On 24 February 2024, Ukraine and the rest of the world marked the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion. Despite extensive media coverage of the war and its geopolitical and socio-economic ramifications on Europe and the rest of the world, there...
Optimism in the financial services sector is riding high. According to the latest Forvis-Mazars C-Suite Barometer, 94% of financial services respondents say they're growing, which is five points higher than the global average and up overall from 92% last year....
In the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis, regulators and legislators around the world tried to make sense of its causes and then implement rules to stop it happening again. In the UK, the resulting regulation introduced by the Financial...
In the dynamic world of finance, regulatory updates play a pivotal role in shaping industry practices and safeguarding the interests of stakeholders. From strengthening anti-money laundering measures to fostering transparency in crypto-asset markets, recent months have witnessed a flurry of...
Operational resilience is the ability of firms to prepare for, prevent, adapt and respond to, recover and learn from operational disruption. It is a complex and multi-faceted challenge for cross-border banks to prepare for and respond to. This is because...
An EU vs UK vs US perspective Sixteen years ago, the collapse of Lehman Brothers triggered the global financial crisis, which highlighted significant weaknesses in the global banking sector. The oversight of the sector was quite fragmented between jurisdictions, leading...
Following the 2007-08 global financial crisis, substantial deficiencies were identified in many banks’ risk data aggregation capabilities and risk reporting practices globally. This impacts banks’ ability to make timely risk decisions, creating risks not only for themselves but for the...
Reinforcement Learning (RL) is a branch of Machine Learning (ML) that is still little known to the general public. In this approach, an agent repeats actions and, depending on the result of these actions, receives a reward or punishment in...
Africa's economic potential is hindered by the pervasive presence of illicit financial flows (IFFs), fraud, and corruption, which not only strip the continent of vital resources but also obstruct its path towards sustainable development. The staggering annual loss of $88.6...
In the ongoing battle against financial crimes spanning money laundering, terrorist financing, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, collaborative efforts in asset confiscation and seizure stand as vital bulwarks. As we navigate the complexities of the financial landscape...
We have identified and ranked the key risks for financial services business leaders in 2024 based on market research, regulatory insights as well as our assessment of the current difficulties facing firms. We discuss in this article the key takeaways...
We have identified and ranked the key risks for financial services business leaders in 2024 based on market research, regulatory insights as well as our assessment of the current difficulties facing firms. We also highlight the changes in risk rankings...
Mazars recently hosted a Financial Services INED Roundtable Dining Event in Dublin[1]. Over 50 financial services independent non-executive directors (INEDs) attended, from banking, asset management, funds and insurance entities operating across the EU and UK. The roundtable focussed on the...
Last October, the European Central Bank (ECB) initiated the preparation phase of the Digital Euro project, following two years of investigation and a proposal on the establishment of a digital euro published by the European Parliament (EP) in June 2023. In...
The European Central Bank (ECB) issued the SSM supervisory priorities for the 2024-2026 cycle on 19 December 2023. They sum up what institutions under the direct supervision of the ECB should expect in terms of areas of supervision, in 2024...
In January 2024, the European Central Bank (ECB) published its Climate and Nature Plan for 2024-2025. This plan aims to: clarify what actions the ECB intends to take to progress its climate and nature agenda; and define what banks need...
DORA is a legislative proposal that aims to improve the digital operational resilience and ensure the performance and stability of the financial system of the member countries of the European Union in the face of the risks associated with ICT...
In late 2023, and to coincide with COP 28, Mazars published its latest Sustainability practices survey on the progress banks and insurers have made in embedding sustainability into their businesses, our most comprehensive and information-rich report to date covering 404...
The Single Resolution Board (SRB) convened its annual conference on 13 February 2024 with a theme highlighting the focus for the year: ‘The road ahead: risk, readiness and resilience’. While significant strides have been made with the EU banking resolution...
In environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting, materiality is crucial for enhancing transparency and accountability in sustainability and climate-related disclosures. Importantly, it helps identify and report on matters that are deemed significant, emphasizing their relevance to stakeholders. Materiality comes in...
To adapt to the swiftly evolving regulatory landscape and meet stakeholders' expectations, financial firms are increasingly formulating sustainability strategies to address environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors. Notably, emissions reduction and the pursuit of net-zero targets have become central elements...
On 29 June 2023, the European Union’s (EU) Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA) entered into force. It is being implemented in stages depending on the provisions, between June and December 2024. The regulation, which provides clearer rules for crypto-asset...
The integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into strategic planning is increasingly becoming a common practice among financial services firms. However, climate-related risks can also serve as drivers of financial risk for institutions. These risks can manifest through...
There is growing pressure for banks and insurers to incorporate C&E factors in their risk management frameworks (RMF). As a practice, it gives the ability to set clear thresholds for the climate impacts banks and insurers are willing and able...
There are increasing regulatory expectations globally for financial institutions to disclose and demonstrate how sustainability-related responsibilities are allocated within the organisation. In this respect, the increasing global trend towards mandatory sustainability disclosure frameworks continues to underscore the significant role that...
On 19 December 2023, the European Central Bank (ECB) published its updated Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) strategic supervisory priorities for the period 2024 to 2026. The priorities indicate what banks should expect in terms of supervisory activities in 2024. For...
While the banking sector has shown resilience over recent years, the economic environment and geopolitical situation remain tense. So, what does this mean for risks to the banking sector? More specifically, what is the impact on capital requirements for banks...
The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) and Financial Stability Board (FSB) published reports in October 2023 on the causes and lessons learnt from the Spring 2023 banking turmoil. The BCBS report provides an assessment of the causes of the...
The implementation of the European Union's 'Taxonomy' regulation, which integrates two climate objectives, was carried out on 1 January 2022 through the 'Climate' Delegated Act released in April 2021. In line with this, the banking sector has been provided with...
The IIF Annual Membership meeting is a setting for insights and perspectives from global financial regulators and senior financial sector executives on topical economic and regulatory issues. Being a forum with global coverage means that it is a valuable setting for...
Under IFRS 9, forward-looking information is a key component of Expected Credit Loss (ECL) calculations. However, forward-looking information requires a significant level of judgement, making comparisons difficult to navigate. Indeed, similar to the use of post-model adjustments, forward-looking scenarios have...
Despite banks emerging from the Covid-19 crisis in reasonably good health, the war in Ukraine combined with a global energy crisis and an uncertain economic landscape have once again put the spotlight on credit risk exposures. To better understand credit...
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, post-model adjustments1, or management overlays, have become an increasingly common and accepted mechanism used by banks to manage expected credit losses (ECLs). The number of post-Covid unprecedented events related to the war in Ukraine, energy crisis...
The Eurofi financial forum is a setting for exchanges between European Union (EU) economic and financial regulators and senior financial sector executives from the industry. It occurs bi-annually alongside the Economic and Financial Affairs Council configuration (ECOFIN) meetings. This summary...
With the approaching end of the investigation phase of the ECB’s digital euro project in October 2023, and the expectance of a decision on starting a realisation phase by the end of this year, the pros and cons of a...
The European Commission published on 18 April 2023 a new legislative package aiming to adapt and strengthen the framework for crisis management and deposit insurance (CMDI), with an acute focus on small and medium-sized banks. This proposal, which follows the...
In recent weeks, we have witnessed the successive bankruptcies of three banks in the United States, as well as the hasty takeover of Credit Suisse by UBS. This chain of events inevitably calls into question whether this trajectory echoes the...
The rapid collapse of one of Switzerland’s most emblematic banks, following the demise of tech lenders on America’s west coast, has raised concern over banking stability. What are the consequences for the sector, the economy and for society? Gregory Marchat,...
The momentum towards a low-carbon economic system is only set to grow. Financial services firms are pivotal actors in the transition; consequently, increasing demands are being put on them to demonstrate their sustainable finance activities and credentials. This blog explains...
Implementing credible environmental, social and governance (ESG) actions requires successful enablers. So how can firms identify these enablers and, crucially, remove barriers to implementation? If we take our latest C-Suite Sustainability Barometer, we can see that out of the over...
In an interview, Korbinian Ibel, Director General at the European Central Bank (ECB), shares insight on how bank-specific direct supervision works, what the current risks and challenges are, and priorities to look out for in the coming years. What does...
“I see digital as the future of finance”. These are the words of the Executive Vice President of the European Commission (EC), Valdis Dombrovskis, voiced in the summer of 2020. He has undoubtedly been proven right as governments and central...
The global climate crisis has triggered the financial sphere to address the way in which it conducts business. Climate risk consideration is currently growing in the banking industry but should also be considered by banks in the Credit Valuation Adjustment...
After two years marked by the Covid-19 crisis, the first half of 2022 offered the prospect of a return to a certain economic normality. However, the outbreak of war in Ukraine combined with a deteriorating economic environment have reshuffled the...
The European Banking Authority (EBA) is tasked, in cooperation with the European Systematic Risk Board (ESRB), to initiate and coordinate biennial EU-wide stress testing exercises to assess the resilience of institutions to adverse market developments. The objective is to provide...
The Federal Reserve Board (FED) will commence its first bottom-up climate scenario analysis exercise at the beginning of 2023, as announced on 29 September. The exercise will be exploratory in nature and will not result in extra capital requirements. The...
The first supervisory climate risk stress test (2022 CST) conducted by the European Central Bank (ECB) has concluded with official results and findings made public on 8 July 2022. The exercise has complemented the broader ECB’s agenda to assess the...
Climate change is now firmly in the focus of prudential regulators and supervisors across the globe. Against this background, the European Banking Authority (EBA) is mandated to assess whether a dedicated prudential treatment of exposures related to assets or activities...
The last few weeks have been marked by an ongoing review of the supervisory priorities initially listed by the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) for 2022-24, and developments in the climate agenda outlined by the European Central Bank (ECB). ECB’s supervisory...
For several months now, we have been in an economic and financial environment that we have not seen for some years. In May, inflation in the Eurozone reached 8.1%, with six countries exceeding 10%, while the United States recorded an...
Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) continue to receive increasing attention not only from the ECB but all over the world. So far, 10 countries [1] have already deployed CBDC programmes with another 15 countries [2] currently conducting pilot programmes. In...
The chair of the European Central Bank's Supervisory Board, Andrea Enria, has voiced several times in the past months the supervisor’s concern with the increasing growth of the leveraged finance sector, which deals with loans to highly indebted borrowers. By...
The war in Ukraine, as well as the unprecedented sanctions imposed by the European Union, the United States and their partners against Russia have had major consequences for financial services institutions. For foreign companies operating in Russia or Ukraine, the...
Crypto-asset markets have been on banks’ radar for some time. While interest and involvement have varied, regulatory developments have been a driving force. In September 2020, the European Union (EU) published a proposal for the regulation of Markets in Crypto-assets...
In March 2022, the European Central Bank (ECB) published its second snapshot of climate-related and environmental risk disclosure levels among significant institutions under its direct supervision. In line with the results of the first snapshot published in November 2020 -...
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia on 24 February 2022 is considered the most significant geopolitical event since the Second World War. While there is no question of military intervention by the European Union (EU) at the moment, the EU...
A central database to strengthen the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) framework was launched by the European Banking Authority (EBA) on 31 January 2022. Called EuReCA, the new database will be essential to coordinate efforts by national competent authorities...
As regulated entities execute their post-Brexit strategies and relocate their European Union (EU) operations from the UK to other EU states, a key issue to be addressed for those relocating to Ireland remain to be the impending legislative changes surrounding...
The great financial crisis triggered a massive wave of bankruptcies in the worldwide banking sector, affected not only large international banks such as Lehman Brothers but also local ones such as Northern Rock in the UK. Basel prudential standards are...
On 19 January 2022, Mr Patrick Amis, the head of ECB Directorate General Specialised Institutions and Less Significant Institutions (DG/SPL) had a formal meeting with Mazars to discuss the implications of the pandemic for the LSIs and the supervisory focus....
Supervisory priorities 2022-2024 In December 2021, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the national supervisory authorities of the Eurozone countries published their supervisory priorities for 2022-2024. The three-year coverage enables the ECB banking supervision to achieve good progress in addressing...
The growing importance of sustainability issues and the role of credit institutions in financing transformation places climate and environmental risks at the core of regulatory and supervisory scrutiny today. For some years now, the Network for Greening the Financial System...
Financial institutions and non-bank financial technology companies (FinTechs) alike make extensive use of various machine learning models (MLOps) in core and non-core areas of their business. Banks, for example, rely on such models for a range of risk assessments, including...
The Covid-19 pandemic has amplified technology’s impact on the banking sector, helping to prove that technology now stands at the core of business sustainability for banks. In their constant search for convenience, digitally-savvy customers have pushed banks’ focus towards providing...
The creation of a new Anti-Money Laundering Authority will transform the supervision of money laundering and financing terrorism (AML/CFT) in the EU. Proposed reforms also extend the AML/CFT rules to all crypto-asset service providers, as well as include specific rules...
As the PRA transitions from a “rule-taker” to a “rule-maker”, small and medium-sized banks operating in the UK can expect to benefit from a more “streamlined” regulatory regime that could be easier to interpret, implement and maintain; but at the...
The identification and management of non-performing loans or NPLs as early as possible by banks are among supervisors’ current high-level priorities. Indeed, when prudential, monetary, and fiscal crisis mitigation mechanisms are tapered, the weakening of borrowers’ creditworthiness could materialise, along...
The unveiling of the new banking package “CRR3 - CRD6” on 27 October 2021 presents a further landmark on the road to implementing the final Basel III agreements. The regulatory scheme will also focus on the revision of the market...
The low level of banking consolidation in Europe compared to other countries is raising concerns among the supervisory community in Europe. It is a trend further reinforced after the financial crisis of 2007/2008 that produced a noticeable slowdown in consolidation...
Climate change introduces considerable economic challenges. On the one hand, financial institutions must contribute to the transition to a low-carbon and balanced economy to effectively combat global warming. On the other hand, the financial sector is exposed to climate-related and...
On 30 July, the European Central Bank unveiled the 2021 supervisory stress test results, which demonstrated that the region’s banking system is resilient in an unfavourable environment. The Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio has fallen 5.2% to 9.9% under...
Local and international trends have transformed the way banks operate, affecting their capital positions and profitability. In particular, ongoing digitalisation programmes and technological innovation continue to add pressure on traditional banking models, including the supply chain. While management’s focus on...
With the current ultra-low interest rate environment and market volatility having a negative impact on banks’ returns and, ultimately, their capital positions, operating models must quickly adapt and become more cost-efficient to maintain profitability. This drive for cost-efficiency has become...
Brexit, or the UK's departure from the European Union, became a reality on 1 January 2021. In terms of the regulatory impact for the financial sector, and the banking sector in particular, the UK being a third country, UK banks...
On 1 March 2021, the European Banking Authority (EBA) launched a public consultation on draft implementing technical standards (ITS) for Pillar 3 disclosures of environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks, under its capital requirements regulation (CRR) mandate. The consultation will...
The digitalisation of banking processes and the introduction of AI-led technology impact the central and strategic role of information systems within the banking system. The growing use of information and communication technology (ICT) exposes all financial institutions to an increasing...
The Targeted Review of Internal Models (TRIM) was one of the largest projects by the European Central Bank (ECB) aimed at identifying potential sources of unwarranted or non-risk based variability in Significant Institutions (SIs) risk-weighted assets (RWA) from the use...
Against the background of a new year still severely affected by the persistence of the pandemic throughout the world and economies facing an unprecedented global macro-economic shock, the Basel Committee has felt it necessary to address the audit of the...
Over the past decade, the financial services industry has been disrupted by the arrival of new players whose rise to prominence has pushed traditional banks - previously faced with little competition - to transform themselves. In this context, technology and...
While 2020 went relatively smoothly for the banking sector, uncertainties remain on the potential effects of Covid-19 on the real economy. Any negative impact could lead to heavy losses for the sector, especially when support measures are gradually phased out....
On 13 November 2020, the EBA published the final methodological note for the 2021 EU-wide stress-testing exercise. The aim of the stress tests is to assess the resilience of financial institutions to adverse economic and financial developments, in particular in...
The publication on 29 January of baseline and adverse scenarios, output templates, instructions and market assumptions required to carry out stress tests signals the go-ahead by the European Banking Association (EBA) for the 2021 regulatory exercise. Because of the Covid-19...
With the economic repercussions of the Covid-19 crisis yet to be fully assessed, a robust resolution framework is essential to ensure the stability of the banking system. While the banks were given leave to postpone the reporting of some less...
European sustainable finance regulations evolved considerably in 2020, and the European Banking Authority (EBA) is continuing this trend into 2021. It recently published a discussion paper assessing the potential inclusion of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) risks in the supervisory...
With more than half of the world’s fastest-growing economies located in Africa1, the continent’s economic outlook is a positive one. Average annual GDP growth since 2000 is over 5%, placing Africa as the second-fastest growing economy behind Latin America. Real...
In this edition of our Banking Regulatory Radar, we cover the key regulatory developments in the banking sector for 2020-2025. The latest version of the Mazars' Regulatory Radar has been updated with all the Level 2 legislation published in 2020,...
Facebook’s ambition to create a transferable global digital coin between users on the social media giant’s messaging platforms WhatsApp and Messenger has been controversial from the outset. Perhaps not surprisingly, the backlash from regulators around the world was substantial from...
March 2020 marked the first time - since its inception in 2014 - that the Bank of England (BoE) cancelled its annual stress tests for the UK’s biggest lenders. Instead, they undertook a desktop analysis of the UK banking sector...
Around one-fifth of global banking activity is undertaken in the UK. Almost half of the UK's banking assets are held by international banks. The PRA currently supervises approximately 250 international banks, both branches and subsidiaries, which are part of around...
One of the anticipated challenges in the transition from IBOR rates to risk-free rates (RFRs) is the management of its impact on quantitative models. The ones currently used for pricing IBOR-linked financial instruments account for term rates which are “forward-looking”....
Under article 430c of the updated Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR 2), the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union mandate that the European Banking Authority (EBA) perform a feasibility study on reducing the reporting burden for the European...
An important milestone in the IBOR transition is the change in rates used by LCH and CME for discounting and Price Alignment Interest (PAI) calculations for USD OTC cleared swaps. Indeed, on October 16, 2020, they moved from using the...
In the early 1990s, stress tests became a popular internal tool for international banks to examine risks and gain a better understanding of threats to the institutions' balance sheet. From there, the Basel Accord was amended in the mid- '90s...
The revised market risk framework – also known as the Fundamental Review of the Trading Book (‘FRTB’) – not only impacts an institution’s regulatory capital charge calculation for market risk, but also affects operational, governance and business strategies. FRTB brings...
One of the major challenges of IBOR transition is the availability of historical data on alternative risk-free rates (RFRs) required to implement interest rate model changes or re-calibration. With the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) only published since April 2018,...
Over recent years, technology and software have become strategic assets for competitiveness and resilience in the banking sector. Institutions have no choice but to invest to develop and deliver innovative services whilst managing ever greater IT and cybersecurity risks. The...
The Federal Reserve Board released stress test results for DFAST 2020 including additional sensitivity analysis, considering the COVID19 outbreak, to assess the resiliency of large banks under three hypothetical recessions, or downside scenarios, that could result from the coronavirus event....
American entrepreneur, Malcolm Forbes, once described diversity as “the art of thinking independently together”. Today, diversity is beginning to emerge as a quintessential workforce norm and institutions have started to acknowledge the differences in their staff compositions that are deeply...
With COVID-19, being declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020, financial institutions have had to shift most of their resources to mitigate the risks that have arisen. This has adversely affected important activities, one of which is market participants’ efforts...
Impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic have reverberated across every part of the global economy. Small businesses are struggling to pay their employees, banks are grappling with collapsing local economies, and many borrowers across the nation cannot meet their monthly mortgage...
During the last few weeks, the volume of loans issued by banks has snowballed as governments release programmes to bail out businesses affected by Covid-19. As a result of these higher volumes, the exceptional increase in underwriting activity raises several...
Gender equality, while not systematically embedded in national laws, is clearly set in European law. The Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR) requires financial institutions to adopt a policy promoting diversity within their management bodies and, for the most significant ones, to...
The Risk-Free Rates Working Group (RFRWG) published an update on the impact of COVID-19 on the timeline for firm’s plans to transition away from GBP LIBOR on the 29th April. While the central assumption of LIBOR’s publication being ceased after...
Pierre Latrobe at Mazars discusses recent HKMA initiatives taken in response to Covid-19 and their implications for Hong Kong banks, highlighting credit risk as a growing threat. The Hong Kong economy has been confronted by several downside factors over the...
The Alternative Reference Rates Committee (ARRC) continues to support market participants in their efforts to transition from USD London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) towards the Securities Overnight Reference Rate (SOFR). Following the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) March 2020 statement that...
The current pandemic is having far reaching consequences across all aspects of society. Compared to other industries the impact on the credit card industry is relatively mild and from a customer perspective the value of on-demand liquidity is now clearer...
Covid-19 disruption to the banking sector is widespread, including changes to working patterns, changes in customer behaviour, changes to partner-supplier dynamics and direct impacts on profit and loss accounts. The phase of immediate action to ensure business continuity is now...
With banks no longer the weak link in the financial system, they now have a key role to play in supporting the real economy to survive the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The significant strengthening of prudential regulation over the...
As we continue to feel the effects of the global pandemic, the banking sector, like many other sectors, now faces unprecedented uncertainty about the economic outlook ahead. While banks go into this pandemic in a stronger position than the global...
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has issued a public statement to announce the delay of the industry’s compliance with phase one of the Securities Financing Transactions Regulation (SFTR). This is in response to ESMA’s awareness of the financial...
The Covid-19 outbreak and the unprecedented emergency it presents has created a unique threat to the world’s economy. Like all sectors, banking has been impacted, and its stakeholders have felt excessive pressure over the last few weeks to get things...
The expected 2021 disappearance of LIBOR requires robust fallback language for cash products and derivatives alike. Industry associations have taken initiatives to reform the historic fallback language of securities, with ISDA proactively leading the way on derivatives and national working...
Since Libor was first used in financial markets in 1986, it has become the foundation of the global interbank funding market. However, regulators ruled that Libor’s volatility during the last global financial crisis (GFC) and a rate-rigging crisis in 20121...
In recent years, disruption to the banking sector has seen an increasing number of partnerships between banks and FinTechs, as banks look to acquire the digital expertise now required for 21st century banking and FinTechs look to tap into the...
At the end of nearly two years of legislative work, the reform of the prudential regulation of investment firms completed its final phase with the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of two new regulatory texts: Regulation...
With Libor’s cessation date at the end of 2021 looming, global regulators are hastening their IBOR fallback strategies. Yet while market momentum has increased for multiple published RFR indices, among them the GBP SONIA, the EUR €STR, and the USD...
Financial market participants – at least the largest ones – are actively preparing for the expected discontinuation of the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (LIBOR) after 2021. Transitioning towards a LIBOR-free world is a challenge that requires the involvement and coordination...
The methodology for an exercise to assess the resilience of EU banks to adverse market conditions and test the state of their capital allocations has been released by the European Banking Authority (EBA). The exercise – part of EU-wide stress...
Persistant negative interest rates, the inherent risk of a trade war between China and the United States, fears of a recession... all worrying signs of an imminent new crisis. However, the real question is not if but when the next...
With little more than two years to go, Libor’s cessation date continues to near. The voluntary agreement of panel banks submitting to Libor will conclude at the end of 2021, from which risk-free rates (RFR) are expected to replace Libor...
Pierre Latrobe at Mazars discusses the measures the HKMA has taken so far to strengthen its macroprudential supervisory toolkit and address potential risks to the wider financial system. The Hong Kong economy is suffering from several lingering negative factors, the...
With significant IBOR reform on the horizon, Mazars brought together industry experts, practitioners and regulators to discuss the challenges and opportunities they face. Speakers included the Bank of England Market Division’s Alastair Hughes, EFRAG’s Didier Andries and Mazars’ IBOR lead,...
The British political landscape has been unsettled and uncertain. Boris Johnson defeated Theresa May in July 2019 to become Prime Minister with his “do or die” conviction for the UK’s exit from the EU, with or without a deal. While...
In 2018, the Bank of England (the “BoE”) set up a project called “Future of Finance” aimed at anticipating the upcoming changes in financial services for the next decade, and the impact of these changes for market participants, customers and...
Whether the launch of Facebook’s Libra will threaten global monetary and financial stability is a question that has been on all regulators’ and politicians’ minds since Facebook announced its cryptocurrency project on June 18, 2019. Donald Trump himself tweeted that,...
September 2018 saw the tenth anniversary of the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the US corporate and investment bank that was symbolic of Wall Street. Its failure is still fresh in the mind, and marked a turning point for banking and...
A raft of recent consultations on Ibor reform indicates that we may finally be making some progress. We have seen the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) issue another round of consultations for Inter-Bank Offered Rates (IBORs) trying to solve...
During a meeting of the Special European Council on the 10 April 2019, EU leaders agreed to a flexible Brexit extension until 31 October 2019, to allow for the ratification of a withdrawal agreement. Despite this extension, there is still...
At the last G20 summit in Buenos Aires, leaders called for the full implementation of all major international financial reforms intended to improve the financial system, in particular, those drawn up by the Financial Stability Board (FSB) and the Basel...
On March 11 and 12, 2019, Mazars attended the 30th annual conference organized by the Institute of International Bankers (IIB). Agencies and regulators serving as speakers and panelists this year, included: •The Federal Reserve Board (FRB) •The Department of the...
Could the transition period towards the new alternative Risk-Free Rates (RFRs) be more complex than initially envisaged? The speech given by Edwin Schooling Latter, Director of Markets and Wholesale Policy at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), on the 28 January...
The financial sector is bursting with disruptive Fintech start-ups at present who are shaking up the banking and insurance sector with innovations varying from online mortgage banks to online payment services. With innovation occurring at such a rapid pace, how...
Which is the more significant - the tenth anniversary of the collapse of Lehman Brothers, or the tenth anniversary of the opening of the App Store? For the global financial community world, 15 September 2008 is a key date, weighted...
On Friday 2 November, as expected, the European Banking Authority (EBA) published the results of the 2018 EU wide stress tests on European banks’ solvency in the event of macro-economic shocks. This was the fourth exercise of the now-biannual testing...
The whole financial system relies on reference interest rates, more precisely on InterBank Offered Rates (IBORs) whose integrity and reliability have raised some concerns since the 2008 financial crisis and the LIBOR manipulation scandal. These IBORs are used to determine...
S.1255 the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (the “Senate Banking Bill”) was passed on March 14, 2018 after a strongly bipartisan 67-31 vote. On May 22, 2018, the House passed the Senate Banking Bill with 258 yeas...
Fintech is prominent in today’s business lexicon, having migrated from the back office to a prominent position in both consumer and commercial finance. Its core functionality on mobile devices and wide application in artificial intelligence (AI) spans blockchain, smart contracts,...
In this podcast, Greg Simpson discusses the Prudential Regulatory changes proposed by Basel 3. Together with Phuong Gomard and Bowen Lu, regulatory specialists in Mazars’ Banking Consulting practice, they highlight the impact on the standardised approach to credit risk and...
It is truly amazing the turmoil 88 pages can produce. Yet while the whole Banking Industry is strongly opposed to some of the new Fundamental Review of the Trading Book (FRTB) requirements, such as the Profit & Loss Attribution (PLA)...
On February 1, 2018, just one day after the European Banking Authority (EBA) officially kicked off its EU-wide stress test exercise, the Federal Reserve Board (FRB) released the applicable scenarios for its own US stress test. 2018 US Stress Test...
At the end of February 2018, all the major European banks published information on the impact of the implementation of the new standard IFRS 9. IFRS 9 introduces numerous changes (classification, impairment, hedging, etc.). Their impacts at the transition date...
Because of the 2008 financial and economic crisis, banks have accumulated billions of non-performing loans (NPLs) on their balance sheets. Even 10 years after this major economic event, the situation is not yet back to normal in some countries. In...
While whistleblowing laws and initiatives might differ from country to country, whistleblowers in the financial industry are now well recognized and have gained international attention. Here we analyse the steps taken in the USA to strengthen whistleblowing procedures and practices....
On 7 December, after several years of negotiations (starting in 2012 with the market risk review), Mario Draghi, chair of the Basel Committee’s Group of Governors and Head of Supervision (G-HOS), announced the finalisation of the Basel III agreements. These...
Nadia Filali is director of blockchain programmes and founder of LaBChain at the French public group Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations. Here Mazars partner Jean Latorzeff and senior managers Emilie Legroux and Christophe Bonnefoy talk to Nadia about the pioneering...
Non-performing loans (NPLs) remain at the forefront of the European regulatory agenda, with two major consultations run by the European Central Bank (ECB) and the European Commission (EC) over the recent weeks, both in relation to the introduction of minimum...
The vast array of legal and supervisory requirements for determining a business model draws attention away from the inherent and indispensable need that a successful entrepreneur has for such a model. In the past, was an entrepreneur who had decided...
In this third article of our thought leadership programme around the transformation of Financial Services, we are focusing on how new business models are emerging. “THIS IS A WORLD OF SIX-MONTH PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT CYCLES AND CONSTANT UPDATES, PRIMARILY OF SOFTWARE,...
As recent as 26 September 2017, the European Banking Authority (EBA) under the Directive 2013/36/EU published its revised guidelines on harmonising the internal governance arrangements of banks across the European Union. The EBA Guidelines will apply as of 30 June...
A holiday photo on Instagram, a “like” on Facebook, a PayPal transfer to pay for your Airbnb, or just a bank card payment or an ATM withdrawal: every day, we feed data into greedy and enthusiastic algorithms that are gathering...
A new prudential framework applicable to banks and credit institutions in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) is set to come into force on 1 January 2018. However, a significant delay has been observed in implanting reforms in...
Reforms to an accounting system that has been in force for nearly 20 years will help to increase the security and robustness of the West African financial system, while improving the quality of financial reporting. The Revised Banking Chart of...
Over a decade ago looking at the state banking webpage for my home state of New Jersey, there were approximately 250 banks doing business in the state then. A similar check today would yield a list of less than 150...
Along with Mazars banking regulatory advisory specialists Pauline Pelissier and Audrey Cauchet, Greg Simpson provides an overview of the banking regulatory outlook in the UK and Europe over the next 12 to 18 months. They also discuss IFRS9 in the...
In this podcast Greg Simpson discusses cyber security with our expert Francisco Sanches. They discuss major threats such as emerging risks, FCA guidance on cloud data storage and the cyber security skill gaps to name a few. Podcast player [audio...
Measuring banking risks is a difficult exercise, but striking a balance between simplistic and overly complex measurement techniques is the key to accurate risk measurement. This was the substance of the European Central Bank’s (ECB) Chair of the Supervisory Board,...
Efficient supervision of capital markets is a priority of the Capital Markets Union (CMU) given its role in facilitating market integration and European cross-border transactions. But there are currently a number of supervisory barriers halting progress of European mobilisation of...
Greg Simpson, Head of Banking UK and banking experts Paul Hodgett and Pierre Latrobe discuss the implications of IFRS9, more specifically they share some of their experience on helping banks implement IFRS 9. As the standard starts on 1 January...
Solvency, liquidity, transparency and oversight requirements: as the Basel Committee meeting in Santiago, Chile in November 2016 demonstrated, there is still much to be discussed on the finalisation of the Basel III agreements. However, the inauguration of the new President...
In about nine months, IFRS 9 will replace IAS 39 and the new accounting environment won’t be the only element to be impacted. In recent months, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS), the EU Commission and the European Banking...
There is a clear pipeline of jumbo disposal Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) in Italy, thanks to the ECB push, however vendors will need to take into careful consideration a few factors in their decision, such as recent regulatory reforms of insolvency...
After the Basel Committee consultation in October and then the European Commission’s legislative proposal of the package CRR II / CRD V in November 2016, the EBA has now given its opinion on the management impact of IFRS 9 on...
Cyberattacks aren’t just getting more frequent, they are also becoming significantly more vicious and sophisticated. The majority of today’s data breaches result from human error, making cybersecurity a “people problem” as well as a technology issue. The solution to this...
Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) are a key issue and will continue to be on the European agenda as a top priority for a long time. On the one hand, the ECB guidelines are already applicable, as they represent a best practice...
The European Central Bank (“ECB”) recently launched public consultation on guidance to banks on non-performing loans (“NPL”). Consultation periods runs until 15 of November 2016. As NPL harms the profitability, funding and capital of banks and more globally the real...
Arkéa Banking Services began life in 2009 by offering white label banking services on behalf of third parties. CEO, Christophe Bitner tells Mazars why offering support to Fintechs is now an important next step. What’s the driving force behind the...
On 20th October, I was delighted to chair an event in collaboration with OMFIF on the implications of Brexit for the financial services industry. We had an excellent panel of experts representing banks and asset managers as well as the...
On August 25, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC” or the “Commission”) adopted amendments to various rules under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the “Act”). The amendments will be effective 60 days after the date of publication...
At a time when the European Banking Authority’s stress tests have provided valuable insights into the solvency levels of European banks, these banks are continuing their efforts to formalise the conceptual and operational framework of risk management. While changes in...
Greece’s financial systems have been tightly monitored by the institutions – once called the Troika – of ECB, IMF and EU Commission in recent years. The systemically relevant Greek banks are under close control of the Joint Supervisory Team (JST),...
Recently released guidelines require institutions to adopt risk-based programs to monitor and filter transactions for potentially suspicious activity. Beginning January 1, 2017, financial institutions registered under the New York banking law are responsible for complying with anti-terrorism transaction monitoring and...
The impact of Brexit on foreign banks, and especially the larger ones, has already been the subject of extensive media coverage and speculation. Discussions on the advantages and disadvantages of Brexit for larger overseas banks have been wide-ranging. Will the...
The arrival of technology has been a game changer for Ireland's banking industry. Niall O’Grady Commercial Director of permanent tsb (PTSB) talks to Liam McKenna Partner Consulting Services - Mazars Ireland, about how the bank is using digitalisation to create more meaningful...
The Brexit debate last week was overshadowed by Theresa May becoming the UK’s new Prime Minister and some of her more radical appointments to her Cabinet. On top came the horrific terror attack in Nice and the failed coup d’état...
Brexit continues to dominate the political and financial world across Europe and beyond as people wrestle with its impact. But there’s another massive storm on the horizon for the EU that has been brewing for some time and Brexit may...
As implied in the BCBS consultative document on November 2015, the BCBS published new standards on 11 July 2016 to include amendments on STC securitisations and thus make its final decision for their calibration. The securitisation framework was highlighted in...
Customers trust their banks with an increasing amount of data that paints a picture not just about their financial situation and preferences, but about their lifestyles. Bank of Ireland's Garvan Callan, Director, Customer, Digital & Innovation talks to Liam McKenna...
Confronted with legislation that is becoming increasingly constrictive, banks must optimize the management of their data. It’s a challenge that is compounded by the fact that data is often dispersed throughout information systems - a fact that aggregators are capitalising...
Compte Nickel is a current account service accessible to all. Operated by the Financial Supervisory Committee of electronic payments (EPF), this new payment account which has been launched recently in France can be opened in 5 minutes at a newsagent/tobacconist...
Business funding diversification, helping to increase options for savers and making the economy more resilient are some of the main objectives set out in the European Commission’s Action Plan on Building a Capital Markets Union (CMU) published on 30 September...
On 6 April 2016, the Basel Committee published a new consultative document outlining revision plans for the calculation of the leverage ratio and submit proposals for additional requirements applicable to systemically important banks (G-SIBs). This new consultation comes as no...
The revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2) that comes into force in January 2018 will essentially remove many of the barriers to new players looking to enter the payments market by providing access to customer data and accounts through an EEA...
A series of initiatives designed to help combat terrorism financing have put electronic payment cards in the spotlight due to the fact they guarantee anonymity in the use of small sums. Announced on 23 November 2015, these initiatives supplement the...
3 Questions to Mister Doe When it comes to the administration of dormant bank accounts and unclaimed life policies, the quality of data, the inflexibility of internal procedures and complex processing is causing banks and insurers big problems. Vladimir Nguekam, CEO...
Since the 2008 crisis, the financial sector has been under scrutiny. Identified as one of the crisis root causes, the importance of risk management framework and risk culture and its interconnectedness to ensure the long run financial stability of each...
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To be a ‘good bank’, a bank must be efficient, innovative and trustworthy. Given its central role at the heart of the economy and financial system and the risks associated with fulfilling its role, banks have to operate within an...
The last five years have been a time of much challenge and change for the Central Banking Fraternity in Europe. Crisis, both economic and political, has been followed by much adjustment and change, including both practical economic and policy interventions,...
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