Beginning with a detailed database describing over 600,000 personal bankruptcies, we identified the changing nature and demands of personal bankruptcies in Canada since 1998. This was supplemented with two trustee surveys: one focusing on work activities and the other on changes in revenue and expenses. The implications of the findings for trustee work demands and compensation were identified.
The aim of this study is to support FAIR’s policy initiatives by helping to improve its investor outreach. The study was not aiming to build a strategic plan for FAIR Canada as a whole, but it did confirm the value of FAIR Canada’s role in critiquing securities policy and regulation. Using a mixture of secondary research and interviews with appropriate experts, we developed a phased strategy to help FAIR reach more of the right audiences with its messages.
On behalf of a major global bank, The Brondesbury Group analyzed the competitive position of the top five trade banks in each of four global regions. The analysis focused on management structure, deployment of sales staff, handling of front and back office, product differentiation, and electronic delivery capabilities. It relied on sophisticated intelligence gathering from banks, internet and commercial databases. The competitive analysis presented to the bank’s vice-chairman was the basis for the bank’s global strategy for international business.
In the mutual fund industry, efforts to stimulate growth and loyalty have often focused on providing added value to advisors. To gauge the impact of these efforts, we surveyed a targeted group of advisors and gathered their views on how effectively top fund companies provide service to advisors that adds value. Tracking information yields solid guidance to the effectiveness of the company’s efforts to attract advisor sales.
We worked with the senior management team of a major North American bank to create a strategy for integrating trade, cash management and FX into a coherent working capital management program. Acting as both advisor and facilitator, our work included identification of best practices, advising on client buying behaviour, competitive positioning, product integration, identification of appropriate strategies and oversight on strategy proposals. The scope of the work included domestic, Americas and international markets for both commercial and large corporate clients.
On behalf of an export credit agency, The Brondesbury Group looked at competition in the credit default risk market. This market has become increasingly complex and now includes export credit agencies, private insurers, investment banks and project finance units. Our analysis focused on identifying market opportunities, handling of front and back office, product differentiation, and electronic delivery capabilities. It relied on a mix of interviews with insurance/ECA competitors and senior trade bankers, as well as intelligence gathering from Internet and commercial databases. The 30+ recommendations for responding to market changes help to position this ECA for the future.
This study focused on fostering referrals between banks and their associated investment dealers and asset managers. After identifying a set of peer banks and their related firms, we interviewed senior executives about their referral compensation practices and philosophy. Each participant received a summary of our findings. For our client, the information was adapted to their unique circumstances and led to a set of more than 30 recommendations structuring fair compensation among its business arms.
A French non-bank provider of card and voucher-based services for employees engaged us to scan the competitive environment for their services prior to making a market entry decision. The scan included market size and growth, positioning of major competitors and identification of key factors for success in the market.
Identifying profitable growth opportunities in the Canadian commercial healthcare market was the focus of this strategy study for a major Canadian bank. The work involved extensive use of secondary databases, as well as interviews with key informants. A future-oriented look that included changes in licensure and scope of practice formed part of the work.
How will the public sector build the capacity it needs? How does economic sustainability relate to the environment? What new types of integrated services will we see? How will urbanization, immigration and an aging population change the future? These topics and more are addressed in this opinion leader study based on in-depth personal interviews with the most influential people shaping the future of the public sector, as nominated by their peers. Participants include deputy ministers, mayors, executives, association heads, think tank leaders, academics, and other selected experts. The study identifies how the public sector will develop over the next 5-10 years and why this will happen. Royal Bank of Canada was the sponsor for the work. The study includes a special section on funding & payment transactions that identifies key services that a bank can provide to help its public sector clients prepare for the future.
View ReportThis is an assessment of the key long-term issues that affect the relationships between investment advisor, client, firm and regulator including suitability of advice, client communications, advisor qualifications and oversight. Using a combination of secondary research and interviews with business opinion leaders, we identify both the salient issues and the people/information most capable of helping to deal with the issues.
Understanding how the public will react to a complex issue in advance of confronting the issue is a regular challenge. As governments scrutinize financial institution mergers, they wonder what is best for their country. The two key questions seem to be “What types of mergers most benefit domestic consumers?” and “What types of mergers help build the country’s ability to compete internationally?” Politicians are often guided by a mix of national opinion leaders and informed local public opinion, so we set out to understand what these groups think about FI mergers.
Opportunities for growth in both the Life and the P&C markets were assessed for the Toronto region with an assessment based on both market structure and dynamics. Ultimately, the study aimed to identify the types of talent needed to support specific types of market expansion.
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