By Andrei Skvarsky. About 400,000 Russians have finished or are currently taking five-month free online business courses for small enterprises and would-be entrepreneurs that are co-run and co-sponsored by Russia’s biggest lender Sberbank and Google. Continue Reading
US crypto bourse Paxful tells Kenyans bitcoin trade can make them richer
By Andrei Skvarsky. Bitcoin trading is one way to narrow down the big gulf between the rich and poor in Kenya, according to Paxful, a US-based cryptocurrency exchange startup that is working to include the East African country in its geography. Continue Reading
EXCLUSIVE: Heeding public, ethical concerns in investing eventually means good returns – Alquity director
By Andrei Skvarsky. An investment strategy where environmental, social and fair governance concerns are key factors could mean less money for an investor in the short term but can produce “attractive” returns in the long run, according to a top executive in London-based asset manager Alquity. Continue Reading
Moody’s, Fitch, S&P, bulge bracket banks to take part in CLO forum in California
Rating agencies Moody’s, Fitch and S&P and several bulge bracket banks will take part in the CLO Summit in Dana Point, California, on November 28-30, an educational conference on collateralised loan obligations for investors, issuers, underwriters, rating agencies, lawyers, and accountants. Continue Reading
California forum on marketplace lending, alternative financing to address wide range of issues
Subjects ranging from real estate opportunities to the use of blockchain and artificial intelligence in financial services will be raised at the Marketplace Lending & Alternative Financing Summit in Dana Point, California, on November 28-30. Continue Reading
GUEST POST: Emerging markets in South Africa
By staff at IQ Option Magazine. The South African market is one of the major emerging markets in the African region with only two more participants – Morocco and Egypt. Drained by the apartheid policies in the mid-20th century, the government managed to restore trade relations under the presidency of Nelson Mandela. However, this was not … Continue Reading
GUEST POST: Best ETFs for emerging markets
By staff at Forex Trading in South Africa. Being a marketable security, an Exchange-Traded Fund or ETF tracks a commodity, a stock index, bonds as well as assets. The price of an ETF’s shares is more likely to change as they are bought or sold throughout the day. The ETFs have underlying assets like oil … Continue Reading
PDM makes refinancing loan to French software firm
By Andrei Skvarsky. London-based debt investor Permira Debt Managers (PDM) is currently making a debt refinancing loan to DL Software, a French software publisher for small and medium-sized businesses. Continue Reading
Sberbank parting company with head of retail
Andrei Skvarsky. Sberbank deputy CEO Alexander Torbakhov, who oversees the retail business of Russia’s largest banking group, is stepping down and will be replaced by Svetlana Kirsanova, who today heads the lender’s acquiring and bank cards division, the bank has announced. Continue Reading
Sberbank to study blockchain more before adopting it – CEO
By Andrei Skvarsky. Sberbank, Russia’s biggest lender, is researching blockchain technology but still does not use it in practice, CEO Herman Gref said this week. Continue Reading
Fintech provider PrimeXM appoints new head of global sales
By Andrei Skvarsky. PrimeXM, a financial technology provider with world-scale business, has announced it has appointed Andreas Charalambous as head of global sales. Continue Reading
Arab development bank acquires stake in African multilateral lender
By Andrei Skvarsky. The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), an institution owned by 18 Arab countries, has acquired a stake in the multinational Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB). Continue Reading
Deals worth billions of dollars made during 53-nation Africa Investment Forum
By Andrei Skvarsky. Billions of dollars’ worth of deals were clinched during Africa Investment Forum, an event in Johannesburg on November 7-9 that brought together more than 1,000 people from 53 countries, including 23 non-African states, African Development Bank (AfDB) said. Continue Reading
Brock Pierce to be among 60 speakers at 4-day blockchain forum in Hollywood in December
High-profile cryptocurrency entrepreneur Brock Pierce will be the keynote speaker at the planned BWC South blockchain educational conference in Hollywood on December 2-5, which will hear about 60 other speakers and have a range of networking and entertainment activities on its programme. Continue Reading
Sberbank, S. Korea’s Hyosung set up R&D centre to create ‘next-generation ATM’
By Andrei Skvarsky. Russia’s biggest lender Sberbank and South Korean industrial conglomerate Hyosung have set up a research and development centre in Russia to modernise Sberbank’s network of cash recycling ATMs, machines that can take deposits as well as dispense cash. Continue Reading
Sberbank hires ex-Deutsche Bank analyst as global head of investment research
By Andrei Skvarsky. Sberbank, Russia’s biggest lender, has hired former high-ranking Deutsche Bank analyst Yaroslav Lisovolik as global head of investment research. Continue Reading
Two lawyers with financial sector experience join intl law firm Winston & Strawn
By Andrei Skvarsky. U.S.-based international law firm Winston & Strawn has announced two high-profile hires, recruiting two lawyers specialising in financial services as well as other industries. Continue Reading
World Blockchain Forum in New York to bring together over 150 firms
More than 150 companies are going to take part in the 4th World Blockchain Forum (WBF), a conference in New York on November 8-9, 2018, that will take up issues such as blockchain finance, cryptocurrencies and token economics. Continue Reading
Credit Suisse, J.P. Morgan, Merrill Lynch, UBS, RenCap, Sova, Wood organising IPO for Belarus grocery chain
By Andrei Skvarsky. Credit Suisse and J.P. Morgan Securities are acting as joint global coordinators for a planned initial public offering of shares (IPO) next month by Eurotorg, the largest grocery retailer in Belarus. Continue Reading
Sberbank gives senior job in corporate and investment unit to regional manager
By Andrei Skvarsky. Sberbank, Russia’s biggest lender, has promoted one of its top regional managers to co-manager of its corporate and investment business. Continue Reading
Crypto exchange Paxful hails bitcoin popularity in Kenya
By Andrei Skvarsky. Paxful, a US-based peer-to-peer cryptocurrency exchange, has hailed the wide-scale use of bitcoin in Kenya, which is one of the world’s top countries in terms of amounts of bitcoin holdings. Continue Reading
London’s Connected Claims Europe forum expected to answer key questions re insurtech
The leitmotif of the Insurance AI and Analytics Europe conference in London on October 9-10, insurtech will be very much in the spotlight during Connected Claims Europe, a conference in London on October 29-30 that will mostly bring together C-level and other senior executives. Continue Reading
PDM provides Trilantic Europe with loan for buying out talent management firm
By Andrei Skvarsky. Debt investor Permira Debt Managers (PDM) has provided private equity firm Trilantic Europe with a loan for the acquisition of YM&U, a talent management company that was formerly called James Grant Group but was renamed during a rebranding simultaneous with the buyout. Continue Reading
Richard Bartlett goes as head of sales at PrimeXM financial technology provider
By Andrei Skvarsky. PrimeXM, a financial technology provider for businesses across the world, has parted company with head of sales Richard Bartlett. Continue Reading
Sberbank launches Russia’s first ETF
By Andrei Skvarsky. Sberbank, the biggest Russian lender, has launched the first Russian exchange-traded fund with the ETF beginning to trade on Moscow Exchange on September 17, the bank and exchange have announced. Continue Reading
Russian startup among MIT-based accelerator’s selectees for course
By Andrei Skvarsky. Button Blockchain Technologies, a Russian-staffed but US-domiciled startup developing a cryptocurrency wallet for retail users and corporate blockchain solutions, was among firms selected by an accelerator based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a class that ran last month. Continue Reading
Sberbank joined by Silicon Valley accelerator to look for promising Russian startups
By Andrei Skvarsky. Silicon Valley-based accelerator 500 Startups has joined Russia’s biggest lender Sberbank in a programme to finance and promote Russian tech startups. Continue Reading
Renaissance Capital hires debt capital banker from Standard Chartered
By Andrei Skvarsky. Renaissance Capital, a Russian investment bank specialising in emerging and frontier markets, has hired Samuel Sule from Standard Chartered Bank for a London-based job as a director in the debt capital markets (DCM) division. Continue Reading
Permira provides loan to support Inflexion/Bollington Wilson union
By Andrei Skvarsky. London-based private debt company Permira Debt Managers (PDM) has acted as the sole senior secured lender to support partnership between two British companies, private equity firm Inflexion and insurance broker Bollington Wilson, which was bought out by Inflexion several months ago. Continue Reading