The feeding frenzy surrounding ABN AMRO is a harbinger for a restructuring of the entire Netherlands’ banking sector. Nick Kochan explains.

More than a year after the Giovannini Group’s original deadline for removal of all 15 barriers to the creation of an integrated clearing and settlement system for European securities trades, only one barrier has been fully removed. 

Risk management in financial institutions should take a single view of risk and return, rather than be fragmented across the organisation. This was the topic of a round table hosted by The Banker in New York last month, and summarised here by Michael Imeson.

In the current market environment, not every bank chief executive feels relaxed talking to the press unless it is part of a public relations strategy to calm frayed nerves among investors. But Stan O’Neal, chairman and CEO of Merrill Lynch, was happy to talk to The Banker’s editor Brian Caplen about the volatility in the markets and the firm’s longer-term strategic positioning as well as social issues arising from globalisation, such as inequality.

Roustam Tariko, owner and founder of Russian Standard Bank (and Vodka), tells Karina Robinson of plans to tailor his banking model to current realities.

The European Commission could be just one major event away from toughening its stance on financial regulation, says Robert McLeod.

The EU directive on retail investment funds is being revised – yet again – but the proposals are flawed.

Thierry Van Santen of the risk management association FERMA talks to Nicholas Pratt about the rise of the chief risk officer and the interaction between financial and operational risk managers.

As the world of banking changes, risk management must keep pace, and research and risk analysis are becoming increasingly important and complex. Heather McKenzie reports on Moody’s approach to risk ratings.

Financial firms need to establish a single view of risk and return in their organisations, a view aligned with business needs, that meets external requirements, and that is positioned to create value.