Global Warming

Z/Yen’s Financial Services team has made a great start to the year in Europe, USA and Asia with 6 projects already underway and 8 more in the planning stage. One of these, the Operational Performance of Investment Managers (OPIM) is our first venture into the fund management area and we will be working with a group of 12 brokers and 30 of their clients in a groundbreaking survey of peer-performance.In 2004, the FS team visited 16 countries & collected 25 hats. This year, we have moved onto snow globes and 7 of these masterpieces are already on show in St. Helen’s Place.

Z/Yen welcomes Jeremy Taylor, our latest recruit who will be joining Jeremy Smith (so no confusion there), Giles, James, Francesca and Mark in delivering market intelligence to our clients.

The Z/Yen in Financial Services 2005 brochure is available on the Z/Yen website.

Wanna Bet?

Michael Mainelli and Sam Dibb's report - "Betting on the Future: Online Gambling Goes Mainstream Financial", published in December by the Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation - has been making waves as well as gaining coverage in the national and gambling press.

Michael and Sam wrote on "Betting Shop or Potential Launderette?" only to be followed, coincidentally, by an announcement on 20 January that a 'risk assessment' to discover if criminals or terrorists are using Britain's bookmaking industry for money-laundering has been ordered by HM Treasury. The assessment follows a request by Richard Caborn, the Sports Minister and will be carried out by the National Criminal Intelligence Service, though naturally Z/Yen would be happy to conduct the risk/reward study!

In the report, Michael and Sam made some specific predictions, including a 5 to 1 speculation on a mutual exchange emerging, which they called YourBet. Coincidentally, Betbull plc announced on 12 February 2005 that it will become a co-operative exchange. Michael and Sam made a number of other predictions and, at this rate, we predict that these announcements may run and run. For a copy of the report, please contact Michael.

Joining Forces

For over a year, the Z/Yen Not-for-profit sector team has been working with NSPCC and The Children’s Society on a collaborative venture named Charityshare. In a first for the sector, NSPCC and The Children’s Society will share all operating IT services including helpdesk, training and technical support. The charities have set up a company, Charityshare Limited, to manage the joint venture. The service has been piloted since late November and was officially launched in late January. The initiative has been welcomed by the Charity Commission.

Responding to the trend to outsource and offshore such services, NSPCC and The Children’s Society worked with Z/Yen to explore the benefits of these trends and came to the conclusion that co-sharing would be an appropriate way forward for the charities. The charities should save more money and improve services more effectively by sharing IT services than could be achieved by outsourcing, offshoring or by seeking improvements separately.

Although Ian Harris’s main concern, naturally, is now to secure a Z/Yen cricket team capable of taking on the increased might that Charityshare can provide, there are also serious benefits to the charities. There will be an estimated 25 per cent saving over three years equal to £800,000 across both charities. This will mean more money to spend on children & young people.

Z/Yen has been retained to provide an ongoing project management and venture governance role as the initiative continues. Charityshare anticipates becoming a collaborative venture for several charities, not just the two initial founders. If you want more information about Charityshare, collaborative ventures in the not-for-profit sector and/or Z/Yen’s role, please contact Ian Harris or Mary O’Callaghan.

Z/Lebrity Wrestling

The team at Z/Yen once again managed to broaden its cultural horizons with an outing to Elstree Studios to watch the recording of 2005’s hottest new TV show, Celebrity Wrestling. James, Giles, Francesca, Mark, Jeremy (Jnr.) and Michael all enjoyed the showbiz spectacular although our very own theatrical connoisseur, Ian, was conspicuous by his absence. The team spent the evening cheering on Jenny Powell (Z/Yen’s adopted ‘celeb’) as she battled valiantly against Victoria Silvstedt in a series demanding and skilful contests. This showpiece bout was complemented by other Z-List celebrities dressed in ridiculous costumes such as James Hewitt, sprinter Ewan Thomas, Kate Lawler….the list of Zuperstars just goes on and on!

Needless to say a fine evening was had by all which was later enhanced by a trip to the pub followed by the ubiquitous visit to one of Borehamwood’s fine (and plentiful) kebab shops. If you are still intrigued and would like to view Michael punching the air whilst shouting “Go Jenny!” then keep your eye out for the show on ITV on Saturday evenings.