Why are Markets Collapsing? How Bad Will COVID-19 Really Be?
Markets are collapsing because investors hate uncertainty. Will COVID-19 be as bad as last year’s flu? Will it be 10 times as bad? No one knows. But markets are acting as if we are going to encounter the worst-case scenario, notes Eric K. Clemons in this opinion piece. Clemons is a professor of operations, information and decisions at Wharton. Analyzing four possible scenarios that the pandemic’s evolution could take in the future, Clemons argues that the market reaction is more extreme than any of the likely possible futures would justify.
He suggests there are four possible scenarios:

Source & Copyright©2020 -  Wharton

PSD2’s SCA Deadline: A triumph for consumer security

PSD2’s SCA Deadline: A triumph for consumer security Saturday 14th March marks the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) six-month delayed deadline for the implementation of PSD2 Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) for online banking. This regulation is mandating two levels of authorisation when transacting online in a bid to reduce fraud.
More and more consumers value the convenience of online banking and payment platforms, which are now used by over two-thirds of British adults – with 48 per cent using mobile banking. However, this has caused fraud to skyrocket. In 2019, one in five UK adults were impacted by online card fraud, calling for financial services institutions to seriously re-evaluate current identity verification methods.
James Stickland, Chief Executive Officer at authentication platform Veridium, highlights that the huge growth in digital services means a redefinition of ‘strong authentication’ is essential. This should focus on multi-factor biometrics, including fingerprint or facial, mobile possession, combined with innovative behavioural and location intelligence.

How to create a winning business case for GRC technology

First, you need a list of must-have features that a GRC technology provider should be able to deliver. This eBook, will help you develop that business case to persuade your decision-makers and overcome budget, leadership buy-in, and change management barriers.

Four Collections Templates: A Starter Pack for Collections And AR Teams

Probably the least pleasant part of the accounts receivable professional’s job is running a customer through a collections process. It is time-consuming and can be stressful. Truth be told, you probably are swamped just with your regular duties, emailing requests for payments and making phone calls to answer payment questions for customers.
Still, sending out personalized collections letters to the most delinquent accounts is a crucial part of getting paid. Creating every new collections letter and dunning campaign from scratch is not really necessary, however. You can work off of basic templates and personalize them as needed. To help you with this task, we’ve drafted some simple templates that are clean and easy to understand. Clarity and getting to the point quickly are critical; no one wants to read a lengthy collections letter.
( For further details: see )

Taking a long-term investment view is the only way to navigate this period

Mark Walker, the Managing Partner at Tollymore Investment Partners, believes that taking a long term view is the only way to navigate this period. Mark believes that investing is not easy, not cosy and at times very uncomfortable. If it doesn’t feel uncomfortable you are acting consensually, and you are destined for average investment results – in which case buy an index and at least save the fees. The only way to navigate these periods with sanity and resilience is to have a very long-term view. Those who understand compound interest earn it; those who don’t, pay it. Those who have the temperament, mindset and patience to invest countercyclically over the long term do the best.

Is now the time for corporate treasury outsourcing?

In this global pandemic crisis, is it time to outsourcing? At the end of 2016 we wrote: Getting results from corporate treasury outsourcing is counterintuitive, well at least for CFOs and many consultants. Getting rid of the repetitive accounts payables and receivables processes is not the place to start, or even go there ever, particularly if you plan to do it with a third party.
There are two types of corporate treasury department’s work that can be outsourced:
    •    specialized discrete, confined processes
    •     labour arbitrage of repetitive manual processes.
The problem is that the Coronavirus does not distinguish between your own staff and third parties. The answer lies in segrating and breaking up your work and scheduling to ensure the minimum vulnerability. But how?? See here for our solution.

Leadership

Peter Drucker defined leadership as: “Leadership is the lifting of a man’s vision to higher sights, the raising of a man’s performance to a higher standard, the building of a man’s personality beyond its normal limitations.” Note that neither definition says anything about management.
Boris Johnson and Trump are nowhere close.