Thurrock Council take on challenge of credit fraud rocketing in borough

THURROCK Council staff were out speaking to residents last week as part of the ‘National Fraud Prevention Week’ across three areas; Thurrock, Castle Point and Southend. Cllr Shane Hebb, the Cabinet member whose portfolio includes tackling fraud, claims the increase ‘is a testament to the team delivering good results’ and ‘residents becoming more astute and reporting illegal practices’.

“The fraud team, by definition, has to work covertly in much of what it does. Awareness weeks such as this give us some space to acknowledge the good work the team does, but also to encourage more people to come forward when they spot something that isn’t right. “There are several types of fraud and economic crime that can affect council services. The council is committed to taking action against anybody who tries to defraud the public purse.”

Some examples of the fraud the council investigates includes: housing benefit, housing tenancy, council tax, business rates, blue badge for disabled parking, social care, insurance, money laundering and council employee and contractor fraud, bribery or corruption. Cllr Hebb added: “It is disappointing we have to employ a team of people – an excellent team of people to combat those who are trying to steal from the public purse. That said, the team is doing something right as we’ve been approached by other agencies and councils to carry out investigations on their behalf.

“With a successful prosecution, the investigating agency is awarded a financial incentive through the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), which means the service is actually financially self-sustainable. “But, we do need the help of residents – if you think you know of suspect practices, you can report it anonymously for the team to look into. If you suspect it, report it.”

Mercury Capital Advisors Co-Investments

Deal Management Team Will:

•   Jumpstart the fundraising process by syndicating company or asset-specific co-investments to new LPs either as part of a fundraising or prior to a fund launch

•   Syndicate co-investments to initiate LP relationships in advance of a fundraising for GPs between fundraisings or prior to launching a first fund

•   Place direct investments by private investors in companies or assets

•   Source capital for company-specific growth or acquisitions

•   Identify real estate joint venture capital

SC Advisors Land swap and purchase

For many years, the Caruso Family had generously leased the land to the City of Orlando for use as a park, known as Constitution Green, for one dollar per year. The family retained all of its ownership rights to sell or otherwise dispose of the property at any time in the future.

Dramatically increasing property values in the area led the Caruso family to consider an offer of over $7 million in late 2014 from a developer proposing multi-family housing on the site. As the possible sale became public knowledge during the zoning process, an outcry arose from the surrounding community to preserve the land as a park. Both the City of Orlando and the Caruso family were seeking a way to preserve the park while allowing the family to realize the proceeds from a sale to which they were entitled.

The Caruso family engaged SC Advisors to seek a solution and to represent them in any resulting negotiations regarding the parcel. The solution was a property exchange between the Caruso family and the City. The City took possession of the Constitution Green Park and the Caruso family received marketable property and monetary compensation from the City. SC Advisors helped orchestrate this win/win solution which was finalized in September of 2015 and closed in January 2016.

Tokyo MK Taxi Group Airport Transfer

MK gives you comfort at first sight! Offering the most pleasant airport-city transfer at a trustworthy complete flat rate.

MK's drivers arrive 30 minutes prior to the meeting time. Once the arrival sign of the flight information is turned on, the driver stands in an appropriate manner, holding a board with the client's name at the front of the gate. The driver is closely liaised with call center, that enables them to provide better service to the clients, and makes them feel comfortable. MK's proud service starts from this name board greeting service.

Reservation

From Korea, Seoul MK Call center (24hours 7days) TEL 82(02)6242-5400

From Japan, You can use a local call rate even from anywhere in Japan. TEL 050-3786-5547

Please contact Email address. (This is the Email address of the reservation only.) info@mktaxikorea.com

CRIB Advisors List of mentors

Alexis Horowitz Burdick
Luxola

Anastasia Ling
Quintessentially Group

Cynthia Chua
Spa Esprit Group

Deepa Pasumarty
Standard Chartered

Aude de Rotalier
Ubisoft Singapore

Ernestine Fu
Alsop Louie Partners

Roshni Mahtani
Tickled Media,
Female Founders Network

Elim Chew
77th Street

Farah Bashir
Freelance Business Consultant

Gina Romero
Athena Network

John Tan
Controlled Commodity

Nadine McCarthy
Stone & Strand

Sharon Vosmek
Astia

Grace Clapham
The Change School,
Secret Women

John Kim
Venture Capitalist

Loh Lik Peng
Unlisted Collection

Roger Egan
Redmart

Sharon Wong
Motherswork

So-Young Kang
Awaken Group

Mouna Aouri
Woomentum

Choo Yilin
Choo Yilin Fine Jewellery

Teo Jia En
Roomorama

Trina Liang Lin
UN Women

Wee Teng Wen
Lo and Behold Group

Soo Boon Koh
iGlobe Partners

Tan Su Shan
DBS Bank

Sabrina Tan
Skin, Inc.

Rachel Lim
Love, Bonito

Mercury iFunds Board of Advisors

ROY ZUCKERBERG
Chairman
Mercury iFunds Board of Advisors
Former Vice Chairman
GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP

DAVE BARRETT
Managing Director
FORT MANAGEMENT, LP

RONALD BLAYLOCK
Founder and Managing Partner
GENNx360

HENRY BREGSTEIN
Global Co-Chair of Financial Services
KATTEN MUCHIN ROSENMAN LLP

JOHN CADEDDU
Managing Director and Partner
DAG VENTURES

MICHAEL D. FASCITELLI
Managing Partner and Co-Founder
THE IMPERIAL COMPANIES
Former CEO
VORNADO REALTY TRUST

ROBERT M. FELL
Co-Founder and Former CEO
PRICELOCK, INC.

GAIL MACKINNON
Former Executive Vice President
TIME WARNER CABLE

ANDREW WHITE
Founder
BROOKLAWN INVESTMENT PARTNERS

SC Advisors on future development strategies

SC Advisors has been retained by Dr. Phillips Charities (DPC) to help create future development strategies. One of Central Florida’s largest landowners and most generous benefactors, DPC hopes to increase returns from their holdings. Strong income production is a high priority since it is the source of funds for DPC’s charitable initiatives. SCA will help determine the properties with the best potential for further development as well as the products that would work best on those properties.

“Since all profits from Dr. Phillips’ business activities are used for philanthropic purposes, SC Advisors is privileged to support a 100-year tradition of stewardship, community leadership, and service to the Central Florida community,” said Jay Berlinsky, founder and owner of SC Advisors.

Bricon Associates Commercial Insurance in Singapore

All the business owners out there should pay special attention towards commercial insurance. Managing a business cannot be considered as an easy thing to do. If you want to keep peace of mind while managing your business, you can think of spending money in order to purchase a commercial insurance. Both amateur as well as seasoned businessmen should think about it.

Commercial insurance is specifically been designed in order to insure all sorts of business risks. It not only includes the physical objects that belong to the business. In other words, the financial belongings of a business are also being covered through a commercial insurance policy. This will assist the business owners to explore new ventures without worrying too much about the risk. However, it is important for the business owners to go through the policy carefully and check whether it meets their specific requirements or not. Otherwise, they will not be able to get required assistance during an unexpected situation.

The main thing that commercial insurance covers is property damage and asset loss through issues such as vandalism and if workers go on strike. You can also claim insurance to cover liability costs that comes when an accident happens or someone sues your company. Motor, business and accident are what commercial insurance covers. At Bricon Associates Singapore, we have the best solutions for you at the best rates.

Mercury Capital Advisors areas of expertise

As a full service placement agent, Mercury Capital Advisors provides each client with a customized and highly coordinated approach to the fundraising process

Deal Management team will:

•   Develop and implement a targeted marketing strategy tailored to the unique needs of each GP with focus on suitable LPs
•   Assist or advise in the preparation of marketing materials including flipbook, due diligence materials and PPM
•   Profile prospective investors with GP prior to meeting
•   Collaborate in the management of responses to DDQ requests
•   Manage all aspects of the roadshow including optimizing travel and meeting logistics to ensure an efficient and effective process

SC Advisors Real Estate acquisition and disposition

We deliver the highest levels of integrated planning and services for purchase and sale transactions for land and all commercial investment asset classes. Specific services include:

•   Property Selection
•   Listing Contract Negotiations
•   PSA Content Negotiations
•   Due Diligence, including Market Feasibility, Pricing, Operating Performance, and Financial Return Modeling and Analysis
•   Capex Evaluation

Bricon Associates Insurance Services

As a Medical Insurance Consultancy with an extensive knowledge of insurance products, we are in the best position to offer sound advice to our clients. Bricon Associates offers a full suite of customised insurance solutions and services, working closely with each client to craft an insurance cover that effectively matches their needs.

Our philosophy is simple. When we know you better, we understand your motivations and are able to offer you reliable advice on procuring the best possible coverage based on your needs, at the lowest premium.

Services We offer:

General Insurance
Health Insurance
Group Health Insurance

SC Advisors Real Estate Development

We guide our public and private clients through every state of the development process from first idea to project completion.

Pre-Development

•   Market Feasibility
•   Site Selection
•   Entitlement and Zoning
•   Planning and Design Development
•   Financial Pro-forma Creation and Analysis

Transaction Management

•   Capital Sourcing and Structuring
•   Senior and Mezzanine Debt
•   Institutional Equity
•   Joint Venture/Partnerships
•   Lease Negotiation
•   Tenant Leases
•   Ground Leases

Construction Management

•   Budget and Schedule Oversight
•   Contract Procurement

International Driver Permits

Fastport Passport secures international driving permits within 24 hours for overseas travelers who want to drive a car, truck, or motorcycle legally in a foreign country. This is a companion document to your valid country's driver's license. It is valid for 1 year. This is a vital document when your are on your travels.

In most cases, a driver's license issued in the U.S. won't be recognized abroad. However, if you need to drive for a short-term period, you have options. Many governments accept the international driving permit (IDP), which allows citizens of a foreign country with a valid driver's license to drive while traveling in a foreign country.

Many countries require drivers from other nations to hold an international driving permit to drive within their borders. Showing an IDP in these countries can prevent legal hassles such as fines and bail fees if you are stopped or in an accident and are unable to show proof of your eligibility to drive.

Note that while not all countries require IDPs, you might find it helpful to obtain one anyway. It serves as extremely useful identification because it is translated into 10 languages, so it can prevent communication issues during the process of ID checks. An IDP may also be necessary to rent a car in the country you're visiting.

Senior identity theft

While it might seem like senior citizens have been around the block long enough to know how to recognize and avoid situations that put them at risk for identity theft, unfortunately they are actually becoming a highly targeted group of people.

Here are just a few reasons for reported increases in senior citizen identity theft:

•   Sometimes, seniors especially those in retirement have larger checking and savings accounts than younger people who are still working to pay off car loans, mortgages, and other major financial obligations (such as college debt).

•   Many seniors receive Medicare or Medicaid benefits, which opens the door for identity theft in the medical sector.

•   Generally, seniors don't check their credit reports as often as do younger people, mostly because the main reasons for checking to take out home or auto loans, or to open a new credit card are no longer relevant to many seniors.

•   Some seniors don't stay on top of the latest fraud attempts related to phishing e-mail and websites, or telephone scams, and they might not have many family members to help keep them educated and sort through any problems.

•   Many seniors are reluctant to talk about a potential identity theft problem with their family members because they don't want to appear as though they're not capable of managing their own affairs.

SC Advisors Real Estate: Moss Park

Nearly thirty years ago, Moss Park Properties, LLLP purchased 1,200-plus acres of agricultural land in southeast Orange County to hold for long-term growth. In 2005, when it became clear that the property was situated at the epicenter of one of Central Florida's most promising growth corridors, Medical City, MPP's General Partner retained SC Advisors to position the property for development.

SC Advisors has served as Development Manager for MPP since that time, creating the plan to secure entitlements and coordinate the infrastructure improvements for a Planned Development. This work has included a full interchange off of State Route 417 and a major local connector road network.

In March of 2013, Lennar Homes and MPP completed an acquisition and development contract for 366 acres and the future development of a new master planned community. This $50 million investment will advance the initial phases of the community with more than 2,000 residential units and supporting retail and commercial development.

SC Advisors continues to serve MPP as Broker and Development Advisor for the remaining parcels of the Planned Development.

Recovering from Identity Theft

Identity theft is a nightmare, but there are ways to restore your identity. Know what to do so that no time is wasted saving your credit rating and potential out-of-pocket costs resolving identity theft. Act fast. The sooner you notify the companies you do business with, like your bank and credit card companies, the better. The longer you wait, the more you risk. In some cases you may choose, or the company may suggest, to close your account and open a new one.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) oversees identity theft cases, and provides an Identity Theft Affidavit for you to complete when your identity has been stolen. While a copy of your Identity Theft Affidavit and police report are crucial components, it's best to keep copies of every document you've used to report your identity has been stolen for your Identity Theft Report. This might include everything from IRS correspondence stating a return was filed using your information, to a letter you receive in the mail letting you know a credit card (you didn't apply for) has been approved.

Numerous businesses provide just as many credit-reporting services throughout America; however, because of the number of banks, creditors, and other companies they work with, three of those credit-reporting agencies probably have become the most well known and respected. Even though they're all publicly traded and for-profit companies, each one must comply with regulations set forth by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Aside from providing you with free annual credit reports , you can also use these credit bureaus to put a freeze on your credit and provide fraud alerts.

The credit bureaus can place a credit freeze, or security freeze, which restricts access to your credit report. Credit freezes are useful in stopping current identity theft because they stop access to your credit report. Without that access, ID thieves can't open fraudulent accounts in your name; most creditors simply won't open a new account without seeing your credit report.

Odometer Fraud

When a vehicle is sold or a title is transferred, the law requires written documentation of the total mileage as recorded on the odometer. If the odometer mileage is known to be incorrect for any reason, the seller is required to provide a written statement of this knowledge on the title to the buyer.

Often, odometer fraud is done in conjunction with other crimes in order to make a used vehicle appear to be newer or have less wear than it actually does.

If you think you've been the victim of odometer fraud, you must contact your local law enforcement agency. For large scale investigations, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation can provide assistance. You may help an investigation by reporting a suspicious VIN to the NHTSA Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation at (202) 366-4761.

The NHTSA Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation may help you with general inquiries about odometers and may be able to help you to determine if other legal or law enforcement authorities need to be contacted. Contacting your state motor vehicle department can also help you as each state law, on handling odometer fraud, will vary.

About SC Advisors

Jay Berlinsky is the founder and owner of SC Advisors. Since the late 1980s, he has been a quiet force behind many of Orlando's most prominent development projects. A fifth-generation Central Floridian with over thirty years of real estate development experience, Jay brings a wealth of knowledge, as well as a unique understanding of the Central Florida market, its history and its people. Many of the region's key stakeholders have chosen Jay to guide them through the development of their projects.

His advisory, oversight, and owner's representation roles cover projects and transactions valued in excess of $2 billion and comprise more than three million square feet of office, retail, and public venues. These include four corporate headquarters, the highly acclaimed Amway Center, and the Citrus Bowl Stadium.

He has also successfully navigated the complex regional planning process on behalf of two new master planned communities. He and his team have secured entitlements for 3,000 acres of mixed-use community development including over 5,000 dwelling units and three million square feet of commercial, retail, office and hospitality uses. He credits his role in the early governance of Disney's Town of Celebration as important in the understanding and shaping of great communities.

Coordinating highly complex, large scale, public/private projects is another specialty of Jay and his team. Our community's elected leaders have repeatedly turned to Jay for oversight of landmark public projects. His public service appointment to the Orange County Oversight Committee for the $580 million Phase V expansion of the Orange County Convention Center gave him valuable insight into the management of large scale projects. This experience led to later opportunities to work with community leaders on the $1.6 billion Community Venues Plan, to serve as Developer’s Representative for Amway Center, and his current role as Owner’s Advisor for the City of Orlando on the re-construction of the Florida Citrus Bowl.

New Mothers Support Group: Little Planet Playland

Little Planet is a miniature world for children to engage in imaginative and purposeful pretend play. It features a small, interconnected children’s play area designed to reinforce good social skills in a group play environment through interactive play, hands-on learning experiences and role playing.
​
You can register your interest in attending this event via the NMSG Meetup Group

NMSG Social price will be 15$ per child (U.P. 25$)

.  Please dont forget your socks!

.  There will be no Paediatrician attending this event.

.  Please note, due to the popularity of this venue, we have started a first come / first served system as there is a limit to the number of children/adults permitted at any one time.

.  Meet-up registration does not guarantee you a place at our regular socials

Moss Adams Business Consultants Performance Audits

When more is expected of your organization, lean on an advisor with a proven record and sensitivity to the public service environment in which you operate. Now more than ever, governments and not-for-profits are expected to demonstrate performance levels typically associated with businesses. As a result, boards, councils, and management teams have had to rethink how they operate and provide greater emphasis on continuous improvement, performance metrics, and return on investment.

This makes strengthening performance by enhancing economy, efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency and reducing risk of vital importance to governmental entities and not-for-profits of all sizes and types. One of the key means of doing so is via a performance audit—a thorough examination of your operations, performed in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards, also known as Yellow Book standards.

We’ve earned a 30-year-plus track record of delivering high value to our clients, working with them to collaboratively define an objective assessment tailored to their organization, operations, and community commitments. Indeed, we’ve generally been able to achieve a return on equity of 1:1 or more for our performance audits, and our recommended improvements have saved some of our clients well over $100,000 annually.

The more than 30 professionals at the firm who provide performance audit services draw on best practices to develop solutions that are practical, achievable, and affordable, and we deliver results in a manner sensitive to the public service environment in which you operate.

Moss Adams Business Consultants Audits and Accounting

Achieving reliable financial reports and regulatory compliance. Navigating risks. Streamlining operations. Promoting stakeholder confidence. The benefits of a high-quality internal audit are limitless especially when you secure yours from a firm with deep industry experience, exposure to hundreds of organizations, dedicated professionals, bench strength, and proven methodologies.

Whether you’re looking to establish an internal audit function, attain or maintain compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 (SOX 404) or government contracts, mitigate your risk of fraud, or gain an overall assessment of your internal controls, you can count on Moss Adams for reliable and timely business solutions.

We’ve helped organizations nationwide and across industries to establish internal control structures, create an internal audit function or improve an existing one, and maintain regulatory compliance. We provide ongoing education as regulations and public perceptions change. We are trusted advisors for management and boards. External auditors can be confident in our work and its results. Let Moss Adams be a turnkey solution for your organization.

Moss Adams Business Consultants: Business owner succession

For privately held companies, succession planning is central to the longevity of your business. Whether you plan to sell your company (or otherwise transfer ownership) now or in 20 years, having a plan in place helps you in many ways: Among other things, it can inform lenders who seek assurance of business continuity, provide incentives to key members of management, and structure a future transaction so that the business can fund your retirement without sapping its cash flow.

Yet despite these benefits, many business owners put off planning for succession. After all, there are pressing day-to-day business challenges they feel they need to address. This is understandable, but the absence of a succession plan can put your business at risk.

We can help you navigate a succession plan and discover new and better opportunities to cultivate the future of your business as well as your personal wealth. Regardless of where your company is in its life cycle (start-up, growth, or maturity), we can work with you to customize a comprehensive succession strategy.

Oriental Consultants Limited: Social contribution

Our core business is to help people lead safe and rich lives in Japan and beyond. We are proud that our services, in and of themselves, contribute directly to significant social development.

Many projects in which we have engaged have produced benefits in the form of local security and development. The photos below depict an example from the Maldives in the Indian Ocean. To address the threat of sea level rise, we constructed seawalls as part of an official development assistance project. When the Indian Ocean Tsunami occurred in December 2004, these seawalls shielded the islands from the deadly waves. As a result, there was no deaths in the Maldives. The local residents were very grateful, saying that Japan had defended their islands.

Haws Corporation tempered water care and repair

Here at Haws we are frequently asked if there are any periodic maintenance tips that we can offer for installed products. All Emergency Equipment is required to be activated weekly by ANSI. Purging the standing water out of the lines reduces buildup of stagnate water and helps remove rust from pipes in galvanized units.

In addition, purging helps guarantee that the water supply has not been inadvertently turned off, that there are not any missing or broken parts and most importantly that the units are working properly. Eyewash maintenance is especially important. In most units there is a SP509 inline screen strainer between the eyewash valve and bowl that must be periodically cleaned. The strainer cap must be removed by a 3/8” hex wrench and the screen can then be accessed and cleaned. During the weekly testing it is also crucial to check pathways leading to the unit to make sure there are not any obstructions that would hinder the access and use of the unit.

Drinking Fountains from 2003 to now have a front access 5874 push button valve which has a screen strainer under the cartridge that should be periodically cleaned depending on site conditions. In order to clean the strainer, water must be shut off to the unit and using the spanner wrench that comes with the unit, remove the push button, the inside ring nut and cartridge. The gasket screen should come out with the cartridge and should be cleaned thoroughly.

Water coolers also need periodic cleaning. The fan blows air over the condenser fins, so the condenser should be vacuumed every 6 months to remove lint and dust that builds up (cleaning may be need to occur more often if the unit is in a dirty environment). This is crucial to the proper functioning of the unit, because lint and dirt buildup causes the unit to overheat due to the restricted air flow. This overheating can lead to shortening the life of the unit, and even to damaging the compressor.

Pacific Associates Limited: Recruiting in Tokyo is my life's work

I have been in the recruiting industry in Tokyo since graduating business-school at the end of the '80s. Growing up in Chicago in the '60s and high-school there in the '70s, the thought of moving to California and graduating from U.C. San Diego (Economics) would have seemed a dream. Leaving for London with a duffle-bag on graduation-day and never coming back certainly would have seemed the things of fantasy, but if one follows their heart good things can happen. Thus it was I arrived, in due-course, in Japan in 1985. The opportunities and dignity of the place have kept me here ever since.

The opportunity to help professional (people to whom career is vitally important) find a path to a better life via proactive career building is, in my opinion, an honorable undertaking. That it can be done in the elegant way of Japan, where each placement we do is 'hand-made' after intensive in-person discussion with our candidates and clients has led me to dedicate my life to this work. An important goal of mine has long been to be a master-craftsman in the art of recruiting. To this end I am still meeting candidates and clients to further develop my art.

Fraud Labs Pro Fraud Detection custom country validation

It's easy to start an online business, but it's never an easy task to combat fraud to prevent chargeback or losses. There are many aspects that you need to look into to effectively unveil a fraud order and this couldn't be done manually without a right tool with right features. Here, I would like to share with you on how to flag an order for review for certain countries.

For whatever reason they could be, you can use the custom country validation rule to easily sort the transaction out. You can set the validation rules for the billing country and shipping country.

How to define billing or shipping country list for fraud review

1.   Login to the FraudLabs Pro Merchant Control Panel.

2.   Click on the Rules then click Add Rule.

Cambridge Associates: Risk Allocation Framework

The most recent step in the evolution of portfolio construction practices has been a shift from an asset allocation–centered process to a more comprehensive risk allocation–based process. Cambridge Associates’ Risk Allocation Framework considers multiple dimensions of risk and return trade-offs when building portfolios and evaluates the consequences of risk allocation decisions during normal and stressed markets.

Yet the problem became that several of these more recently introduced “asset classes” actually have common risk factors that cross “asset class” boundaries. Examples include equity risk in distressed securities and natural resources equities, and illiquidity risk in hedge funds and commingled funds particularly in stressed environments. Thus it became increasingly difficult to recognize, without significant analysis, just how much equity risk (for example) might be embedded in a portfolio that owned lots of assets not named “equities.”

To clarify matters, investors increasingly have constructed portfolios on the basis of the role they expected different kinds of investments to play in the portfolio (i.e., role-in-portfolio exposures), even if they still allocated investments to traditional asset classes.

The Risk Allocation Framework takes this evolution a step further by considering not only the role that different investments might play in the portfolio, but how and in what ways such investments contribute to or mitigate various forms of portfolio risk. The framework combines careful attention to risk allocation in the context of the risk sensitivities and limitations of a long-term investment portfolio (LTIP) given its role in the broader organization. Since risk exposures move over time, we monitor risk allocation and performance attribution dynamically.

Cambridge Associates: The Risk Allocation Framework

The most recent step in the evolution of portfolio construction practices has been a shift from an asset allocation–centered process to a more comprehensive risk allocation–based process. Cambridge Associates’ Risk Allocation Framework considers multiple dimensions of risk and return trade-offs when building portfolios and evaluates the consequences of risk allocation decisions during normal and stressed markets.

Yet the problem became that several of these more recently introduced “asset classes” actually have common risk factors that cross “asset class” boundaries. Examples include equity risk in distressed securities and natural resources equities, and illiquidity risk in hedge funds and commingled funds—particularly in stressed environments. Thus it became increasingly difficult to recognize, without significant analysis, just how much equity risk (for example) might be embedded in a portfolio that owned lots of assets not named “equities.”

To clarify matters, investors increasingly have constructed portfolios on the basis of the role they expected different kinds of investments to play in the portfolio (i.e., role-in-portfolio exposures), even if they still allocated investments to traditional asset classes.

The Risk Allocation Framework takes this evolution a step further by considering not only the role that different investments might play in the portfolio, but how and in what ways such investments contribute to or mitigate various forms of portfolio risk. The framework combines careful attention to risk allocation in the context of the risk sensitivities and limitations of a long-term investment portfolio (LTIP) given its role in the broader organization. Since risk exposures move over time, we monitor risk allocation and performance attribution dynamically.

Go Green Business: Pukka Herbs has achieved carbon neutral status

Pukka’s climate change policy was written by their sustainability manager, taking guidance from other policies available online. It is a short, one page document that everyone in the organisation can understand. A gap and impact analysis was carried out for the commitments made in the policy which was necessary to secure board-level approval.  The policy was approved and a plan was produced to measure emissions from gas, electricity, water, waste and travel using EnergyDeck , whilst freight and refrigeration, emissions were monitored using the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) emission factors. Monitoring only takes about one hour a month of Anne’s time.

Since monitoring began, Pukka have implemented a range of emission reduction projects and unavoidable emissions within their financial control were offset.  They made carbon neutrality a company level objective, with each department considering carbon reduction opportunities in their overall plan and all team members were encouraged to set themselves a non-compulsory objective in their individual performance and development plans.

At the end of Pukka’s financial year, its carbon footprint was calculated and verified by external consultants. Unavoidable carbon emissions were offset by purchasing offset credits for an efficient cookstove project in Africa, provided through Carbon Footprint Ltd. Pukka chose this option because it offered a credible Gold Standard project with the lowest cost (£6.30 per tonne) that also aligned with Pukka’s values of improving health (through reduced smoke inhalation from open fires) as well as reducing deforestation

Singapore Huxley Associates: Top 5 bizarre interview questions

There’s an apocryphal story that has been bandied about for years, about an interview where the interviewer asked a candidate: “Do something to surprise me”. The interviewee got out his lighter and set fire to the interviewer’s newspaper. It’s not an action we would advise emulating, but very definitely comes under the heading of utterly incomprehensible interview questions. "Why do these questions get asked" is a tricky question to answer, but as it appears to have started in Silicon Valley during the tech boom its roots are likely to be found in the free-thinking, mould-breaking philosophy that many of the tech pioneers applied to their businesses.

First and foremost you should remember there isn’t a right answer, depending on the nature of the question, which these questions are about your thought processes, your coolness under pressure, your personality and your approach to problem solving. What you don’t do is say, “I don’t know”, or “that’s a good question” and stare off into space. Let’s take the question: “How many cricket bats are there in the world?” You could either pluck an answer out of thin air: “Three million?”, or go about figuring out how to work it out. “Well, if the population of the sporting public in the UK is X, and a tenth of them play cricket, then that’s XX for the UK, plus another X for the cricketing population in India…” etc. This is the sort of approach the employer would be looking for.

Five types of questions you might encounter

1. Lots of these questions fall along the lines of if you were a colour/an animal/a garden gnome/a car/a food/a computer application (yes, really) what one would you be and why? Try to think of the qualities of the object and how they might relate to your skills or character.

2. What are all the different uses you can think of for a lemon? Apparently asked during an interview for an airline pilot, this type of question is designed to find out how much of a creative thinker you are.

3. Who would you invite to a dinner party/what superhero/movie character would you be/who is your role model? In other words, what character traits do you most admire in other people and why? Think about what specific things they have achieved and what it is about those achievements that you admire so much.

4. How many people will be on Facebook in New York on a Friday afternoon? There are a raft of questions that are much more technical in nature and much more aligned to the role you are seeking. This question was aimed at a marketing executive, and was probing how well they understand the use of social media around the world.

5. Tell me a story. This is a firm favourite, and represents a golden opportunity for you to tell a work-related anecdote that is also relevant to the role in question and also illustrates how you see other people and the world around you.

Huxley Associates International: Why are UK banking jobs moving out of London?

Banking jobs are down in the UK. With every month comes a headline announcing the latest swathe of job cuts by a UK bank: RBS to cut almost 450 investment banking jobs in the UK (March 2016); Lloyds Banking Group to cut 1,755 jobs and close 29 branches (February 2016), Barclays to axe 1,200 jobs worldwide (January 2016).

Despite this overall downward trend, regionally, jobs in the banking sector are increasing. Between 2013 and 2014, the number of banking jobs decreased by 4,848 in London but increased outside of London by 2,450. Since 2012, the difference is even more apparent: the number of banking jobs decreased by 4,497 in London but increased outside of London by 5,251. In 2014, 77 local authorities in Britain had faster growth in banking jobs than anywhere in London.

“The nearshore model is gaining increasing focus by a lot of banks,” says Sachin Gupta, Business Manager, Huxley Banking & Finance. “Companies have identified that there is a definite talent pool outside of the capital and are taking advantage of that.”

According to the BBA report, there are several major cities outside of London that are banking workforce hubs. Birmingham’s banking cluster is a vivid example of this, but far from the only one, says the report. In addition to Birmingham, in Manchester, Leeds, Bristol and Edinburgh the concentration of banking jobs is also significantly higher than the national average: banking jobs account for 1.7% of total employment in Great Britain, whereas in these cities such jobs range from 2.2% to 6.5%.

Unlocking Africa’s Potential through Competition Policy

African countries have much to gain by encouraging open and competitive markets, particularly as a means to spur sustainable economic growth and alleviate poverty. Yet in reality, many markets have low levels of competition. More than 70% of African countries rank in the bottom half of countries globally on the perceived intensity of local competition and on the existence of fundamentals for market-based competition. Monopolies, duopolies, and oligopolies are relatively prevalent compared to other regions. In more than 40% of African countries, a single operator holds over half the market share in telecommunications and transport sectors.

This lack of competition has drastic costs. Retail prices for 10 key consumer goods – white rice, white flour, butter and milk among them -- are at least 24% higher in African cities than in other main cities around the world. While these higher prices affect all consumers, the poor are hit the hardest. A new report from the World Bank Group and the African Competition Forum, Breaking Down Barriers, estimates the gains from tackling anticompetitive practices and reforming policies to enable competition. For instance, reducing the prices of food staples by just 10%, by tackling cartels and improving regulations that limit competition in food markets could lift 500,000 people in Kenya, South Africa, and Zambia out of poverty and save consumers more than $700 million a year.

Cartels - agreements among competitors to fix prices, limit production or rig bids - are a serious cause of low competition levels in African countries and have been found to affect products in a variety of sectors, including fertilizers, food, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, and construction services. Evidence reveals that consumers pay 49 percent more on average when firms enter into these agreements. “There have been a notable number of countries adopting competition laws in Africa, and this bodes well for growth and development. However, while the benefits of competition are already clearly observable in Africa, there is still considerable effort required to ensure effective implementation of competition laws and policies across the continent,” notes Tembinkosi Bonakele, Chairperson of the African Competition Forum headquartered in South Africa.

In addition to explaining the costs of low levels of competition, Breaking Down Barriers highlights the important progress many African countries are making in improving competition policies. For instance, the number of countries and economic communities like EAC, COMESA and ECOWAS with competition laws has nearly tripled in 15 years. There are now 25 functional competition authorities in Africa and budgets for those authorities increased by 39% between 2009 and 2014.

“In the past few years, several countries have stepped up their enforcement capacity and implementation of competition laws. For example, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa and Zambia have taken recent actions to block uncompetitive agreements in a variety of sectors,” explains Martha Martinez Licetti, the report’s co-author and Lead Economist for the Trade & Competitiveness Global Practice at the World Bank Group. “Looking to the future, there is a need to prioritize resources and use the powers and tools available to competition authorities more effectively in order to continue raising the relevance of competition policy within the broader development agenda.”

Pugh Heating & Air Conditioning: Role of gas heaters in your home

Natural gas furnaces are a trend these days and a lot of homeowners prefer to use it according to Pugh Heating & Air Conditioning. Apparently, it is currently the most popular home heating option in the market. Its efficient characteristic can also reduce the impact on the environment since its byproducts are only water vapor and small amounts of carbon dioxide.

Moreover, natural gas has barely any emissions of any home heating fuel. Gas heaters need venting to your home's chimney in order to eradicate the carbon dioxide made from your home but make sure to understand the exact venting requirements building and safety codes in your area first.

Natural gas as a heating fuel also has its disadvantages, including it is flammable, can be toxic if a large amount is inhaled, the exhaust produced when burning natural gas known as carbon monoxide is poisonous, and some rural and urban areas don't have access to the current network of underground pipes.

Fire departments often recommend the use of a carbon monoxide detector because this kind of gas is completely odorless. On the other hand, gas companies add a scent to the natural gas to make leaks noticeable. Looking for trustworthy heating systems on the web is simple, just avoid fraud services online. Consider security firms that offer service protection in purchasing items online. Pugh Heating & Air Conditioning can also help you with some alternative heating systems like boilers or hot boilers, water heaters, and garage heaters.

Pugh Heating & Air Conditioning: Reasons to have air conditioning

When looking for a trustworthy organization, avoid fraud services online because fraudsters often disguise themselves as representatives from a genuine company and offer their services to you in exchange of your personal and financial information.

Pugh Heating & Air Conditioning can perform proper air conditioning service and installation for your home and can help you decide which AC installation is the best for your particular property. You can also schedule installing air conditioning to your home before summer actually begins to their team. This specific home improvement service has great benefits for your home and listed on the following are the reasons why you should have one today:

Even though it is scorching hot outside, you can still have a cool temperature inside your home with an air conditioner that is connected to a programmable thermostat. You can enjoy its steady and cool temperature throughout the day. A new AC system ensures that you will not suffer from the strong heat outside during the summer season.

Air conditioners don’t only provide a cool and comfortable temperature for your home, but it can also purify your indoor air. It delivers all your cooled air through an air filter before air conditioners can actually provide climate controlled air to your home. This air filter will remove dirt, dust, and other allergens while purifying your indoor air.

Some people often get irritated with a hot temperature which also makes them hot-headed in an instant. Because of this, the introduction of air conditioning has been their lifesaver. You can easily and quickly cool your home with a single push of a button where you can enjoy its cool temperature and relax your mind at the same time. You can also avoid heat-related illnesses during summer's strong heat with air conditioning. In case you have further inquiries, Pugh Heating & Air Conditioning will provide you with more information about air conditioning maintenance and installation.

Eric Hamilton Marsden on how to take care of bespoke furniture

Eric Earl Hamilton Marsden suggests the use of coasters and mats when placing hot or cold drinks, plates and crockery on the furniture. Discoloration can happen to the furniture if such items were placed directly on it for too long.

Use protective pads on semi-permanent items

Decorative items that are permanently sitting on your furniture such as bowls, figurines, ornaments and vases should have protective cork or felt pads underneath them in order to avoid any differential discoloration.

Dust regularly

You can clean the bespoke furniture by using a lightly moistened cloth and then use another cloth such as soft microfiber cloth to dry it out. This way, you can maintain the good condition of your furniture.

Clean spillages promptly

Once spillages are left alone for a long period of time, it will be impossible to remove them and could cause discoloration. Quickly remove the spillages of drinks or food on your furniture with a clean and lightly moistened cloth, and then use a clean dry cloth to dry the surface.

Don't use silicone spray polishes

After a certain period of time, aerosol spray polishes that contain silicone will have a bad effect on the finish of bespoke furniture, so it's better not to use them on your furniture.

Avoid abrasive or chemical cleaners

When your bespoke furniture needs careful attention, it’s better to consult the maker of your furniture than using abrasive cleaners. Such cleaners will just remove a thin layer of the material once applied. Stain removers and solvents shouldn't also be used on your furniture.

Control the temperature

Maintaining the temperature as well as the humidity in your home at normal levels over the year is recommended to keep the furniture in good condition.

Eric Hamilton Marsden Tips for buying bespoke furniture

Finding the ideal bespoke furniture for your home can be simple as long as you have the patience in doing so. If you're going to be a smart buyer, then you can save money during the entire process and find high-quality furniture that meets all your needs all at once. The following are some basic tips provided by Eric Earl Hamilton Marsden to help you find the best bespoke furniture for your home.

Find reviews

The internet is vast and it can cater all the basic information a person is looking for. When searching for the best bespoke furniture, it's easier to search online for reviews to avoid fraud. You can find reviews for most any type of furniture in every brand. Before spending your money on a certain piece of furniture, it would be better if you can obtain important information about it and compare its results to other furniture. Since reviews are a good source of information to find a dependable company, ensure that your chosen company is indeed trustworthy at the end and offers quality products that suit your budget.

Be consistent

Don't rush things because anything worth having is worth waiting for. Don't stop until you are satisfied even if it will take some more time. Your goal is to have a home that makes you feel happy and comfortable, so don't settle for less and have the furniture that meets your standards. Be consistent in looking for the best bespoke furniture for your home.

Compare prices

As previously stated, comparing significant data, including prices, of various pieces is often necessary, especially if you are on a tight budget. By carefully assessing your records, you can choose the right furniture where you can save up to 50 percent.

Make sure to remember those tips mentioned above to shop great bespoke furniture and buy pieces that you really want. Be a smart buyer and save a little bit of money during the entire process. Put in mind that finding the perfect bespoke furniture for your home requires patience and consistency.  Eric Earl Hamilton Marsden believes that you will achieve a unique home with bespoke furniture and the team wishes that you will find the best pieces for your place.

IOSCO: Reports on transparency of firms

The final report discusses “audit firm transparency reporting,” which is a practice “employed by audit firms to be transparent in their own reporting to investors and other stakeholders about the firm itself, notably, with respect to firm governance and elements of their system of quality control for their financial statement audits.”

According to the final report, an audit firm transparency report should contain information that is:

“[C]lear, useful and presented in sufficient detail to be meaningful to the different groups of likely users of the report.”
“[F]act-based and not potentially misleading.” “[U]nbiased and not oriented toward marketing or selling services.”
“[C]oncise, specific to the firm and avoids the use of boilerplate language.” “[T]imely, accurate and complete.”
“[B]alanced in communicating the audit firm’s output measures of audit quality in addition to any input measures.”
“[S]ufficient in terms of explaining the limitations of the indicators of audit quality, including that the indicators may not be comparable across audit firms.”

For more information, see the press release and final report on IOSCO’s Web site.