Cybercriminals targets the financial industry 300 times more frequently than any other industry, resulting in mega breaches and millions of records stolen through hacktivism, malware, social engineering, phishing, and other applications. The harsh consequences of remaining vulnerable to cybersecurity breaches are costly, and the number one threat to cybersecurity is the uninformed employee. As cybercrime becomes commonplace, it’s essential to learn about the current cybersecurity landscape, the tools a financial firm needs, and best practices for keeping your firm protected.
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An unprecedented cyber theft transpired earlier this year, one as daring as it is revelatory. When unknown thieves siphoned $81 million from the Bangladesh central bank, by using the SWIFT system to trick the U.S. Federal Reserve into turning over the money, the criminals showed that hackers can exploit virtually every aspect of the global financial system. Ramifications for registered investment advisors and broker-dealers should be obvious. If some of the biggest financial entities in the world can find themselves involved in cyber breaches, so can your firm.
During the past year, financial institutions of all kinds have experienced repercussions from cybersecurity gaps. The alarming truth is that many broker-dealers have failed to stay up to date with cybersecurity controls and must swiftly get in compliance with all computer-related rules that the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) enforces or risk disciplinary action.
The wealth management industry is seeing a wave of mergers and acquisitions (M&A). From the buyer’s perspective, the biggest question when pursuing M&A is whether the target firm is worth the asking price. From the seller’s perspective, the biggest question is whether the bidder is the best match. Although this difference of perspective creates natural tension in any deal, technology can alleviate more of it than one might think.
In a referendum held on June 23, 2016, the United Kingdom (UK) voted to leave the European Union (EU). For risk professionals, many of the key issues that affect them will be decided during the negotiations over the coming years that will determine the UK’s new relationship with the EU. However, firms need to begin assessing which areas of their business could be affected and begin having discussions with their insurers and risk advisers. For insurers, this vote could also have significant implications.
After months of fierce debate and a policymaking hiatus, the United Kingdom (UK) electorate has voted in favour of leaving the European Union (EU). While the broad direction is set, companies will still face considerable uncertainty until the UK’s exit strategy is defined and trade negotiations (including the trans-border movement of people) with the EU and other countries are completed.
For family offices of all profiles—large and small, established and brand new—there are dozens of technology solutions available. In the first of the Family Office Series report, the focus is on technology, a topic that some families find daunting and neglect at their own risk. To simplify the landscape, the report identifies key reasons why family offices may need technology solutions and offer a review of the leading platforms and solution-providers currently available.
After one of the longest, most volatile and arguably most contentious presidential campaigns in modern American history, Donald Trump has emerged as the president-elect and will be the 45th President of the United States of America. As the immediate shock of the result subsides, the country will begin to sort-out the implications of the election over the coming days. What can you expect moving forward?
Bill Cullo, Jackson Dunn, Kristy Pultorak, and Tom Crawford from the U.S. Public Affairs and Government Relations Team take a closer look at the 2016 U.S. election and provide an analysis on the exit polls and the key takeaways.
We expect the markets’ knee-jerk reaction to sell gold post a Trump victory will reverse with the bottoming process beginning this week. Framed around the well documented bearish arguments of Stan Druckenmiller on gold last week, there are reasons why gold will be more important as the generational bond bull market now closes. As investors begin to look for portfolio diversification and wealth preservation in the new rising rate cycle, gold’s uncorrelated liquid returns will have increasing appeal, particularly with foreign investors hurt by dollar strength.