Where should management effort be directed? In controlling costs and ensuring proper engineering in live projects? - yes, of course, but true cost control comes by understanding, eliminating and minimising risk prior to a business committing any funds. This course studies the stages required for practical financial and business appraisals of projects and capital expenditure. This course has two primary objectives: To impart the knowledge and skills required to ensure as risk-free as possible expenditure of that scarce resource, cash - the investors', governments' or shareholders' money must not be squandered To improve the quality of the appraisal process in the widest sense - demonstrating how the process of project and capital expenditure appraisal can be used to dramatically improve cost control and deliver as risk-free as possible expenditure As a result of the course, participants will be able to: Understand the economics of appraisal Be in control of their projects from the start Understand the economics of their projects - and devise the most appropriate mode Carry out sensitivity analysis and identify risk Improve their methods of appraisal and approach Focus on the risk areas and take out risk and control costs before they over-run The benefits of attending this course will be demonstrable from day one. Thorough appraisals and risk assessment follow through to success in project management and detailed cost control and project management. 1 Introduction Why appraise? Taking risk out of investment The short- and long-term results of not appraising business expenditure 2 Developing an appraisal process The process - overall and stage-by-stage objectives Understand business and technical risks Manage resources and time Do you invest enough time and effort at this stage? Take out the risks - control costs before you are committed to contracts and action Checklists 3 Appraisal arithmetic Review of the arithmetic of appraisalThe time value of moneyThe effects of different interest or required ratesThe effects of inflation (or deflation) in prices and costs Understanding the economics of appraisal is essential 4 Appraisal measures Meaning and use of appraisal measures Identifying the most appropriate measures for your particular business Payback Discounted cash flow measures - NPV and IRR Other measures - FW, AW, Profitability Index The meaning of the measures and their application in practice 5 Cost benefit analysis The effect on decision-making of more intangible benefits Cost benefit analysis Ensuring costs are genuine Measuring intangible benefits Environmental issues Consideration of intangible benefits in the appraisal decision-making process 6 Developing appropriate models Developing models - examples of spreadsheet models and measures for many different situations Modelling investment opportunities - summarising outcomes Sensitivity analysis - identifying, quantifying and taking out risk 7 Developing an appraisal process The process - managing risk from the outset Using the process in risk management, negotiating and project management Take out risk by thoroughly knowing your project - developing your own process
Overview A 1-day course on inflation-linked bonds and derivatives, focusing on the UK market in particular. We examine how inflation is defined and quantified, the choice of index (RPI vs. CPI), and the most common cash flow structures for index-linked securities. We look in detail at Index-linked Gilts, distinguishing between the old-style and new-style quotation conventions, and how to calculate the implied breakeven rate. Corporate bond market in the UK, and in particular the role of LPI in driving pension fund activity. Inflation swaps and other derivatives, looking at the mechanics, applications and pricing of inflation swaps and caps/floors. The convexity adjustment for Y-o-Y swaps is derived intuitively. Who the course is for Front-office sales product control research Traders Risk managers Fund managers Project finance and structured finance practitioners Accountants, auditors, consultants Course Content To learn more about the day by day course content please request a brochure To learn more about schedule, pricing & delivery options, book a meeting with a course specialist now
Overview 2 day course on single name CDS, index CDS and index CDS options and how to use them to express views and hedge risks in credit markets Who the course is for Consultants Analysts Managers C-Level executives People in need of knowledge to develop a blockchain strategy People working with blockchain projects Regulators Course Content To learn more about the day by day course content please request a brochure To learn more about schedule, pricing & delivery options, book a meeting with a course specialist now
Overview 1 day course covering mechanics, pricing and applications of cross currency swaps (CCS) and cross currency basis swaps (CCBS) Who the course is for Corporate treasurers and financial institution asset-liability management staff Interest rate and FX derivative traders, salespeople and quants Multi-lateral development banks Fixed income asset managers Risk management Course Content To learn more about the day by day course content please request a brochure To learn more about schedule, pricing & delivery options, book a meeting with a course specialist now
The Quintessential Customer Experience (QCx) Forum is a ‘peer advisory’ community of communications and Cx professionals whose primary objectives are: To help members keep abreast of the latest CX developments To share best practice across different industry sectors. To provide individual support, advice and guidance for members Membership includes quarterly meetings, team coaching, 1:1 mentoring and online resource. Benefits The QCx Forum benefits both the CX professional and the organisations they work for. Employer Benefits include: Benchmarking performance against organisations in different sectors Keeping up to date with latest trends Maintaining competitive advantage through exceptional customer experience. Individual Member Benefits include: Inspiration for new ideas and approaches Guidance and advice to implement new strategies Support and reassurance from peers What’s included: The current membership package* includes: Forum Meetings Quarterly ‘Mastermind Group’ gatherings in person at a London venue. Each meeting features a specialist speaker providing insights about new trends and best practice. Team Coaching Attendees have the opportunity to share and solve key CX-related challenges they face. 1:1 Mentoring Support Members have access expert mentors to develop new strategies, gain valuable new knowledge and enhance their professional growth. Online Resource Members have access to a dedicated portal providing access to useful templates, tools and articles. * The first annual conference is planned for 2024 Membership Fees and options Three options are available: Essentials - quarterly Forum meetings, team coaching and online resources. £1,400.00 (ex VAT) pa Standard annual membership - includes quarterly forum meetings, team coaching, 4 x 1:1 mentoring sessions and online resource. £3,600.00 (ex VAT) per annum Platinum membership - over and above the standard membership, includes an intensive quarterly programme of bi-weekly coaching sessions £4,700.00 (ex VAT) per annum Credentials The Chair of the QCx Forum is Quentin Crowe MA, FCIM. His CX consultancy journey began in 2001 working with clients in the fitness and education sectors. Using an adaptation of the SERVQUAL methodology, he and his team have worked with clients in the charity, quality assurance, construction and cutout sectors (including ISG). Quentin also mentors entrepreneurs, senior marketers and corporate executives. He also chairs a number of ‘mastermind’ groups. Brands represented include Shell, Asahi, Reuters and St James’s Place Welsh Management.
Overview The first half of the course will cover all the essential tools of the currency markets – spot FX, forwards, FX swaps and NDFs. We look both at the pricing of these products and also how customers use them. The afternoon session will cover a range of important topics beyond the scope of an elementary course on currency options. We start with a quick review of the key concepts and terminology, and then we look at the key exotics (barriers and digitals) and how they are used to create the most popular customer combinations. We move on to look at the currently most-popular 2nd generation exotics, such as Accumulators, Faders and Target Redemption structures. Who the course is for FX Sales, traders, structurers, quants Financial engineers Risk Managers IT Bank Treasury ALM Central Bank and Government Treasury Funding managers Insurance Investment managers Fixed Income portfolio managers Regulators Course Content To learn more about the day by day course content please request a brochure To learn more about schedule, pricing & delivery options, book a meeting with a course specialist now
Overview This two-day intensive course is ideal for finance professionals seeking to deepen their expertise in options trading and volatility management. The course will cover option pricing and risk management techniques. Exploring differences between physical and cash-settled options European versus American/Bermudan options, and the implications of deferred premiums. Examining the role of volatility in option pricing & Managing First-Generation Exotics. Who the course is for Derivative traders Quants and research analysts Fund managers, fund of funds Structured product teams Financial and valuation controllers Risk managers and regulators Bank and corporate treasury managers IT Course Content To learn more about the day by day course content please request a brochure To learn more about schedule, pricing & delivery options, book a meeting with a course specialist now
Overview 1 day course to gain real insight into the Solvency 2 balance sheet dynamics, both under standard formula and our illustrative internal model Who the course is for Capital management / ALM / risk management staff within insurance company Investors in insurance company securities – equity, subordinated bonds, insurance-linked securities Salespeople covering insurance companies Course Content To learn more about the day by day course content please request a brochure To learn more about schedule, pricing & delivery options, book a meeting with a course specialist now
Overview 2 day applied course with comprehensive case studies covering both Standardised Approach (SA) and Internal Models Approach (IMA). This course is for anyone interested in understanding practical examples of how the sensitivities-based method is applied and how internal models for SES and DRC are built. Who the course is for Traders and heads of trading desks Market risk management and quant staff Regulators Capital management staff within ALM function Internal audit and finance staff Bank investors – shareholders and creditors Course Content To learn more about the day by day course content please request a brochure To learn more about schedule, pricing & delivery options, book a meeting with a course specialist now
Overview This is a 2 day course on understanding credit markets converting credit derivatives, from plain vanilla credit default swaps through to structured credit derivatives involving correlation products such as nth to default baskets, index tranches, synthetic collateralized debt obligations and more. Gain insights into the corporate credit market dynamics, including the role of ratings agencies and the ratings process. Delve into the credit triangle, relating credit spreads to default probability (PD), exposure (EAD), and expected recovery (LGD). Learn about CDS indices (iTRAXX and CDX), their mechanics, sub-indices, tranching, correlation, and the motivation for tranched products. The course also includes counterparty risk in derivatives market where you learn how to managed and price Counterparty Credit Risk using real-world, practical examples Understand key definitions of exposure, including Mark-to-Market (MTM), Expected Exposure (EE), Expected Positive Exposure (EPE), Potential Future Exposure (PFE), Exposure at Default (EAD), and Expected Loss (EL) Explore the role of collateral and netting in managing counterparty risk, including the key features and mechanics of the Credit Support Annex (CSA) Briefly touch upon other XVA adjustments, including Margin Valuation Adjustment (MVA), Capital Valuation Adjustment (KVA), and Collateral Valuation Adjustment (CollVA). Who the course is for Credit traders and salespeople Structurers Asset managers ALM and treasury (Banks and Insurance Companies) Loan portfolio managers Product control, finance and internal audit Risk managers Risk controllers xVA desk IT Regulatory capital and reporting Course Content To learn more about the day by day course content please request a brochure To learn more about schedule, pricing & delivery options, book a meeting with a course specialist now