Finance Minister Michael Noonan has been named the European Finance Minister of the year by the Financial Times magazine The Banker. In stark comparison, in 2010, Brian Lenihan was named the worst European finance minister by the “FT” when Ireland was facing a bailout. The current awards celebrate ministers who are restoring the economy and…
Author Archives: Derrik Brunner
Want Malta Citizenship? No Problem
If you’re interested in obtaining Malta citizenship, you might just be in luck. Malta has recently announced proposals to sell citizenship of its nation. All it will take is €650,000 (about $888,000). Not surprisingly, the Maltese government has halted its efforts to offer this perk due to rising criticism from both inside Malta and from…
New Bonus Cap Regulations Could Affect Many
Recent figures from the EU banking regulator showed that more than 3500 bankers in Europe earned €1bn (£833m) or more last year. Britain has 12 times as many high earners as did any other country. The data from the European Banking Authority showed that 3529 bankers in the EU earned at least €1m in 2012….
EU & World Bank Helping the Mindanao Trust Fund
In recent news, the European Union and the World Bank have signed an agreement to formalize the contribution that the regional bloc makes to the Mindanao Trust Fund-Reconstruction and Development Program (MTF-RDP). The EU has made the pledge to offer another €8 million (about P467 million) to the fund with the intention of addressing the…
Michael J. Fox Foundation Donates to Danish Firm
The Michael J. Fox Foundation has recently donated 5.5 million kroner (€750,000) to the pharmaceutical firm Lundbeck based in Denmark. The CEO of the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF), Todd Sherer, said that the organization’s main goal is to advance research so that millions of people with Parkinson’s disease will have better therapy options. The…
Swiss Bankers Association Comments on FATCA
With the implementation of FATCA looming and the date approaching in January 2014, all eyes are on the banks to see how they will comply. The Swiss Bankers Association has listed elements that might be of particular interest. Financial intermediaries in Switzerland will get facilitation in the identification of clients with ties to the US….
Trading Gold and Silver
The main function of gold, silver and indeed any futures market, is for the company to offer a centralized marketplace for investors wanting to buy or sell commodities. Before one starts investing in the purchase of gold coins, they should realize the following. First, there are many different types of gold coins available (research the…
New Job Opportunities in Ireland
A new start-up in Ireland is promising to open much needed jobs. Metabolomics Diagnostics Ltd. plans to create the world’s first predictive diagnostic blood test for pre-eclampsia to the market. With it, 40 new jobs should be created. Metabolomics Diagnostics founder, Professor Louise Kenny, was awarded the Enterprise Ireland Life Sciences & Food Commercialization Award…
Frenchman Cyril Roux Takes Over at Central Bank
Ireland is getting a new financial regulator, and he’s French. Frenchman Cyril Roux will take over on October 1, succeeding Englishman Matthew Elderfield as deputy governor, financial regulation, at the Central Bank. With his new position, he will be the highest paid executive at the Central Bank, earning a salary of €310,000. He’s being given…
Baker & McKenzie Expansion
The UAE section of Baker & McKenzie is considering the possibility of expanding into the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Just recently, the company merged with Abu Dhabi and Dubai-based Habib Al Mulla & Co which gave it a much larger presence in the UAE, most notably through its newly-opened Dubai office. The firm –…
