Continuity, Insurance & Risk

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Next global crisis “imminent” according to compliance gatekeepers

The next financial crisis will strike within the first half of this decade. That’s according to three quarters of the world’s senior banking and compliance officers polled for a survey by compliance software provider, Complinet, which found that the majority of regulatory experts questioned predicted the next significant economic downturn before 2015. 77% say recent reforms were insufficient to avoid another crash similar to the 2008 collapse.

€1.25m compensation for construction worker

Travel litigation specialists at London and South East law firm Penningtons Solicitors LLP have won a €1.25 million compensation claim for William Kane, a 55 year old man from Newcastle, who was badly injured in a hit-and-run accident involving a drink driver in County Kildare, Ireland, while working on an overseas contract for a UK based construction company.

Corporate governance undeveloped in UAE, says Marsh

Corporate governance requires more attention in UAE, where compliance and enterprise risk management are increasing in relevance, according to broker Marsh

Scottish Government adopts risk management approach

The Scottish Government's Improvement Service has taken a new approach to risk management. Citicus ONE has been employed to improve risk identification and management for the different systems and programmes within Customer First. The initial focus was on its Citizen Account Records System, OneScotland Gazetteer database and Customer Service Professional, supporting an accredited training and qualification scheme.

HMRC issues online alert for VAT registered businesses

VAT-registered businesses are being urged to get ready now for major changes to VAT return filing and payment due in April. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has advised all 1.9m VAT-registered businesses that from 1 April 2010, those with an annual turnover of �£100,000 or more (excluding VAT) will have to file their VAT returns online and pay their VAT electronically.

Crawford makes senior management changes

Crawford & Company has named Charles H Ogburn, a current board member and executive director at international investment firm Arcapita, as non-executive chairman of the board. This latest appointment comes after Thomas W. Crawford, former president and chief executive officer at the firm, stepped down as chairman last month after five years at Crawford and over 40 years in the insurance industry.

Winter warnings not just for the Met

As the Met Office confirms that minimum temperatures have dropped to their lowest for 15 years, with heavy snowfall across the entire country, the Forum for Private Business is warning that the cost of a single day of employee absenteeism because of the freezing winter conditions could be at least �£230 million.

Unnecessary change stunts business growth in Europe

A preoccupation with personnel change and structural reorganisation as a key to improving performance is undermining the investment made by European businesses in personnel development and exacerbating the challenge of retaining their best staff. This insight features among the key findings of a new research report published by global consultancy Corporate Executive Board (CEB).

A new COO for Liberty

Liberty Syndicates has appointed Kirk Maddern to the position of chief operating officer. Mr Maddern will oversee all of Liberty Syndicates' operational functions, including IT and management information and support the business' underwriting and claims activities. He has over 21 years' experience in the London insurance market and spent the last seven years as chief operating officer for the specialty insurance lines of one of the world's largest insurance brokers.

ICM acquires Office Shadow UK

ICM Business Continuity Services, part of the Phoenix group of companies, has acquired the UK arm of Office Shadow. The cash consideration payable amounts to �£447,000 for the business and assets with a further �£250,000 payable to a third party software developer, EPAM, for the completion of an updated version of the main software suite, due for delivery in Q2 2010.

Caddick joins risk and BCM team at PwC

Martin Caddick has left Marsh to head up business continuity management at PricewaterhouseCoopers

QBE buys Evergreen

QBE European Operations has purchased the Evergreen portfolio from Lloyd's underwriting agency, MSP

"Chaos and despair" as Copenhagen summit comes to a close

An appearance of "chaos and despair" among delegates and few signs of progress towards a global consensus, says Datamonitor

Mega International: new software launch

Enterprise architecture firm, Mega International has launched a new software product

NORIMA joins FERMA

Norwegian Risk Management Association, NORIMA, joins the European Risk Mangagement Association, FERMA

PwC attains BS 25999 certification

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has gained certification to BS 25999, the UK standard for business continuity management

British Airways cabin crew set to strike

Cabin crew at UK-based airline British Airways are scheduled to go on strike over Christmas period

Business continuity strategies not getting through to staff

Almost two thirds of staff don't know their company business continuity strategy, according to data resilience firm Adam Continuity

Darling's employment tax will hit small firms hard

A small business support group has hit out at the hike in NI Contributions announced as part of today's Pre-Budget Report

P&C may drop 10% in 2010

Insurance rates for both property and casualty risks could fall by up to 10% in 2010. So says risk adviser Marsh, whose head of placement for large corporate accounts, Tim Pritchard, says competition for good risks remains strong, with plentiful capacity in both sectors.

AIG: What's in a name?

AIG completes its transformation to Chartis UK

IBM acquires Guardium

IBM has acquired database monitoring and protection provider Guardium

Swine flu: WHO update

World Health Organisation issues its 76th update since an "influenza-like illness" was reported in the US and Mexico in April

Government welcomes Walker Review reforms

The Government says it will move quickly to implement the reforms of bank pay and governance proposed by Sir David Walker

Marsh signs motor fleet deal with UDrive Solutions

Marsh has signed an exclusive agreement with UDrive Solutions to offer driver and motor fleet assurance products