Latest articles from Nick Kochan

Western model with an Islamic heart

August 7, 2006

Patience and hard work is beginning to pay off for the founder and CEO of Unicorn Investment Bank, Majid Al Sayed Bader Al-Refai. Nick Kochan reports.

Palestine out in the cold

July 3, 2006

Following the election of a Hamas government, the Palestine Authority has been isolated by the international financial community. Nick Kochan reports on the impact.

Confidence drives upturn

July 3, 2006

Egypt’s minister of finance Youssef Boutros-Ghali tells Nick Kochan that the economy is ripe for investment.

Egypt runs with the bulls

July 3, 2006

With reformers at the helm of a buoyant economy, Egypt is instilling confidence in rating agencies and markets with its new commercial spirit and changes in taxation, and banks are reaping the benefits. Nick Kochan reports from Sharm el Sheikh.

Invitation to the tri-party

June 5, 2006

Tri-party collateral management can be useful for gaining systematic efficiency and cost saving in the stock lending process, and can add value to both parties’ portfolios, but implementation is not straightforward. Nick Kochan reports.

Pernickety investors

May 2, 2006

Boom time in the Middle East does not translate into an easy ride for fund managers, says Nick Kochan.

Pressure mounts to reduce credit derivative risk

April 3, 2006

The backlog in clearing and settlement of credit derivative trades and the increased risk of confirmation failure is leading to pressure on firms to tighten up procedures. Banks that do not pay due attention to operational risk management issues could wind up in difficulty, says Nick Kochan.

Moving beyond domestic bliss

February 6, 2006

Georges Pauget, CEO of Crédit Agricole, and Gilles de Margerie, the French bank’s CFO and head of strategy, speak to Brian Caplen and Nick Kochan about their designs for a more international and diversified group.

UBS adds gleam to GECC’s golden touch

November 7, 2005

When triple A rated GECC decided to issue a 32-year subordinated note, it chose UBS to ensure the success of this groundbreaking deal. Nick Kochan reports.

How the Group of Eight ousted Purcell

August 1, 2005

Through a ruthless public relations campaign, eight dissidents brought about Phil Purcell’s exit from the CEO post at Morgan Stanley. Nick Kochan looks at how and why they did it and asks if this sets a precedent in corporate governance.

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