David Hodgkinson, group chief operating officer at HSBC, talks about the credit crisis, and how the banking industry is likely to change going forward.

The sale of British Energy, once part-nationalised as it was considered too important to fail, should pay dividends for the British government. NM Rothschild, the team which advised on the deal, explains how it pulled off such a coup. Writer Edward Russell-Walling.

Even before the dust has settled after the biggest banking blow up in 80 years, the first signs of what a post-crisis world will look like are starting to emerge. The winners in banking will be those that recognise the changes first and work out to how to position themselves correctly.

Technology can help banks improve business processes and, in turn, prepare them for the many future challenges.

With prompt corrective action procedures in place, banks would be made to recapitalise themselves at a far earlier stage.

If the market meets standards of best practice, there is less need for the authorities to impose draconian new regulations.

Current WTO negotiations are encouraging a negative trend towards bilateralism and regionalism.

The environmental challenges we face should not cost us money but should help make us money.

Staving off food riots means governments must end their love of peasant agriculture, accept GM and stop growing bio-fuels.

Russian federal government finances have never looked healthier, but rising inflation, growing regional divides and the fallout from the conflict in Georgia mean finance minister Alexei Kudrin still has his work cut out.