March 22, 2015
Bill paying. A monthly chore. One that is increasingly online and digital, well at least outside the continental USA where the local Luddites are still wedded to their cheques. A story in a Johannesburg paper inspired this week’s thought. “On guard after typo transfer” was the headline in the Jo’burg times. A local resident made […]
March 16, 2015
LinkedIn has many good things. Having your contacts confirm your skill has some value. I was musing with a colleague on what skills would be endorsed if we were able to “label” those who really make life harder than it has to be. Three came to mind immediately. Perhaps you have other valid uses of […]
March 8, 2015
In 15 years, the Swiss Federal Government’s budget has ballooned from CHF 47 billion to some 67 billion. Since 2000 times have been good and the government has grown like topsy. The same is true at banks; revenues are down and costs are out of whack. Similarities between government bureaucracy and banks. That is this […]
February 28, 2015
The Swiss are to rules what Anastasia Steele is to Christian Grey in Fifty Shades; obedient and slavish. One national obsession in the business world is the proper written reference, the “Zeugnis”. Hours of costly time go into feeding this local fetish. Time to put it and the HR departments who perpetuate it to the […]
February 1, 2015
Banks are under pressure from all sides. From regulators to shareholders. Margin are down and costs are up. The banks need to do something, but what? This week, a few thoughts on where improvement might be possible. Industrialisation! This was the rallying cry at the largest Swiss bank, UBS, several years ago. In an attempt […]
January 19, 2015
Change in the banking business is a tricky art; finding a viable slot for your project on the schedule is seldom an easy task. This week I am hoping some readers will share some views on a challenge. Please read on and reply. There are a lot of fixed dates on the banking calendar: SWIFT […]