Tag: Paris

The Financial Market is Changing. Time for some New Thinking.

We look at the I-FIHN management consulting company in Paris and ask, has their time come, to seize the initiative in their core financial markets?

It’s a mistake easily made, that any conversation with a French company will be philosophical, psychological almost. It’s not like they haven’t had enough practice. I can’t think of any time since Voltaire, where the impression has not been one of internal ennui.

And consulting companies generally, either continue this trend and deliver reports but no deliverables; or they focus on the cart of technology, rather than the horse of actual business need.

“Hey, we are the best in the world at blockchain!”… Well, that’s wonderful.

Yet at a time when all financial and business leaders recognise that 2019 will demand considerable innovation in how we develop our businesses, not just pure tech competence – now is the time for new players to come to the front, with a new focus on a different mix of delivering what you and I know we need.

But that still leaves the question of “what” constitutes “original thinking”. The risk of compliance and legislated focus of financials, still requires adherence to a set of rules, and competence in what business is all about. Sure, technology is important – but that starting point remains the balance of where do we want to take our business matched by – the deep understanding of the financial business in which our service providers are involved.

And whilst London has always been, and continues to be seen as, the leader in financial innovation – so that has not stopped newcomers from taking the lead, from other areas. And yet these are not newcomers. It its just that they have been below the radar – until now. It is similar to the sudden superstar actress, who has been treading the provincial boards for so long, now landing the key movies role. Suddenly, with their own unique and business approach – their time has come.

The I-FIHN Consulting company based in Paris, typifies the new approach – sure, they talk about their expertise and their competences, all within a deep understanding of financial practice – but it not until page eight of their Brochure, that you finally understand that this is no technology company; this is advisory and innovation based on human face to face values, covering a wide variety of international experience.

The benefit of this approach is that it takes financial transformation into new areas of “what could be possible” – rather than play safe within the trusted hallowed of your own organisation.

It is an important differentiation.

I talked with Ladan Haghighi, Head of Advisory Practice at I-FIHN – she told me: “the multinational experience that we all have, is now coming into fruit, in the different ways each of our Team view a client situation”.

We expect to see more of this approach and this company in the future.

The I-Fihn company can be contacted at their Paris office on +33768481502.

It’s Time to Think About Christmas…

We look at those Christmas Parties that actually make sense…

Actually – frankly speaking – there aren’t many. I would like to say that Christmas for all and everyone is a spirit of goodwill to all men, a time of renewal and friendship. And I would be wrong. For most companies, the annual “Christmas Party” is the minefield of alcohol bad taste, political scheming that rivals Machiavelli in his prime, and moments of deep despair that hit those who awake the next morning, and wonder – “did I really say that to Sophie in Accounts”?

No wonder that so many Trade Associations in Paris prefer to have their annual “Soirée”, in the middle of June. At least when you wake up the next day, you can disappear on vacation down to Chatelaillon. Hopefully it will all be forgotten by the time you get back for the Rentree.

And then there is COSSIOM – whose annual “Get-together” is the model of what business events should be, and where aspiration of actually enjoying oneself – is merged with business networking, for people who know about business networking.

How so?

Because COSSIOM understands that the driver of its flagship event – is business, not hospitality. That people in the Data world that it brings together, – as much as one always likes a glass of champagne – rarely have time to enjoy said glass of champagne. Life is already too stressed. COSSIOM is a soirée for people that value the individual minutes of their day enough to know that the chance discussion, the accidental meeting, that the COSSIOM event delivers, are as valuable as the specific meeting of old and goods friends and clients that have been fostered over the past year.
For that reason, COSSIOM every November has no need to market itself itself as a “business event”. Their website and invitation just says; “Hey guys, just come along!” The people who do “come along”, already know the rules of the game.

Which means that COSSIOM can reach out from the large corporate environment that is its core – to use its Soirée to benefit charity. It is a time of practical giving-back, as well as a random evening of receiving.
As I mentioned somewhere earlier – this is about Goodwill to All Men. What’s there not to love?

Happy Christmas!