CIOBS News

Talk on financial stability
On 21 March, Andrew Haldane, The Bank of England’s Executive Director, Financial Stability, will give a talk at The University of Edinburgh Business School, 29 Buccleuch Place. Jointly organised by the Institute and The University of Edinburgh Business School, registration for the event, entitled Financial Stability, is from 6pm with a drinks reception to follow. For further information and booking details please visit www.charteredbanker.com

Brodies to provide Legal Awareness Updates
We are delighted to announce the launch of a new legal awareness information feed on the Institute website, which is exclusively available to Institute members.

Supplied by Brodies LLP, who provide a full range of Banking and Financial Services legal support, this searchable feed is designed to highlight important legal developments of interest to those in the banking industry.

You will need to log in to the members’ section of the website to view the feed, which is listed under CPD material. Use of this feed can contribute to your annual CPD activity.

New year, new subjects
Complaint Handling and Introduction to Business Banking have been added to the Professional Banker Diploma; and Offshore Practice as a half credit in the Chartered Banker Further information is available at www.charteredbanker.com

CIOBS are LinkedIn
The official CIOBS LinkedIn Group ‘Chartered Banker’ continues to grow. If you haven’t already, then why not join up now at www.linkedin.com by doing the group search on ‘Chartered Banker’? As we are still at the early stages of developing the group, if you have any suggestions or ideas, please email membership@charteredbanker.com

UK expertise sought in Ukraine
A fantastic opportunity has arisen to deliver training workshops to bankers in Ukraine. Challenges Worldwide, a charity which enables businesspeople to demonstrate their skills in developing economies, is seeking teachers on a number of topics including:

• Syndicated lending techniques
• Bank lending under uncertainty
• Bank and middle office operations
• Restructuring leverage loans
• Product management and development – corporate banking products
• Advanced trade finance and risk management
• Treasury products and risk management
• Practical issues of ensuring card business security in a bank.

Each workshop is estimated to last approx three days and a daily remuneration, plus expenses, is paid. It is anticipated that more than one person will be required to deliver material across the spectrum of topics. If you are interested in being a teacher, or would like more information, please contact Eoghan Mackie at eoghan@challengesworldwide.com

New Year’s Honour
Professor Donald MacRae, Chief Economist, Lloyds Banking Group Scotland has been awarded an Order of the British Empire in the 2011 New Year’s Honours List. This is well-deserved recognition of the significant contribution that he has made to enterprise and rural development in Scotland. In addition to being a Fellow of the Institute, Donald also represents Lloyds TSB Scotland on the Committee of Scottish Clearing Bankers’ Executive Management, Agriculture and Statistics Committees.

Networking beyond the norm...
Wednesday 16 February at the Caledonian Hilton Hotel, edinburgh from 6pm-8pm Networking, in the modern business world, is key to success. But if you only network with peers from your own profession, you are probably missing out. This pan-professional networking event is all about bringing together members from a range of professional and business bodies. ‘Networking beyond the norm…’ explores ways in which skills can be transferred and provides a unique opportunity to network with those outwith your own profession.

Hamish Taylor of the Skills Exchange Network, promises to engage and inspire, setting the tone perfectly for an evening of pan-professional networking. Booking Fee: £15 (inc. VAT)

Microsoft presentation
31 March 2011
An exclusive presentation to Institute members by Tony Emerson, Banking Industry Director at Microsoft, will focus on innovation and how the use of technology can help banks reduce costs and work more effectively.

Tony Emerson’s presentation will take place on Tuesday 31 March at Microsoft’s Offices, Waverley Gate (the former Edinburgh GPO building), 2-4 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3EG.

Registration 5.30pm-6pm, 6pm-7pm presentation and discussion, 7pm-7.30pm drinks and networking.

Weather permitting, we hope to take advantage of the roof garden with its tremendous views of the city for pre- or post-event networking.

There is no charge to attend but places are strictly limited and must be booked in advance. Members can book online at www.charteredbanker.com

If you have any queries regarding this event, please contact Martin Fishman – martin@charteredbanker.com, 0131 473 7789.

Obituary: Alex Purves
The Institute is extremely saddened to learn of the death of Alex Purves. Alex joined the Clydesdale Bank from school and was latterly manager of its chief office before retiring in 1997.

A stalwart of Leith Theatre, he was also well known for his acting skills, appearing in TV dramas such as Sutherland’s Law, Taggart, River City and Beauty and the Geek, and was a very popular after-dinner speaker.

Alex was involved with the Institute’s distance learning programme for a number of years. O ur condolences go out to his two daughters, four grandchildren and their families.

Mastering Operational Risk
People, Plagues and Process
Tuesday 1 March 2011
Volcanic ash, 9/11 and the global financial crisis all required astute handling of operational risk. John Thirlwell, author of ‘Mastering Operational Risk’, will give a characteristically personal view of the issues surrounding the management of these most unpredictable yet fundamental of risks.

Mastering Operational Risk by John Thirlwell will take place on Tuesday 1 March at CIOBS, Drumsheugh House, 38b Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh EH 3 7SW. Registration 5.30pm-6pm; presentation and discussion 6pm-7pm. Members FREE , Non-Members £10.

Further information and booking instructions can be found in the events section at www.charteredbanker.com

Keep up with your CPD
We are in the midst of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) monitoring process and if you have been selected for this year’s sample you should have received a letter by now. If you have then we would ask that you respond as soon as possible, as failure to do so could result in the loss of any accrued CPD related designations (Chartered Banker, PMA). CPD evidence can be recorded via the members’ section of the website or you can download a plan from the CPD section at www.charteredbanker.com

All members who participate in the scheme are reminded that you should have already started recording your evidence for 2011. If you have any questions regarding the CPD monitoring process, or the scheme in general, please email cpd@charteredbanker.com

New date for the Chartered Banker Dinner
With the Royal Wedding taking place on Friday 29 April, many people are expected to take an extended Easter break. We anticipate this affecting attendance at the Dinner, scheduled for 28 April, so we have decided to postpone it until the autumn. Further information will appear in the next edition of Chartered Banker and at www.charteredbanker.com

Become a Chartered Banker MBA
The ground-breaking Chartered Banker MBA with Bangor University Business School, combining the qualification of an MBA and Chartered Banker status is now available. A copy of the qualification brochure accompanies this issue of Chartered Banker.

Diploma in Investment Accounting
The Diploma in Investment Accounting, a collaboration between the Institute, ICAS and SIO, aims to fill a skills gap within the investment industry. It has been developed for new and experienced investment and fund accountants.

Candidates will gain a solid understanding of the theory and practice of investment accounting in key areas such as valuing and pricing funds; reconciling transactions with related parties such as agent banks; maintaining accurate records of transactions; tax considerations; forecasting revenue and expenses; statutory reporting and client servicing.

The next course starts on 27 February 2011 and enrolment is now open.

For more information or to register your place visit www.investmentaccounting.org.uk or contact Craig Lovatt on 0131 347 0243 or clovat@icas.org.uk

Institute promotes Commando spirit
The Institute is offering members a once-in-a-lifetime chance to test their mettle against a real-life Royal Marine training exercise as part of the Commando Spirit Appeal. Members will be mentored by their own Royal Marine buddy throughout the experience, receive invites to prestigious Royal Marine events and be given a privileged insight into the Corps ethos.

Simon Thompson, Chief Executive of the Institute, says: “In recent years, significant numbers of bank staff have served in the Gulf and Afghanistan as members of the various reserve forces. T he banking profession has much to learn from these skilled and dedicated individuals.”

The Commando Spirit Appeal aims to raise £1m for the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund which supports serving and former Royal Marines and their families.

The Institute is proud to promote the Appeal and encourage individuals to take on the ‘Escape the Dunker’ challenge, based on the infamous helicopter crash simulation training. If you think you have the skills to match what is required in terms of fundraising and physical endurance, visit www.commandospirit.com

For all events members can find out more information and book online at www.charteredbanker.com

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