Draw Me A Jaffe

We are pleased to announce the launch of our strategic partner, Jaffe Associates. We’d like to say our "sister company" but we’ve been told that’s not the ‘in’ phrase. Jaffe has nothing to do with confectionary or cakes or even the famous VAT case. Jaffe is a strategic marketing consultancy headed by Rob Pay, formerly head of marketing for Clifford Chance and the London Stock Exchange. Jaffe is focused on helping professional service firms, lawyers, accountants, property companies and associations improve their business development performance. Jaffe has rapidly developed a client list which already includes firms such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, Linklaters & Alliance and Nomura. Z/Yen and Jaffe are engaged in a number of joint pieces of work, including a marketing and communications audit for a large and famous professional association. The team includes Mary Pasby (ex head of marketing planning at Coopers & Lybrand and KPMG), Rosemary Ghazaros (ex marketing director of Deloittes), John Atkinson (ex marketing director for Gillette) and Mike Tarrier (who runs the communications business). Michael Mainelli of Z/Yen will be joining Jaffe as a non-executive director later in the year. Jaffe is linked with the well-established US firm located in Washington DC. The Jaffe theme is "get serious" which explains the joint website address of www.get-serious.com. Seriously, we’ll arrange a suitable prize for anyone who can show us what a Jaffe looks like.

Quantum Is A Fancy Word For Junking Your Computer

APACS (the Association for Payment and Clearing Services) and Z/Yen held a special seminar on the potential application of quantum cryptography in financial networks such as SWIFT, BACS and CHAPS. Professor Artur Ekert from Oxford University, one of the world's leading researchers on quantum computing, gave the keynote lecture. APACS, Z/Yen and the European Institute for Quantum Computing seek to develop a small prototype financial cryptographic network over the next 12 months. It’s exciting work which may revolutionise the global IT industry, but as yet it’s not about to break our financial targets.

Did Someone Say Amyl Nitrate?

Z/Yen continues its four year programme working with the European Fertiliser Manufacturers' Association on European Union tariffs. Z/Yen's approach to "The Ammonium Nitrate Problem" has been, predictably, different. Rather than focusing on acceptable returns based on sales margins as have previous tariff submissions, Z/Yen has modelled a European risk-adjusted rate of return which justifies investment for sustaining a viable fertiliser industry. If the case is successful, Z/Yen's approach should be a landmark for future tariff calculations. Perhaps some amyl nitrate to keep our concentration?

Rolling The Ball Or The Table Must Be Spinning

Z/Yen always seeks new alleys for risk/reward management. In two ten pin bowling matches against The Children's Society, we were let down by changes during the last century when bowling and golf switched scoring mechanisms. Next time we will try to knock the pins down. Still on the gaming theme, while seeking new uses for random quantum qubits, Michael and Ian paid a Z/Yen visit to the Amusement Trades Exhibition at Earl's Court. As well as testing the various requirements for random number generators in automated roulette and slot machines, Ian and Michael proved that their university pin-ball skills were still up to scratch.

Monty Hall – Amazing New Proof

Many Now & Z/Yen readers will have debated at length the infamous Monty Hall problem, popularised last summer by Z/Yen on the Lady Daphne and obscurely written up by The Economist last month. Contrary to previous published advice, Michael Mainelli has now proved that you should stick in the three door problem. We summarise:

S n=1….¥ (r s )(nr s ) where n<=3 q.e.d. This proof has implications for decision theory, game theory, chaos theory and quantum theory. Michael is now trying to work out how to make money out of it. A fool proof solution is available from Z/Yen on request.