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Scottish Development International (SDI) is the international economic development agency of the Scottish Government. We are able to provide advice and practical support for companies looking to invest in Scotland. Since 2001 we have significantly increased the level of inward investment into Scotland. SDI provides a wide range of support services including advice, access to specialist expertise, selective business mentoring and development, market information, financial assistance, business location information, investor aftercare and specific services covering each phase of international trade activity. Scotland is one of Europe’s leading financial centres and is internationally recognised as the most important UK financial centre outside London and the South East. Edinburgh is ranked as the fourth largest financial centre in Europe in terms of equity assets. In the 2011 Global Financial Centres Index, Edinburgh ranked above locations such as Amsterdam, Dublin, Brussels and Madrid. The sector is a major employer in Scotland, employing 95,000 people directly and over 70,000 in support companies. It also makes a contribution of around £7 billion to the Scottish economy. Scottish Financial Enterprise estimates that there are currently £750 billion of assets currently under management in Scotland (April 2011). General insurance, life assurance and pensions services employ around 24,000 people in Scotland Around 30% of the workforce in Scotand’s financial services industry are graduates – six percentage points higher than the average for all sectors in Scotland With its legacy of long-standing indigenous financial services institutions sitting alongside a range of international financial services businesses, Scotland is of strategic importance to a range of successful global financial services companies. It is not only the names which are important but the breadth of services offered by the range of companies that have located in Scotland. Some of the Global financial organisations who have made Scotland their home include: JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Barclay’s Wealth, Bank of New York Mellon, BNP Paribas, State Street, HSBC, Virgin Money, Tesco Bank Today it has particular strengths in banking, life assurance and pensions, investment management and asset servicing. It also has vibrant general insurance, corporate finance and broking services sectors, and a strong community of professional advisors and suppliers.
Luxembourg for Finance, the agency for the development of the financial sector, is a public-private partnership between the Luxembourg Government and the Luxembourg Financial Industry Federation (PROFIL), under the Presidency of the Minister of Finance, Luc Frieden. The objective of the partnership, which was set up as an Economic Interest Grouping (EIG), is to contribute to the sustainable development of Luxembourg as an international financial centre by means of a structured international communications policy and by nurturing new business sectors. The principal mission of the agency is to create a strong brand image for the financial centre, communicating the advantages of its products and services to a wide public and highlighting the numerous opportunities available to investors and clients, whether institutional or private, from around the world. Luxembourg for Finance organises seminars in international financial centres and takes part in selected world class trade fairs and congresses. It is the first port of call for foreign journalists and is responsible for looking after official foreign delegations visiting Luxembourg. In cooperation with the various professional associations, Luxembourg for Finance regularly publishes brochures and other documentation on products and services available and their relevant legal and regulatory framework. Combining the innovative spirit of the financial industry and the far sightedness of the country's political leaders, LFF is committed to the development of an integrated and sustainable European financial market place.
Jersey Finance promotes and develops the international finance centre of Jersey and assists in co-ordinating the consultation process of proposed legislation and regulation affecting Jersey's finance industry. The organisation's primary objective is to communicate the many factors that make Jersey a leading international finance centre, including the depth and breadth of experience and expertise of its practitioners; its political, economic and fiscal stability; and its high level of regulation and security. Funded in part by Government and part by the industry, Jersey Finance has a membership of over 170 Members, comprising the majority of Jersey’s financial institutions and representing all of its main sectors. This includes private client and wealth management, investment, banking, funds, trust, hedge fund management and specialist corporate and institutional business services. Jersey is one of the world’s leading international finance centres and its successful combination of stability and reliability has kept it at the forefront of global finance for over 50 years. The wealth of experience and expertise offered by Jersey’s highly skilled finance services providers gives unparalleled welcome to businesses and investors alike. The partnership between the City of London and Jersey continues to flourish despite the challenging times which face all major financial centres. Jersey Finance firmly believes that London will continue to be the world’s leading Global Financial centre and is committed to supporting its pre-eminence. Jersey is frequently part of the same transaction chain, client relationship and conduit process as the City, facilitating the deployment of mobile international capital, so vital to the operation of free markets and to the global financial system. The recent Foot Review commissioned by the former Chancellor of Exchequer specifically highlighted the value that Jersey provided to the UK throughout the banking crisis, as the largest provider of net deposits, in the region of $218.3 billion, to UK banks in the second quarter of 2009 alone. In recent years there has been considerable growth in the number of businesses choosing a Jersey company as a holding company to list on London’s key stock exchanges. Jersey companies offer a tax-neutral platform for accessing equity capital markets globally and Jersey company law is based on the UK’s Company Law. They are used in a wide range of transactions, such as: investing in property, securities and other assets, acting as a group holding company, holding and exploiting patents and copyrights, facilitating the collection of commissions and consultancy fees, or employing an internationally based work force. It is also used by international high net worth private clients who are seeking expertise in wealth management, trusts and private banking within a secure, stable and well regulated centre. This, combined with its internationally recognised robust regulatory framework and its favourable geographic position, continue to make Jersey an attractive jurisdiction for international business. In addition to the UK, Jersey Finance works with other key markets worldwide and has representation in London, Hong Kong, GCC and India, as well as holding visits and events in markets such as Europe, Greater China and Russia, whilst maintaining partnerships with international industry associations. Further information can be found at www.jerseyfinance.je
Deloitte has an unparalleled breadth and depth of services which make it a world force in its chosen areas of business – audit, tax, consulting and corporate finance. As a leading business advisory firm in the UK, we are renowned for our commitment to innovation, quality, client service excellence and for the calibre of our people. We serve UK Government and a broad range of public sector departments, major international and UK corporates, mid market and high growth smaller companies and many private individuals. By harnessing talent and expertise across the firm, we deliver solutions to clients that inspire confidence in what we promise.
Invest Northern Ireland is responsible for economic development in the region and provides strategic direction for the international financial services sector in Northern Ireland. It is at the forefront of the drive to further increase and diversify the region’s financial services capability, and offers a flexible efficient and comprehensive service to businesses, including a range of financial and other incentives aimed at accelerating growth, maximising profitability and facilitating recruitment, training and R&D.
The financial services industry in Northern Ireland employs around 28,000 people in more than 1200 firms. It has a well established group of leaders in banking, capital markets and insurance delivering blended support solutions in technology, operations, customer service, analytics, compliance and legal services.
Northern Ireland has excellent credentials in financial technology and is among the top global locations for companies seeking strategic near shore solutions for software development, R&D and technical support services. Sophisticated software development is delivered from hubs in the region for major financial institutions in London, New York, Frankfurt and Tokyo. The well established cluster includes multinational firms like Citi, NYSE Euronext, the Allstate Corporation, Liberty Mutual and Fidessa. It is further strengthened by local firms with a pedigree in financial technology including First Derivatives, Kainos and Singularity (recently acquired by Kofax).
Northern Ireland’s operating costs are highly competitive and significantly lower than many other European centres. Typical salaries for the financial services sector in the region are around 40 per cent below London and 30 per cent below Dublin and city centre property costs for Belfast are approximately one quarter of the cost in London and half of the cost in Dublin. Add to this workforce flexibility, and comparatively low sector attrition and Northern Ireland ranks among the most cost competitive locations in Europe.
Northern Ireland is home to a highly educated working population where young people consistently outperform other UK regions in school leaving qualifications. The national skills body for ICT, e-Skills, estimates that on average 77 per cent of Northern Ireland IT and Telecoms professionals hold a degree level qualification compared to the UK average of 50 per cent. International firms with operations in Northern Ireland further cite the exceptional professionalism, problem solving capability and strong work ethic of its people and link this to tangible improvements in operating efficiency and to higher levels of customer satisfaction.
High levels of collaboration between industry, academia and government mean that the development of talent continues to be a priority. A range of tailored and flexible government-funded support measures are in place to ensure that financial and technology companies can access the skills they need in the region, both at set up and for future expansion. These measures, collectively known as ‘Assured Skills’, include the design, development, delivery and financial support for bespoke training, management and leadership development and graduate conversion programmes. For further information please contact our team: Invest Northern Ireland Email: london@investni.com
Manchester’s success over the past ten years has seen the city take its place on the international stage as a top 10 European Business location. As the UK’s largest regional economy, located just 2 hours by train from London, Manchester is the ideal location for financial services firms to establish a regional hub or a lower cost operations centre to complement existing operations in the capital. With the assistance of MIDAS, Manchester’s inward investment agency, many UK and foreign owned financial services firms have found that an operation in Manchester city region delivers significant cost benefits and operational efficiencies. Voted as Europe’s top city for business competitiveness* and joint second as the most popular target for investment in Europe ** Manchester provides a viable low cost alternative to London. The sheer scale of Manchester’s financial and professional services community demonstrates the breadth of opportunities available to new investors. A skilled sustainable workforce of over 250,000 work across a range of sectors including: retail finance, wealth management, insurance, corporate finance, law and accountancy, which together generate an annual wealth of £10.7 billion making Manchester a highly attractive business location. The city is in a particularly strong position when it comes to attracting higher value financial services relocations. Manchester has steadily moved up the value chain in terms of financial and professional services back office activity in recent years, and now has a significant skilled talent pool in more complex middle or back office functions such as fund accounting, client services, asset finance in addition to more traditional back office operations. The commercial strength of Manchester is complemented by regional representation of the London Stock Exchange, the CBI and the Bank of England as well as networking organisations. This includes pro.manchester, the Institute of Directors, The Law Society, Securities and Investment Institute (SII) and British Insurance Brokers Association. MIDAS works closely with businesses to secure significant levels of new investment and employment for the city region. This is achieved through the global business marketing of Manchester, targeting key markets and sectors, and the provision of an extensive, free and confidential package of advice and assistance to national and international companies that wish to relocate to – or expand within – Manchester City Region. MIDAS provides services such as relocation support, assistance in finding property solutions, advice on recruitment and training, PR and marketing and making introductions to local networking organisations. MIDAS has a proven track record in supporting financial services companies to establish new operations in Manchester. From the development of the initial business case, to design and delivery of the location strategy, MIDAS has helped numerous financial services companies establish a successful operation in the city. For more information on how MIDAS can support your organisation, please contact a member of the MIDAS team on +44 (0)161 875 2239 or visit us on stand number 1 at City Week * KPMG International 2010
EmCo is a Moscow-based consulting firm that advises Russian and international companies on strategic communications and investor relations. Among our clients are VTB,The Federal Grid Company, Transneft, Rostelecom, Polymetal, MRSK Holding, Microsoft, Silver Bear Resources, and others. The name EmCo is a short version of the term ‘Emerging Communications’ that we coined to align strategic communications practices with the opportunities and challenges of the Emerging Markets business environment. Emerging Markets are characterized by rapid growth and value-added opportunities for those who can recognize and understand them. For us, Emerging Communications is a complex of cutting-edge strategic communications tools adapted to the reality of Emerging Markets that gives businesses a key to exploring these markets’ potential. The EmCo team is actively involved in a number of projects taken up by the Working group on developing the International Financial Centre in Moscow that was established in 2010 on orders from the President of Russia. Our firm treats this work as its biggest investor relations project where the ultimate goal is to position Moscow among the top investment hubs of the world.
GFI Group Inc. (NYSE: “GFIG”) is a leading provider of wholesale brokerage, electronic execution and trading support products for global financial markets. GFI provides brokerage services, market data, trading platform and analytics software products to worldwide institutional clients in markets for a range of credit, financial, equity and commodity instruments. Headquartered in New York, GFI was founded in 1987 and employs more than 2,200 people around the world. The company provides services and products to over 2,600 institutional clients, including leading investment and commercial banks, corporations, insurance companies and hedge funds. GFI provides competitive wholesales brokerage services acting as an intermediary in a wide range of global over-the-counter (“OTC”) cash and derivatives markets, including credit derivatives and fixed income, financial derivatives, cash equities and equity derivatives, energy and commodities. GFI has gained a reputation for being an early mover in nascent markets, such as emissions, credit derivatives, freight, weather and property derivatives, and has been instrumental in helping to develop liquidity and educate new participants. Technology Examples of its achievements include CreditMatch®, a leading trading platform in Europe for credit derivatives and cash bonds, GFI ForexMatch® for currency derivatives and EnergyMatch® and EnergyMatch Europe, electronic trading platforms for commodities products in Europe and North America. These platforms combine pre-trade analytical, execution and post-trade straight-through-processing (“STP”) capabilities , and as a result, have received recognition in industry surveys. In January 2008, GFI significantly enhanced its technology offering in commodity and financial products with the acquisition of Trayport Ltd., along with its world-class GlobalVision electronic platform, which can accommodate electronic trading, information sharing and STP. Trayport is the leading provider of trading software in the European energy markets and is used by brokers, exchanges and trading counterparties. GFI offices and brands
BTG Pactual is Brazil's leading investment bank, with operations in Investment Banking, Asset Management and Wealth Management. It has a track record of almost three decades and offices in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Recife, Porto Alegre, London, New York and Hong Kong. BTG Pactual currently has net equity of US$5.0bn1, with over US$61.0bn2 in assets in our Asset Management group and US$21.0bn2 in assets in our Wealth Management unit. The knowledge and experience of the BTG Pactual team, combined with the confidence of its clients have led the bank to receive several awards over the years, such as Best Funds Manager in Brazil, according to the Exame magazine and the Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV), 2011; one of the leading Wealth Management players in Brazil and Latin America, according to Euromoney (2010); and Best Investment Bank in Brazil, according to the Latin Finance and Global Finance magazines (2010). Our five principles:
1 According to the Group’s audited financial statements in December 2010. 2 Asset under management and/or asset under administration. Source: BTG Pactual
Rio Tinto is a leading international mining group, combining Rio Tinto plc, a London listed public company headquartered in the UK, and Rio Tinto Limited, which is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, with executive offices in Melbourne. The two companies are joined in a dual listed companies (DLC) structure as a single economic entity, called the Rio Tinto Group. To deliver superior returns to shareholders over time, Rio Tinto takes a long term and responsible approach to the Group's business. This means concentrating on the development of first class orebodies into large, long life and efficient operations, capable of sustaining competitive advantage through business cycles. We are a world leader in finding, mining and processing the Earth's mineral resources. Our products help fulfil vital consumer needs and improve living standards. We operate, and eventually close, our operations safely, responsibly and sustainably. Rio Tinto operate as a global organisation, sharing best practices across the Group. Our values - accountability, respect, teamwork and integrity - are expressed through our business principles, policies and standards. We set these out in our worldwide code of business conduct, The way we work. Our values underpin the way we manage the economic, social and environmental effects of our operations, and how we govern our business. Wherever Rio Tinto operates, health and safety is the first priority. All our Group businesses put sustainable development at the heart of their operations, working as closely as possible with host countries and communities, respecting their laws and customs. For Rio Tinto it is important that the environmental effects of its activities are kept to a minimum and that local communities benefit as much as possible from operations.
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