Spying at Work -- espionage, who, how, why, how to stop it

Spying at work, industrial espionage, how data is stolen, data leakage, discovery before patent protection, intellectual capital theft, client data losses, blackmail of banks after penetration of data security systems, databases and confidential information. Why attacks are common. Methods used to attack corporations. Why greatest security risks are your own employees: own staff leaving or leaking information while still in your corporation. Bugging devices detection, remote listening devices. Big Brother is watching you. MI5, CIA, KGB have powers to intercept phone calls, e-mail, video, fax and data transmissions to prevent crime, terrorism and subversive activity, and similar technology can be used to target legitimate business. Data protection and confidentiality. Steps business leaders need to take to improve own security and manage risk. Rule Number 1 is be aware that greatest risks are usually internal. Video by keynote conference speaker Dr Patrick Dixon, Futurist and author of 12 books on global trends including Futurewise and Building a Better Business.
Security, data loss, intellectual capital, patents, theft, industrial espionage, threat, risk, corporations, databases,, intercept, listening devices, bugging detection, spying corporations, protection information

UK joining Euro -- less likely after sub-prime crisis

Impact of subprime crisis on Euro entry date by Britain. Interest rate control Federal Reserve, European Central Bank (ECB) and Bank of England. Sovereignty and national autonomy to manage economy. Tigthening and loosening of monetary policy in response to inflation of commodities, retail price index and house market indicators. Eurozone control of economic policy. Government freedom in times of financial crisis and uncertainty, managing risk. Predictions of date of Eurozone entry and Eurozone expansion. Video by keynote conference speaker Dr Patrick Dixon, Futurist and author of 12 books on global trends. Euro, sterling, currency, inflation, central bank, bank, England, interest, rates, control, economy, growth, recession, economic.

Can you see the future? Institutional Blindness

Future trends analysis. Risk management. Institutional blindness in corporations and business strategy. Innovation and business opportunity needs out of the box thinking. Future trends methods. Methodology or system for global trends analysis. Research into future. How to understand trends. Conference keynote speaker and Futurist Dr Patrick Dixon.

Life insurance and life expectancy -- conference speaker

Life expectancy and life insurance, pensions. High net worth clients live longer -- better educated. Impact of future health care improvements. Actuarial forecasts, government planning. Government and social impact, pensions crisis and risk management. Science and research trends into longevity. Patrick Dixon, conference keynote speaker and futurist.

Managing speed of change - risk management - leadership

Speed of change. Change management. Leadership styles and decisions. Web marketing. Online sales. Impatient consumers and consumer choices. Rapid innovation. Business profit. Agility in teams. Contingencies. Managing uncertainty and risk management. Conference keynote speaker and Futurist Dr Patrick Dixon.

Risk management - wild cards - high impact, unlikely events

High impact unlikely events. Impact on future business strategy. Leadership and change management. Managing uncertainty and rapid change. Insuring risk and risk management in business. Contingency planning. Leadership styles and decisions. Web marketing. Online sales. Impatient consumers and consumer choices. Rapid innovation. Conference keynote speaker and Futurist Dr Patrick Dixon.

Sub-prime crisis - what next in banking?

Video comment on what next in the current banking crisis following sub-prime mortgage crisis in US - why regulators and boards do not understand what is happening. Video by Dr Patrick Dixon

Future of Retail Banking - Video

Threat to banks from mobile phone payment systems using SMS, RFID and other technologies including biometrics (fingerprint). How mobile / wireless technologies will transform retail financial services, purchases especially for relatively low value transactions. Video interrupted by security guard on instructions from his boss.... clearly making even a short YouTube video is itself a potential threat! Maybe they are right. YouTube comments spread at the speed of light. Comment by Dr Patrick Dixon, futurist, leading authority on global trends and conference speaker.

Fund Management Risks - Potential Crisis - Patrick Dixon

Many fund managers do not recommend their own retail funds to family and would not chose to invest their own wealth in their own funds. Future scandal? Presentation by Dr Patrick Dixon video

Wild cards - low probability, high impact events

Impact of multiple risk factors on financial services and other industries. Wild cards affect markets, investment strategies and client behaviour. Video excert from recent presentation for MTN.

Inflation rate - why do Central Bankers focus on such a low rate?

I was speaking to an audience of central bankers from over 25 countries last week for BNP Paribas in Nice...

 

For the last few years many countries have been chasing an inflation rate of around 2-3% which is almost zero compared to some of the highest rates we have seen in the past.  There is a new generation growing up that have no memory of significant inflation who could be forgiven for wondering what the obsession with low inflation is all about. 

 

In any event it is hard to find an absolute logic for such a 2-3% level.  The real issue of course is stability, and the risk of a rate that hovers around 2% or less is that there will be some kind of deflationary shock with all the damaging consequences we have seen in Japan.

 

Most central bankers focus on inflationary shocks – for example a further hike in oil prices.  But you do not need much imagination to see that things could go the other way. 

 

An obvious example would be an outbreak of a bird flu derived virus that appears to be spreading fast with an uncertain mortality rate.  While such an epidemic could turn out to be far less serious than the most optimistic forecasts for a bird flu mutation, most bankers I have talked to recently would consider that the impact could affect investor confidence as well as public behaviour.

 

My own straw polls of executive audiences around the world suggest that few human deaths would be needed from the first 50,000 cases of a rapidly spreading mutated bird flu to cause up to 25% or more of the entire workforce to stay at home “just to be on the safe side”, especially those worried about taking their children to school.

 

While no one can be sure what the economic impact would be of a more serious pandemic, it would be wise to consider the possibility that many prices could fall by more than 2-4%, and that a country that is “stabilised” around an inflation rate of only 2% could therefore be at risk of deflation in such a situation.

 

Future generations may feel that the current targets were too low, and the anti-inflationary policies were unnecessarily severe.