Saturday 16 May 2009

The Recession is Dead...Long Live the Recession

There has been a virtual tsunami of content lashing every medium known to mankind elucidating on why we got here in retrospective magnificence. Nobel laureates, industrialists and even social workers are in the company of laid off millionaire junk bond dealers elucidating on black swans and the death of capitalism (and banking) as we know it. There is also the trickle of hope that creeps its way through the swamp of pessimism in the shadow of the recent global enthusiasm in the stock markets.

The irony of the situation lies in the fact that yet again optimism breeds on the same speculative phenomenon of clearly irrational stock markets which have wiped off trillions within 18 months, but have displayed an irrational exuberance over the last 90 days. This rather feels like the case of the battered wife that files a complaint and then returns to the husband to seek emotional support.

The Internet boom (&bust), the dizzying reality valuation explosion and stock market benevolence have bred a generation of global professionals that have set very high growth rate benchmarks for wealth creation in their professional and personal realms. With decades of personal savings having been wiped off, most retail investors find themselves out in the cold.

With corporates facing liquidation or bankcruptcy, nations on the brink of insolvency and banks witnessing capital and reputation inadequacy, the notions and vanguards of trust are seeking true champions.

Entrepreneurial zest, intellectual brilliance, ingenious rural & urban economic ecosystems would find it difficult to navigate in the current sea of mistrust. Derivatives, junk bonds, swaps, market linked insurance products have been sold to hapless corporates and consumers alike. In this backdrop, the largest and most pertinent need that arises is for a suite of services that can provide unbiased advise on capital/wealth protection and growth.

A stimulating dialogue with a young organization earlier today has further reinforced my belief in the need for financial advisory services that are driven only by the client interests and not by the commission and incentive structure of the manufacturers (of bonds, mutual funds, insurance companies etc.). The future lies in independent, trained and certified advisors that would recommend a savings mix to retail individuals which truly address the individuals' risk appetite and hygiene wealth requirements.

Tuesday 27 January 2009

Slumdog Millionaire and Global Risk ...

Was fortunate enough to see Slumdog Millionaire last week. Am a die hard romantic and as a Bombaite (or should I say Mumbaikar) at heart, there is a deep bond with the spirit of that city. The city has been witness to millions of stories of determination and grit in the face of adversity.

The concept of a child swimming through human faeces and yet coming out all charged up, may feel revolting, but such is the state of the global economy right now!....Well ,that's the feeling one gets as you browse through the Global Risk '09 report published by the World Economic Forum. F

inding the glimmer of hope through the maze of risks portrayed across slowdowns in developed and developing economies, deceleration or even drop in infrastructure investments etc., is going to be quite a task!

A concise and well written report, makes for a rather decent read....

To access the report Click Here

Saturday 17 January 2009

The Future is Bright...The Future is Here...

My first blog post in over 3 months had to be something remarkably refreshing...which perhaps kept me out of action this long.

Barclays has launched a 8,000 sq ft state of the art bank branch in Piccadilly, London, quite recently. Serving their high net worth as well as local business clients, the truly high tech branch breaks new ground as it
is sprinkled with a host of high tech gadgetry including Microsoft surface.

Click here to read more about it....

In these times of recession and gloom, truly great brands and organisations would seek to innovate and revitalise their customer relationships. Touche to Barclays!