The Finance Club of Brussels

ATEL's magazine: a new layout!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 27 May 2013 20:23:00 +0000

Watch out the new layout of the magazine of the ATEL (Association of Corporate Treasurers of Luxembourg), one of our partnering associations!

You will find the two first quarterly issues of the year here:

The new magazine includes now a last section named "Risk Observatory", highlighting some key facts, news and developments in risk management for corporate treasurers.

IFRS: Panel discussion on the future of financial reporting (Jan 23, 2013)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 21:13:00 +0000

Watch the panel discussion by the Trustees in Hong Kong in Janauary 2013, held together with the Hong Kong Institute of CPAs: http://www.ifrs.org/Features/Pages/Panel-dicsussion-future-of-financial-reporting-video.aspx

GIMV, Supporting Company Strategies with Smart Money (Brussels, June 5th, 2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 19:57:00 +0000

by Alex Brabers and Peter Maenhout

On June 5th, Alex Brabers and Peter Maenhout presented the main facets of Private Equity and Venture Capital. It allowed to audience to interact with professionals on the topic, understand better how proposals are scrutinized and to have some insights in the way these domains are addressed by GIMV.

Alex Brabers
Executive Vice-President Venture Capital
Alex Brabers joined Gimv in 1990 and is responsible for the Venture Capital business units. He is a board member of various listed and non-listed companies, including Telenet, INSIDE Secure, Nomadesk, OTN Systems and Oree. He holds a degree in Economics from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium).

Peter Maenhout
Executive Vice-President Buyouts & Growth
As Executive Vice-President Peter Maenhout is responsible for the Gimv-XL fund and the Belgian buyout and growth capital activities. Before joining Gimv, he was head of the Benelux office for investment manager Amber Capital. Prior to that, he was active in mergers & acquisitions and equity capital market transactions at Petercam and Generale Bank.

2012 European Summit on IFRS 9 (Zurich, May 29-31)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:35:00 +0000

From May 29th to May 31st, a European conference will take place in Zurich, Switzerland and is a must for those of you who would like to know everything about addressing technical & regulatory challenges of IAS 39 replacement. Please feel free to download the most recent brochure here. Please send an email here to ask for your discount, as a member of the Finance Club of Brussels.
The FCB brings to you this informatinon as a pure courtesy and to keep you aware of the evolution of the financial environment.

Day-Seminar on Rating Agencies (Brussels, March 26th, 2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 13:33:00 +0000

A number of partners have joined their efforts to bring you a wonderful panel of specialists on the theme of rating agencies.This event brings together key experts from Law, Philosophy and Finance, including among others Mathias Dewatripont (director at the National Bank of Belgium), Bruno Colmant (former CEO of NYSE Euronext Brussels and partner at Roland Berger), Xavier Dieux (Willkie, Farr & Gallagher). The intention is to provide an enlightened debate on the role of ratings and the institutions providing them and the philosophical approach of allowing norms to be defined by the industry and supported by the financial regulation.

The seminar will be held in French.

For more information, please look at the following leaflet (high quality).

Details:

To register, please use the following link: http://www.thefinanceclubofbrussels.eu/ratings
Access is limited to the persons invited personally, or who are members of the Finance Club of Brussels or its sponsors.
Where? at the Palais des Academies, Rue Ducale 1, B-1000 Brussels
When? March 26, 2012.
- 14h30: Welcome to the two afternoon sessions
- 18h30: Welcome to the evening conference
- 20h30: Walking dinner

Several Belgian research papers presented at the Midwest Finance Association (New Orleans, Feb 2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:21:00 +0000

Between Wednesday 22nd and Saturday 25th, several research papers involving belgian researchers were presented at the Annual Conference organised by the Midwest Finance Association in New Orleans (LA, USA):

"Assessing the Performance of Funds of Hedge Funds" by Benoit Dewaele (Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management), Hugues Pirotte (Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management & FinMetrics), Nils Tuchschmid (HEG Geneva & Tages Capital, London) and E. Wallerstein (Credit Suisse, Zürich).
Abstract and paper. Topic: Performance of Funds of Hedge Funds
"Does The Firm’s Receivable Policy Tend to be Uniform Across their Industry and Stable over Time? Evidence from Matured Firms", by Balbinder Singh Gill (Ghent University).
Abstract and paper. Topic: Capital Structure.
"Do World Bank Group's Investments in Developing Countries' Domestic Financial Sectors Improve Access to Finance for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises?", by Laurent Gheeraert and Mathieu Verougstraete (both from the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management).
Abstract and paper. Topic: Information and Banking.
"The Risk Effects of Acquiring Distressed Firms", by Evy Bruyland (Ghent University, Vlerick Management School) and Wouter De Maeseneire (Erasmus School of Economics of the Erasmus University Rotterdam, Vlerick Management School)
Abstract and paper. Topic: Financial Distress.
"The Role of Venture Capital in Company Financial Decision Making and Capital Structure" by Andy Heughebaert, Tom R. Vanacker, and Sophie Manigart (Ghent University).
Abstract and paper. Topic: Privatization and Venture Capital.

The Accenture Financial Services Innovation Awards 2012!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:45:00 +0000

On Thursday February 2nd 2012, Baudouin Thomas and Olivier Gillerot of Accenture, welcomed the guests to a particular event: the first Financial Services Innovation Awards!

For this first year, no less than 98 projects were submitted, out of which 25 finalists were chosen by a jury. Eight (8) of them were finally kept for the grand final. And the winners were...

Digicash (MPulse) for the Prize of the Jury,
KBC Mobile Banking, the Public Prize winner, and
Bank Shopper.be, for the Jury Runner-up.

Five (5) criteria were clearly identified and used by the jury:

The product or solution must "make life easier" through four (4) axis: (a) convenience, (b) transparency, (c) relevance, and (d) trust.
They must be innovative in terms of technology.
They must improve efficiency.
They should help open & follow new horizons.
The analysis covered also the ideation and method of innovation.

This first success will certainly be truly motivating for innovators looking forward to 2013!

Les agences de notation entre les marchés et les Etats

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:55:00 +0000

Créées au début du siècle dernier pour informer les investisseurs sur la santé économique des entreprises de chemin de fer, les agences de notation financière défrayent la chronique. Mises en cause en 2008 pour leurs notations des produits structurés responsables de la « crise des subprimes », elles sont aujourd’hui critiquées en tous sens pour leur rôle dans la crise de la dette souveraine. Hier encore structures mystérieuses du monde de l’expertise, les agences de notation financières sont désormais au cœur des débats d’une opinion publique inquiète. Quelles méthodes de notation financière mettent-elles en œuvre et que faut-il en penser ? Comment ont-elles été propulsées au rang de régulateur mondial du crédit ? Quelles sont les règles juridiques qui encadrent ou devraient encadrer leurs actions ? Ne sont-elles pas en train de faire main basse sur des enjeux politiques à l’égard desquels elles ne jouissent d’aucune légitimité ? Ne sont-elles pas également un symptôme d’une évolution plus fondamentale de la gouvernance globale ? Autant de questions que se posent tant les spécialistes de ces matières que les citoyens.
Afin de contribuer à ces débats, le Centre Emile Bernheim de la Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management (ULB) et le Centre Perelman de Philosophie du droit de la Faculté de Droit (ULB), au sein du Finance Club of Brussels, organisent conjointement une journée d’étude le lundi 26 mars 2012. Réunissant des spécialistes issus du monde de la finance, du droit et de la philosophie, celle-ci a l’ambition de confronter les points de vue sur les agences de notation et leur rôle dans une perspective interdisciplinaire.
Renseignements: hpirotte@thefinanceclubofbrussels.org.