment in Chicago, Illinois

Claude Penland and Sally Ezra, two global leaders in the international actuarial recruiting industry, today as partners announce the launch of their company, Ezra Penland Actuarial Recruitment (“Ezra Penland”) in Chicago, Illinois.

Joining Sally and Claude at Ezra Penland are five outstanding employees. They include Debbie Charbonneau, Kevin Elliott, Dana Kelly, Yvonne McArdle and Emily Moss. To read more about their top quality staff, see EzraPenland.com/recruiters.

Initially, the Group of Seven will be focused on the North American actuarial recruitment market, and then rapidly expand into the global market. It is Ezra Penland’s plan to be the market leader in their niche, as Sally Ezra has spent nearly two decades recruiting actuaries, has developed strong professional relationships and a vast network of clientele. They value her commitment, resourcefulness, her personal attention and, above all, her high level of professional ethics.

Claude Penland is an Associate of the Casualty Actuarial Society and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries. He has over twenty years of experience as a casualty actuary and as a web strategist for actuarial recruitment organizations.

Ezra Penland additionally announces the timely publishing of their 2011 industry standard United States actuarial salary surveys at EzraPenland.com/salary. These 11 salary surveys include unprecedented detail on compensation for Property and Casualty, Life, Pension and Health actuaries. The details further break salaries down by consulting, reinsurance and insurance/all other employers of actuaries. An Adobe Acrobat file of all surveys is immediately available to be downloaded, printed and shared.

Ezra Penland is becoming known as the publisher of C-level insurance and reinsurance US salary surveys at EzraPenland.com/c-level. These CEO/CFO/CRO/etc. studies can also be found at  LifeSalarySurvey.com,  HealthSalarySurvey.comCasualtySalarySurvey.com and ReinsuranceSalarySurvey.com.

To read more about their mission, types of searches and their specialities, see EzraPenland.com/about. Past clients and candidates recommend their services highly at EzraPenland.com/testimonials.

Via EPR Network
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Ladi Balogun of FCMB GMD Receives Young Global Champions Award

Ladi Balogun, the Group Managing Director of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Plc has been honoured with the award of This Day’s Young Global Champions in honour of young and daring Nigerians who are 50 and below and have taken Nigeria into global competition.

Ladi Balogun received this honour at the 16th Annual This Day Awards for Excellence and Good Governance which took place in Lagos, recently. Ladi Balogun was honoured for transforming a family owned bank in the face of the demise of other family owned banks.

According to the organizers of the yearly awards, leaders of 14 corporate organizations in the country who have built new companies from scratch and made them world class received this year’s awards in this category.

Ladi Balogun, son of Otunba Subomi Balogun, remains one young man who has done tremendously well for himself. Ladi Balogun’s impressive story could not have been otherwise, seeing that ladi balogun attended some of the best educational institutions in the world, which ladi Balogun complements with his subomi Balogun background.Ladi Balogun remains undaunted in his desire to further solidify and sustain the financial base of the balogun’s mega-business, especially, the First City Monument Bank (FCMB), where Ladi Balogun sits as managing director and chief executive officer.

Via EPR Network
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SBI Recruitment 2010

State Bank of India is a No.1 nationalized public sector bank in India has requirements for 6100 clerical staff for State Bank of India Associates Bank’s. Candidates are requested to apply on-line through Bank’s website www.sbi.co.in or www.statebankofindia.com. Complete information about SBI recruitment 2010 are as follows:

State Bank of India associates banks
State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur
State Bank of Hyderabad
State Bank of Mysore Bangalore
State Bank of Patiala Chandigarh
State Bank of Travancore

Important Dates to Remember to Apply SBI Recruitment
Date of Deposit of Fee: From 01.10.2010 To 30.10.2010
On-line Registration: From 01.10.2010 To 01.11.2010
Date of written examination: 16.01.2011 (Sunday)

-How to Apply for SBI Recruitment 2010:
Candidates are required to go to any Branch of State Bank of India / SBI and pay the amount of prescribed fees and get receipt from the branch. The candidates are required to apply on-line through website www.statebankofindia.com and www.sbi.co.in. No other means/mode of application will be accepted. The last date of registering applications is01.11.2010. Application registration on our website will be open from 01.10.2010 to01.11.2010.

Guidelines for filling application are as under :

  • Candidates should have a valid email id. This will help him/ her in getting call letter/ interview advices etc. by e-mail.
  • Candidates should have the Deposit Journal No. and Depositing Branch code No. (receipt of payment of fees) from branch of SBI before applying online.
  • The payment of fees should be made up to 30.10.2010. This date will be same for the candidates belonging to far-flung areas.
  • Candidates should keep a copy of the Application printout and Payment Receipt with Deposit Journal No. for their record. An ‘Acquaint Yourself’ booklet will be sent to the candidates along with the call letter for written test. Original payment receipt will have to be submitted with the call letter at the time of written examination.
  • Candidates serving in Government/Quasi Government offices, Public Sector undertaking including Nationalised Banks and financial Institutions will be required to submit ‘No Objection Certificate’ from the employer at the time of interview, failing which their candidature may not be considered and travelling expenses, if any, otherwise admissible, will not be paid.
  • The reserved category candidate will have to produce his/her original caste certificate/ relevant certificates at the time of interview, failing which his/her candidature shall be cancelled and he/she will not be admitted for interview. OBC candidates, availing reservation will have to produce OBC certificate with Non-creamy layer clause issued on or before 01.12.2010 at the time of interview.
  • In addition to OBC certificate, the candidates are required to submit a declaration for availing reservation of OBC on prescribed format at the time of interview. Candidates belonging to OBC category but coming in the ‘CREAMY LAYER’ are not entitled to OBC reservation and age relaxation.
  • They should indicate their category as ‘GEN OR GEN (OH/ VH/ HI) as applicable. Information relating to reservations based on caste/PWD/XS once filled at the time of registration will be final. No further changes will be allowed.
  • Candidates are advised to be very careful while filling the category (SC/ST/OBC/ GEN.etc) and other details in the application.
  • NO OTHER MODE OF APPLICATION/ PRINTOUT OR DRAFT ETC. WILL BE ACCEPTED to apply SBI Recruitment 2010. Action against candidates found guilty of conduct.
  • Candidates are warned that they should not furnish any particulars that are false, tampered/ fabricated or should not suppress any material information while filling up the application form of SBI Recruitment 2010

Complete information available at:
http://getsarkari-naukri.blogspot.com/2010/06/sb

Via EPR Network
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Dr. Elizabeth Mays Has Been Named One Of The 25 Women To Watch For 2009 By U.S Banker Magazine

Dr. Elizabeth Mays has been named one of the 25 Women to Watch for 2009 by U.S Banker magazine. The list contains some of the banking industry’s most accomplished women and is compiled annually. Over 5,000 female banking executives were nominated this year.

Mays is located in Columbus, Ohio where she is a Senior Vice President and the Head of Consumer Risk Modeling and Analytics for JP Morgan Chase, part of the Risk Management organization.

The criteria used to select the 25 Women to Watch include their impact on their bank’s financial performance and the nominee’s industry, personal, and community impact. In conjunction with the publication of U.S. Banker magazine’s October issue highlighting the women selected this year, an awards ceremony will be held at The Plaza hotel in New York on October 6th.

Mays has spent 24 years in the financial services sector, first as a government economist and savings and loan regulator in Washington DC, and later in executive positions in the banking industry. She is also an author of four books on risk measurement and writes articles on corporate governance and risk management topics. A busy executive and mother, U.S. Banker magazine noted that parts of her last book were written “f r o m a booth at Chuck E. Cheese” while her young son played games.

Via EPR Network
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Health Initiatives Gaining Momentum With UK Firms, Report Says

PruHealth, private medical insurer, has revealed as part of its new Workplace Health Report into the impact of health and wellbeing measures and culture in the workplace, that 89% of larger firms in the UK and 33% of SMEs offer health incentives for their employees.

Senior executives (75% of larger firms and 55% of SMEs) believe fostering a healthy lifestyle in the workplace is part of their role as a responsible employer. Furthermore, 83% of employees stated that an employer’s attitudes to health and wellbeing are an important factor when looking for a new role, which means providing a health and wellbeing programme has never been more important to help attract and retain quality.

Firms also believe health initiatives can help increase staff morale, improve productivity and reduce absenteeism as a ‘halo’ effect of a healthier workforce. Additionally benefits of encouraging a healthy culture in the workplace are also evident, with 51% of larger firms and 38% of SMEs experiencing a drop in absenteeism since introducing wellbeing initiatives.

With sickness and absence costing UK plc £20 billion a year larger firms with over 250 employees are actively encouraging a healthier and happier workforce as part of their responsibility as employers. As well as introducing initiatives, 81% of senior management are leading by example and engaging in healthy behaviour in the workplace, like sponsoring employees’ charity fun runs (55%), taking part in exercise classes and sports teams at work (49%) or eating healthily in the office (35%).

With economies of scale proving a barrier for some companies, only 33% of SMEs offer health initiatives to staff. However, 47% of SME senior executives said they are setting a good example through healthy behavior and taking part in exercise classes and sports teams at work.

PruHealth’s Vitality incentive programme enables smaller companies to provide a full ‘blue-chip’ range of healthy activities for employees as part of their corporate private health insurance, enabling companies of all sizes to benefit from a healthier workforce.”

About PruHealth
PruHealth was launched in October 2004 as a joint venture between Prudential and Discovery Holdings from South Africa to provide private health insurance. Since launch, PruHealth has grown quickly. PruHealth medical insurance now covers over 190,000 lives and in a sample of its individual customers, one third said they had changed their behaviour for the better because of its Vitality reward scheme which encourages policyholders to look after their health.

Via EPR Network
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One major cause of pensions gender gap is that many women take a career break to have children

According to new figures from the Prudential Class of 2009 retirement survey, UK women who plan to retire in 2009 can each expect to receive £6,642 a year less in their annual pensions than men, equivalent to a total income shortfall of more than £42 billion.

The 2.76 million women planning to retire in 2009 can expect to receive an average annual pension of just £13,671, while the 3.95 million men who plan to retire in 2009 will get £6,642 more, expecting an average pension of £20,313.

“It’s still a shock to see so many women retiring at such a disadvantage to their male colleagues, despite all we know about the causes of pension discrepancies between men and women,” said Karin BrownAnnuities Business Director at Prudential.

“The gender gap has become so firmly established because women have historically earned less than men, and still earn around 17% less. When women have children, their pension contributions reduce significantly or stop altogether, and their state pensions often take a hit as well.

“The underlying problem that many people have insufficient pensions is never going to go away unless men and women start their pension plan much earlier in life, ideally in their twenties or thirties,” Karin added. “Starting a pension at an early age will lessen the impact in later life of many women’s decision to take a career break to have children. It will also mean people can feel confident that they are going to have enough money to live off when they do come to retire, and this is vitally important for women who expect to receive smaller pensions than men.”

One major cause of pensions gender gap is that many women take a career break to have children, but it is possible to protect future pensions and maintain a pension during this time. Women could also consider trying to keep up any company pensions or private pension contributions even if they are on maternity leave or an extended career.

Other causes include:
Neglecting pension savings
– As many as 61% of retiring people doubt their pension and other savings will provide a sufficient income to enable them to enjoy a comfortable life in retirement.

Not saving enough
– A rule of thumb is for people to try and save half of their age as a percentage of their salary into a pension scheme, for example 12.5% at age 25 and so on.

Not taking advantage of company schemes
– Many employers offer pension schemes and agree to match any contributions made by employees. People should enquire about the pensions scheme offered by their employers.

Not shopping around
– People in retirement have a wide choice of annuities available to them and it is recommended that they shop around for the product which is most suitable for their needs.

The information contained in Prudential UK’s press releases is intended solely for journalists and should not be used by consumers to make financial decisions. Full consumer product information can be found at www.pru.co.uk.

Survey conducted online by Research Plus among 1,000 UK adults aged 45+ between 10-18 November 2008. Figures based on Office of National Statistics 2007 which show 24,990,500 adults aged 45+ in the UK. For further information please contact the Prudential media department.

About Prudential
“Prudential” is a trading name of The Prudential Assurance Company Limited, which is registered in England and Wales. This name is also used by other companies within the Prudential Group, which between them provide a range of financial products including life assurance, pensions, savings and investment products. Registered Office at Laurence Pountney Hill, London EC4R 0HH. Registered number 15454. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Via EPR Network
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Quest CE Announces They Are Now Offering Firms An Online Annual Compliance Meeting Solution

Quest CE is pleased to announce it is now offering firms an online annual compliance meeting solution. Quest’s On-Demand Learning Platform enables firms to hold pre-recorded meetings online without the costly time and travel expenses associated with live meetings.

FINRA Conduct Rule 3010 requires an annual compliance meeting to be held with all registered personnel.

Quest’s On-Demand Learning Platform provides:

• Online Questionnaire Automating the Q&A Process
• Deliver Annual Compliance Meetings On-Demand Over the Internet
• Online Q&A and Feedback Board for Post Meeting Compliance

Quest’s Online Annual Compliance Solution provides an innovative online solution to administer FINRA’s annual compliance meeting requirement and other online events, allowing firms to efficiently provide online registration, delivery, and tracking of meeting attendance.

For more information on how Quest’s Online Annual Compliance Solution can save your firm time and money, contact Jim Hoehn at 877-593-3366 or jhoehn@questce.com

About Quest Compliance Education Solutions
Over the past 20-plus years, Quest CE has built a reputation of being the premier provider of Compliance Education to the financial services industry. Quest CE serves more than 100 leading insurance carriers, broker/dealers, banks, and other financial institutions. We are a privately held firm which allows us to quickly meet the ever-changing needs of our clients. Our commitment is to provide advanced custom solutions at cost effective rates while providing a level of service that greatly surpasses that of our competitors. Quest provides a single source solution for organizations training and compliance needs, saving you both time and money.

Via EPR Network
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Quest CE Releases Their Complete Library Of Online Long Term Care Partnership Training Courses

Quest CE, the nationwide provider of continuing education for insurance professionals, announced the immediate release of their complete library of online Long Term Care Partnership training courses. The online courses enable producers to obtain their newly-mandated continuing education credits on the subject of long-term care and long-term care partnership programs.

Since the passage of the Deficit Reduction Act, most states have implemented a new long-term care partnership program. As part of the new programs, states require that all producers who sell, solicit, or negotiate long-term care insurance must complete training on this subject.

Quest CE offers courses designed to meet state-specific Long Term Care Training requirements. All of our courses are available online, complete with text, exam, and printable certificates where allowed by state. If you sell, or wish to sell long term care insurance, but unsure if you are affected by specific training requirements please visit our website (www.questce.com) for further information.

Quest CE offers Long Term Care Partnership courses in the following states:

Arizona
Arkansas
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Idaho
Illinois
Maine
Maryland
Michigan
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
New Jersey
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
Wisconsin

About Quest CE
Quest CE is a nationwide provider of continuing education courses to licensed insurance professionals and financial planners. Each year Quest CE delivers over 150,000 continuing education courses either over the Internet or through live CE training. More information is available at the company’s web site at www.questce.com. To find out more about Quest’s Corporate discounts and large volume orders, contact Jim Hoehn at jhoehn@questce.com or call 877-593-3366.

Via EPR Network
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Quest CE Offers A Solution To New Red Flag Rules And Anti-Money Laundering Training

Quest CE announced today the release of their new 2009 Anti-Money Laundering and Red Flags online course designed to meet USA Patriot Act requirements. To demo the new course go tohttp://www.questce.com/AML-Course-Demo/Presentation_Files/index.html

The USA PATRIOT Act requires financial institutions to develop and implement an AML compliance program.

NASD Rule 3011 outlines minimum standards for broker-dealers’ AML compliance programs. It requires firms to develop and implement a written AML compliance program. The program has to be approved in writing by a member of senior management and be reasonably designed to achieve and monitor the ongoing compliance with the requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act.

NASD Rule 3011 also requires firms to provide ongoing training for appropriate personnel. This would include training for all representatives engaged in the business of providing financial advice, the sale of financial products or services, or deal in any way with the transfer of financial interests.

Quest CE offers a complete Anti Money Laundering (AML) solution for organizations of all sizes. Quest’s Anti-Money Laundering (AML) program offers advanced capabilities that other vendors do not offer. In coordination with industry experts, Quest CE’s team of IT and database professionals created a Learning Management System (LMS) to fit the AML reporting, tracking, and training needs of Quest’s clients.

“The system allows AML program administrators the ability to run real-time reports, upload new users instantly, and send reminder emails to users who haven’t yet completed their training,” said Patrick Torhorst, Vice President of IT for Quest CE.

In addition to offering this advanced technology in a fully customizable web portal, Quest CE is offering the industry’s lowest available pricing to companies interested in utilizing Quest’s AML program. For as little as $2 per user, firms can have a web portal built to look like their own AML eUniversity complete with full reporting and tracking capabilities, and including Quest CE’s robust library of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) courses.

Quest CE can also author any firm’s proprietary courses to meet specific training needs.

About Quest CE
Over the past 20-plus years, Quest CE has built a reputation of being the premier provider of Compliance Solutions to the financial services industry. In addition to offering CE for professionals holding insurance licenses and professional designations like the CFP, CIMA, CLU/ChFC, and CPA designations, we also provide a complete spectrum of financial compliance training solutions.

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Quest CE Has Released Their 2009 Insurance, Professional Designation And Firm Element Course Catalogs

Quest CE announced today the release of their 2009 Insurance, Professional Designation and Firm Element course catalogs. Quest’s Curriculum Development Team worked closely with clients in determining content that would meet the ever-changing needs of the financial services industry.

The Quest CE-authored courses are available online through Quest’s Compliance Education Training website. To download a course catalog go to: http://www.questce.com/Downloads.html

Quest CE offers a complete approach to Insurance, Designation and Firm Element planning, training, and implementation. Quest helps firms and individuals meet their regulatory requirements in an efficient and cost effective manner. Quest offers complete or A-La-Carte training solutions.

For more information on Quest CE’s products, services, or to request a pricing proposal, contact Jim Hoehn at 877-593-3366 or jhoehn@questce.com

About Quest CE
Over the past 20-plus years, Quest CE has built a reputation of being the premier provider of Compliance Solutions to the financial services industry. In addition to offering CE for professionals holding insurance licenses and professional designations like the CFP, CIMA, CLU/ChFC, and CPA designations, Quest provides a complete spectrum of financial compliance training solutions.

Quest CE has trained and tracked more than 100,000 registered representatives and insurance agents in the past year. We offer more than 200 courses to fulfill continuing education requirements for Firm Element, state insurance and professional designation credits.

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Think Money is the first company in the North West to be awarded the FSSC ‘Accreditation of Training Excellence for Firms’

Financial solutions provider Think Money has been awarded the ‘Accreditation of Training Excellence for Firms’ by the Financial Services Skills Council (FSSC). It’s official recognition that the company’s training programme delivers real benefits: excellent service for customers and valuable skills for employees.

The company benefits too, of course. Excellent training means employees do a better job, but that’s not all: this accreditation also shows the company’s regulators how good Think Money’s training programme is.

Phil Robertson, Head of Staff Development at Think Money: “Training and development are absolutely vital to a company like ours – and so is recruitment. That’s another reason we’re so pleased to be the first in the North West to receive this kind of recognition from the FSSC. A lot of bright people want to work in financial services. They’re looking for a company that’ll give them a career, not just a job, and this accreditation provides cast-iron proof that this is what Think Money provides.”

But the FSSC doesn’t just recognise excellence. It also provides advice, ideas and information. It helps companies improve their training programmes even further, pointing out exactly where they need to work harder and where they could learn from examples of ‘best practice’ throughout the financial industry.

As Phil puts it: “There’s always room for improvement. We’d already met the ‘Investors in People’ standard. We’ve been one of the Sunday Times’ ‘Best 100 Companies to Work for’ for the last two years. Earning the FSSC’s ‘Accreditation of Training Excellence for Firms’ proves that we’re dedicated to continuous improvement. It’s what we expect of our staff – and it’s what they expect of us.”

Since its creation in 2006, the following eight organisations had been awarded the accreditation:

> Aon Ltd Reinsurance
> Chelsea Building Society
> Financial Services Authority
> Friends Provident UK Distribution
> Hoodless Brennan plc
> Jupiter Unit Trust Managers Limited
> Norwich Union Life
> Nsure Financial Services Limited

About Think Money
One of the UK’s leading financial solutions providers, Think Money is headquartered in Salford Quays, Manchester, and employs around 600 employees to deliver a comprehensive range of debt, loan and banking solutions. It defines its mission as ‘To educate, rehabilitate and advise on all aspects of financial management’.

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Quest CE Hires Jim Hoehn As Vice President Of Business Development

Quest CE’s President & CEO, Alan Krenke recently announced the hiring of Jim Hoehn as Vice President of Business Development for Quest. Jim brings over 15 years of Sales and Relationship Management experience to Quest working previously for Principal Financial Group as Regional Director, Goldman Sachs as Regional Vice President , Curian Capital as Regional Business Consultant and Strong Capital Management as Regional Vice President.

Jim received both his undergraduate degree and MBA from the University of Wisconsin. Additionally Jim holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) professional designation.

Jim will be working directly with Quest’s Sales and Marketing Team to aggressively expand Quest’s market share in the continuing education and compliance education arena.

Jim resides in Slinger, WI with his wife and two daughters (ages 5&7). An avid sports fan, he follows both the Green Bay Packers and Wisconsin Badgers closely. He and his family also take advantage of the many outdoor activities Wisconsin has to offer.

About Quest CE:
Quest CE offers customized continuing education and online compliance management programs to financial service firms across the country. With over 100 clients in the insurance, mutual fund, and banking industries, Quest has the resources and expertise necessary to create and administer successful training programs for organizations of all sizes.

For more information about Quest CE you may also contact Quest CE at 877-593-3366 or visit our website at www.questce.com.

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The High Energy Environment At The Junior Achievement Of Orange County’s 5th Annual Stock Market Challenge Gives Young Participants A Real World Understanding Of The Financial Markets

The Newport Beach Marriott will be transformed into Wall Street as Junior Achievement (JA) of Orange County hosts the 5th Annual Stock Market Challenge. This fast paced evening of trading excitement will help raise money for JA’s economic education programs and provide high school participants with a hands-on financial education.

Maria Hall-Brown from KOCE will be the emcee as high school students from Corona Del Mar, Newport Beach, and Santa Ana to learn about the stock market by being part of a competing stock trading team.

Vince Shorb, founder of the National Youth Financial Educators Council and a Junior Achievement Board of Directors member, states “With the recent volatility of our financial markets it is vitally important that today’s youth are empowered with a deeper understanding of how the stock market operates.”

Major supporters of JA’s Stock Market Challenge are Wescom Credit Union – Presenting Sponsor, Wells Fargo – Opening Bell Sponsor, 3M – Closing Bell Sponsor, Comerica – Dinner Sponsor, Sam’s Club – Media Sponsor, Grant Thornton, LLP – Marketing Sponsor, and Best Buy – Prize Sponsor. Some of the participating companies are: Citizen Business Bank, Deloitte & Touche, LLP, Irwin Union Bank, Mendoza Berger & Company LLP, Mullin TBG, Orange County Board of Education, ClearLight Partners, LLC, US Bank, and Washington Mutual, Bank of the West and Ross Equipment and Process Solutions Co.

JA Worldwide is the world’s largest organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. For more information on Junior Achievement programs contact Christine Shewbridge, President of JA of Orange County at (949) 515-1998. http://orangecounty.ja.org

The National Youth Financial Educators Council empowers today’s youth with real world financial education and entrepreneurship skills through edu-tainment products and events that are designed specifically for young adults. http://www.NYFEC.org

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Dubai International Capital has appointed David Smoot as Managing Director of DIC private equity

Dubai International Capital LLC, the international investment arm of Dubai Holding, announced that it has appointed David Smoot as Managing Director of Private Equity. David will be based in Dubai and report to Sylvain Denis, Chief Executive Officer of DIC Private Equity.

David, aged 38, joins Dubai International Capital from Morgan Stanley Private Equity, where he was a member of the investment committee who led portfolio investments and helped to build a 35-person team located in New York and London. Key transactions include the acquisition of Tops Markets from Royal Ahold and the firm’s co-investment with JLL Partners in the acquisition of McKechnie Aerospace.

David has a 14-year track record in investment banking and private equity, of which 11 years were spent with Morgan Stanley. Before co founding the Private Equity Group he was Managing Director of Financial Sponsors at Morgan Stanley, where he advised clients including Bain Capital, Blackstone, First Reserve and Warburg Pincus on M&A, IPOs, debt and equity financings. Before joining Morgan Stanley, David spent three years at Salomon Brothers where he specialised in energy and chemicals investment banking.

Sylvain Denis, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai International Capital Private Equity said, “David has exceptional experience and relationships in the private equity field as well as expertise in building a best-in- class team. I look forward to working with him on the development of our growth strategy for DIC’s business in North America.”

David Smoot, Managing Director, DIC Private Equity commented, “Since its launch in 2004, DIC has made outstanding progress in building a profitable business that manages combined assets in excess of $12 billion. DIC’s Private Equity division has established a strong reputation as a specialist in European secondary buyouts and I look forward to working with Sylvain to expand the portfolio in North America.”

David Smoot’s appointment as the managing director of DIC private equity comes shortly after DIC and its CEO, Sameer Al Ansari, was named MENA Private Equity Firm of the Year in the 6th annual Awards for Excellence in Private Equity Europe 2008, organised by Dow Jones Private Equity News.

About Dubai International Capital:
Established in 2004, DIC is an international investment company focused on both private equity and public equity, with its current CEO being Sameer Al Ansari. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Dubai Holding, DIC manages an international portfolio of diverse assets that provide its stakeholders with value growth, diversification, and strategic investments. Assets under management total over US$12 billion.

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The Latest Joslin Rowe Research Shows Investment Management Firms Resist Credit Crunch And Continue To Recruit

According to new research from Joslin Rowe, a City recruitment consultancy, whilst the investment banking sector has been hit hard by the credit crunch, investment management firms have suffered less from market volatility.

The figures from the latest Joslin Rowe research shows that despite the difficult financial climate, there are still a number of pockets of hiring, particularly within performance analysis jobs.

“There’s been a real surge in performance measurement jobs and there just aren’t enough job seekers in the market to satisfy demand”, commented Ms Jalpa Chandarana, manager of the Joslin Rowe investment management job recruitment division, “For every 10 performance analysis jobs on the market, there are just 2 candidates.”

According to the research, the demand for performance analysts is having a positive impact on the length of the recruitment process, salaries on offer and progression opportunities. The premium for a performance analyst to move jobs is, on average, at least £5,000 more which is exceptionally competitive.

Ms Chandarana explained, “This is a big rise. Most employers in other sectors just can’t offer this and even within the investment management world, which is doing comparatively well, there still needs to be some caution – so salaries are remaining steady. So it’s clear just how in demand candidates are for performance analysis jobs, if this is the increase on offer.”

Hiring time is also much faster across performance analysis jobs than within other finance jobs and investment management roles at around 2-3 weeks rather than 4-5 weeks. Investment managers are also keen to tempt new jobs seekers to their firms with better than usual career progression prospects – particularly moves from performance analysis into more front office positions.

“Moving from a performance analysis job to the front office is usually very tricky. Investment managers realise this so are trying to build clearer progression plans between the two areas to tempt people on board”, Chandarana confirmed.

Another area feeling the benefits of increased demand across the investment management industry are business analysis contractor roles. The position of investment management firms in the overall financial services space means it’s an attractive proposition for contractors.

James Guttridge, the head of Joslin Rowe’s interim recruitment offering, explained,“The asset management and global custody clients are a lot busier than banks. Any interim jobs coming in from the banking community are generally project related, whereby the client is conducting preparatory analysis of existing processes or systems to determine whether a project should go ahead – or they have already committed to implementing a new system, and the position is focused on the planning, delivery and post-implementation phases of that new system.”

According to Joslin Rowe, the difference on the investment management side, is that whilst many contractor jobs are again project implementation related, business analyst contractor jobs have also come in that focus more on market research and product development.

“Where organisations are looking to use this time to stabilise and maintain their assets under management, they also see this as a good time to find seek out market opportunities for the future,” explained Guttridge, “Put simply, business analyst contractors and project managers are really in demand.”

About Joslin Rowe
Established in 1982, Joslin Rowe is one of the leading UK banking jobs and financial services recruitment firms and a Randstad company. In 2008, the company won the UK Recruiter award for “Best Secretarial Recruitment Agency”

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The Number Of Compensation Analyst And Compensation Manager Jobs Increase As Banks Rush To Revamp Remuneration Plans

According to new research from City HR recruitment consultancy Joslin Rowe, while August may have been a damp squib weather wise, in the HR jobs market recruitment activity has been boiling over.

The latest figures show that demand for good HR professionals, especially for compensation and benefit jobs has actually increased – despite the credit crunch and the usual seasonal summer slowdown.

Daniel Cooper, senior consultant with Joslin Rowe, reflected, “The ongoing banking crisis is actually fuelling the volume of compensation analyst and compensation manager jobs. The current market conditions mean that employers are focusing evermore on their bottom line and staff remuneration is an enormous part of this. Banks need to pull off the tricky balancing act between retaining the best talent but within the most cost-effective reward structures. Put simply, companies are keener than ever to build robust compensation platforms for the future and they know to do that they must hire the very best compensation people in strategic compensation analyst and compensation jobs to do this.”

The Joslin Rowe data shows financial services firms are willing to pay a premium to secure the best compensation professionals at all levels of recruitment for current finance jobs – from analyst to strategic manager jobs.

“Recently, we assisted a compensation analyst on £40,000 to move employers for a new starting salary of £55,000. A 38% pay increase is phenomenal at the best of times – but the fact that it’s happened now in what continues to be a challenging environment shows just how in demand these skills are”, said Cooper.

This demand is filtering into a much faster recruitment process, according to the research. Joslin Rowe found that the average time to hire, which is defined as the period from vacancy notification to when someone completes their notice period and starts in that new role, is running at around 2 weeks less for compensation & benefit jobs. That’s an average recruitment process time of 6 weeks in comparison to 8 weeks for the rest of the HR jobs recruitment market – and it may become faster.

However the clock may be ticking. Currently the banks are desperate to get people on board now so that they can start looking at the 2009/10 budget period. As soon as a new compensation analyst CV appears, the banking jobs interview requests flood in.

Cooper concluded, “For good people with a great compensation & HR background, a solid CV and experience of making improvements to share schemes and benefit plans, there are no end of options. The compensation analyst jobs and compensation manager roles on offer are very strategic – after all most companies know they need to act now to make a real difference to business performance”.

About Joslin Rowe
Established in 1982, Joslin Rowe is one of the leading UK financial services recruitment firms in the UK. Joslin Rowe consultants, candidates and clients work together to achieve the best employment opportunities and long term relationships. Joslin Rowe recruits for jobs across London, Edinburgh and Glasgow including long-term contracts, temporary and permanent roles. Joslin Rowe is a Randstad company – the second largest HR services group globally.

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