This is an interactive, case-study driven three-day workshop exploring the interactions that drive the financial markets. During the three days together with the trainer participants will look at the key areas in institutions active in the financial markets focussing our attention on both the buy and the sell sides of the market.

In each of the sessions participants will make extensive use of real-life case studies. Delegates will be asked to consider situations to identify how and where needs arise that can be satisfied by financial market solutions. We will look on both sides of the fence, looking inside the institutions that create the needs and then at the how the financial market intermediaries can provide solutions. We will also take the opportunity to explain any new initiatives or regulation that may be affecting this part of the business flow to give a comprehensive overview of Broadly the day will divide into four sessions in which we will focus on one particular part of the puzzle.

Session One: Corporate treasury

In this session we will look at how a corporate treasury manages the cashflow of a company and how these cashflows translate into financial market exposures. We will look at:

• The structure of corporate
• Typical strategies for corporate treasury
• Role of consolidation and outsourcing
• Cashflow forecasting and budgeting
• Identifying funding requirements and making the funding decision
• Cash management, including payment initiatives such as SEPA, multilateral netting
• solutions such as CLS etc.
• Risk evaluation and management

By the end of the session delegates will have gained insight into the workings of the treasury department in a typical multi-national organisation.

Session Two: The Intermediary – Funding and Treasury Solutions

In this session we will look at how the market, through the financial intermediaries work to provide solutions to the requirements of the corporate treasury. We will look at the primary business areas that create the solutions but will also look at other key ancillary areas that must be also be involved in the workflow and look at where they fit in and what they must contribute. We will look at:

• The role of corporate finance, building the ongoing relationship with the corporate and its development
• Sources of funding eg loans, capital market solutions, but also the role of project and trade finance, venture capital and M&A
• DCM and ECM: providing specific solutions to funding needs
• Origination and syndication of financial market solutions
• Cash management solutions: credit facilities; currency services; payments
• Role of the Legal Department in new issue and corporate funding solutions
• Role of Technology in providing transaction and trade solutions
• Operations – trust and agency services

By the end of the session delegates will have gained insight into the key departments in an intermediary firm that will be involved in raising funds for institutional customers and will appreciate the workflow involved in providing these solutions to the customer’s needs.

Session Three: Asset Management

In this session we will look Stat the business of asset management, considering how professional asset managers interact with the providers of funds and manage portfolios of financial market products. We will look at:

Sources of funds: retail and wholesale

• Managing a client’s funds: determining investment criteria and defining risk and return tolerance
• Managed funds vs collective investment schemes
• Private banking and wealth management
• Structure and strategy of collective investment scheme management, including:
  • Unit trusts
  • OIECs
  • Hedge funds
  • Passive and active funds
• Role of the asset manager
• Distribution channels for CIS
• Role of compliance and fund trustee
• Fund administration
• Rise of outsourcing and shared services organisations

By the end of the session delegates will have a good overview of the asset management industry and will appreciate both how funds are attracted and managed in asset management firms.

Session Four: The Intermediary – Investor Services

In this session we will look at the part of the intermediary that interacts with investors. We will consider how the intermediary facilitates access to investment products and ancillary services that they can offer to this part of the market. We will look at:

• The trading and sales function, specifically:
  • The trading desk: deriving value and making prices; role of the market-maker
  • Proprietary and flow models of trading
  • Algorithmic trading models for proprietary and flow trading: order management; high-frequency trading
  • Distribution: role of the salesperson
  • Distribution: electronic models – order execution, matching systems, algo hosting
• Evolution of the CRM: managing the client relationship as a whole
• Technology: how this department supports the trading & sales function and provides connectivity with the clients
• Risk management: evaluating and managing risks for the firm and the clients
• Role of Control and Compliance: overseeing activities and ensuring adherence to financial market regulation; role of regulatory reporting
• Operations: pre-trade documentation and compliance; post-trade clearing and settlement; custodial services