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Episode 9: Financial Institutions in Post-COVID Africa

This episode puts the spotlight on Africa, with a focus on South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, and Ethiopia. Wildu du Plessis, a partner in our Johannesburg office and head of Africa, talks about the situation in Africa, in the context of the current pandemic and beyond. He shares his observations around regulatory and technological development — focusing on key topics around digitalization, cryptocurrencies, cashless transactions, and sustainability  — and how financial institutions can succeed in the post-pandemic continent.

 

Special Edition: Finding Balance – Financial Infrastructure

In this special edition, Sue McLean, a partner at our London office, talks with Chris Murrer about the future of the financial infrastructure sector — payment providers, exchanges, card schemes, clearing houses and depositories — as it transitions into the business renewal phase. Basing on client, industry and legal perspectives, we explore what the post-COVID environment looks like for the sector. This episode is part of the fifth installment of Finding Balance: The Post-COVID Landscape for Financial Institutions.

 

Episode 7: Insurtech (Part 2)

Taking off from the recent publication, Insurtech: Opportunities and Legal Challenges for the Insurance Industry, Chris Murrer and Iris Barsan walk through observations in the market, as well as key developments that define the current insurtech landscape. In this second installment, they take a deeper look into regulations and considerations around recent developments in insurtech. They also touch on important points covering ethical concerns, data privacy, discrimination, and other financial regulations.

 

Episode 6: Insurtech (Part 1)

Taking off from the recent publication Insurtech: Opportunities and Legal Challenges for the Insurance Industry, Chris Murrer and Iris Barsan walk through observations in the market, as well as key developments that define the current insurtech landscape. This first installment focuses on new capabilities across the US and Europe, and how regulations are moving in response to innovations in the market.

 

Special Edition: Finding Balance – Insurance

In this special edition, Martin C.W. Tam, a partner at our Hong Kong office, talks with Ying Yi Liew about the future of the insurance sector as it transitions into the business renewal phase. Basing on client, industry and legal perspectives, we explore what the post-COVID environment looks like for the sector. This episode is part of the fourth installment of Finding Balance: The Post-COVID Landscape for Financial Institutions.

 

Special Edition: Finding Balance – Financial Sponsors

In this special edition, Michael Fieweger, a partner at our Chicago office, talks with Ying Yi Liew about the future of financial sponsors — private equity/credit funds, asset management and sovereign wealth funds —  as the industry transitions into the business renewal phase. Basing on client, industry and legal perspectives, we explore what the post-COVID environment looks like for financial sponsors. This episode is part of the third installment of Finding Balance: The Post-COVID Landscape for Financial Institutions.

 

Episode 3: Data Journey Map for Virtual Communications (Singapore)

This episode outlines different steps that financial institutions must consider or take when using virtual communication platforms. Our experts from Singapore — Stephanie Magnus and Ken Chia — examine these steps, which should form part and parcel of financial institutions’ risk and compliance assessments, with a view to mitigating the potential risks of supervisory intervention and litigation.

 

Special Edition: Finding Balance – The Post-COVID Landscape for Financial Institutions

In this special edition, Jonathan Peddie, global chair of Baker McKenzie’s Financial Institutions Industry Group, is interviewed by Ying Yi Liew, a local principal and expert on financial services from our Singapore office. We analyze the future of financial institutions, as the industry transitions into the business renewal phase. Basing on client, industry, and legal perspectives, we explore what the post-COVID environment looks like for four industry segments and five global trends. This episode elaborates on our introductory publication under Finding Balance: The Post-COVID Landscape for Financial Institutions.

 

Episode 1: Data Journey Map for Virtual Communications (US)

This episode outlines different steps that financial institutions must consider or take when using virtual communication platforms. Our experts from the US – A. Valerie Mirko and Harry Valetk – examine these steps, which should form part and parcel of financial institutions’ risk and compliance assessments, with a view to mitigating the potential risks of supervisory intervention and litigation.

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Jonathan chairs the firm's Financial Institutions Global Industry Group and is a partner in the London Dispute Resolution practice. Jonathan has deep experience in advising boards, executive teams and individuals dealing with issues of market integrity, ethics, brand and reputation impact, conduct risk, whistleblowing, market misconduct, systems and controls failings and remediation, public statements and investor relations, financial crime, fraud, regulatory investigation and enforcement, public policy, public law and civil and criminal litigation. Jonathan's substantial in-house experience delivers a highly strategic and commercial focus aimed at re-establishing confidence in the brand and individuals. Jonathan joined Baker McKenzie from Barclays Bank PLC. Spanning a decade of unique pressure in the financial sector amidst the global financial crisis, he led the global litigation, investigations and enforcement function and established the bank's financial crime legal team. Jonathan was responsible for a series of high-profile regulatory and criminal investigations in EMEA, the US and Asia Pacific regions and led a significant portfolio of wholesale and retail litigation. Supporting the bank's risk and compliance functions, he implemented and improved systems and controls in respect of money laundering, bribery and corruption, fraud and international sanctions. Jonathan worked with UK and US law enforcement and government intelligence agencies on counter-terrorism, organised crime and other domestic and international security initiatives. Jonathan is the contributing author to a number of leading legal and sector publications, including: Banks and Financial Crime: International Law of Tainted Money (Oxford University Press 2008, 2016); Global Investigations Review - The Evolution of Risk Management in Global Investigations (GIR 2016, 2017, 2018); and Risk.net's annual Top 10 Operational Risks (2018-2022).

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Michael Fieweger represents private equity and venture capital funds, institutions, family offices and hedge funds and strategic acquirers in their formation and global acquisition and investment activities. Michael has a background in corporate finance, having previously served as a commercial lending officer with a division of JP Morgan Chase in Chicago. He is the chairman of the Firm's Global Private Equity Practice Group.

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Stephanie Magnus heads the Firm's Financial Services Regulatory and FinTech Practice in Singapore. She has significant experience in compliance, fintech in the financial services, insurance and commodities sectors. Her practice also includes mergers and acquisitions in the financial services sector. Stephanie is named in Chambers Asia Pacific for her "timely, practical and business oriented" advice, with a "deep understanding of the regulatory regime."

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Sue is a partner in Baker McKenzie's IP, Data and Technology team based in London. Sue specialises in major technology deals including cloud, outsourcing, digital transformation and development and licensing. She also advises on a range of legal and regulatory issues relating to the development and roll-out of new technologies including AI, blockchain/DLT, metaverse and crypto-assets. Her IP and commercial experience includes drafting, advising on and negotiating a wide range of intellectual property and commercial agreements including IP licences and assignment agreements, long-term supply and distribution agreements. She also assists clients in preparing terms of business and related documentation for new business processes and offerings and coordinating global roll-outs. Sue is also a key member of our transactional practice, providing strategic support on the commercial, technology and intellectual property aspects of M&A transactions and joint ventures, including advising on transitional services agreements and other key ancillary IP and commercial agreements. Sue is ranked as a leading lawyer in Chambers for Information Technology & Outsourcing and Fintech Legal and in Legal500 for Commercial Contracts, IT & Telecoms, TMT and Fintech. Clients say of Sue "Sue is outstanding", "She is a really good and very committed lawyer", "Excellent…. Very capable, wouldn’t hesitate to use on IT/TMT/Outsourcing matters." Sue was named in the Standout 35 of the Women in FinTech Powerlist 2020.

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Martin Tam is a partner in Baker McKenzie's Hong Kong office and a member of the Firm's Financial Services Practice Group. He also serves as co-chair of the Asia Pacific Insurance Group.

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Iris Barsan joined Baker McKenzie in October 2019 after practicing as a lawyer in a Franco-German law firm. Prior to that, Iris worked for several years in the legal department of the Prudential Control and Resolution Authority and as a financial lawyer in a French banking group (insurance and investment banking). Iris holds a doctorate in French and German law, an LL.M. from the University of Cologne and is a former student of the ENA (Willy Brandt promotion). In addition to her practice as a lawyer, Iris is an assistant professor at the University of Paris XII. She teaches company law (French, European and comparative), European business law, financial regulation and personal data and new technologies law.

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Ying Yi is a local principal in the Financial Services Practice Group of Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow in Singapore. She focuses on regulatory and compliance issues in the financial services sector.

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Christopher Murrer is an associate in the FinTech, International Tax and Wealth Management practice groups of Baker McKenzie Zurich. He joined the Firm after practicing for seven years as tax and wealth planning attorney in New York and Washington, DC.