Online symposium using interactive Zoom.
Wednesday, December 2nd from 1:00pm until 3:00pm, EST
If you are ready to book your place, use the button below;
Otherwise read on for further details…
For any queries please contact us.
Sponsorship opportunities available – please get in touch
Executive summary; scroll down for the programme
This symposium is all about galvanising support for the positive, progressive and purposeful finance reform that is so desperately needed.
If you believe there is scope for the financial services sector in Canada to serve society better, then this is an event for you.
If you know about problems around market conduct that need fixing then, please do all you can to participate – we want to hear from you.
Furthermore, if you have ideas about what can be done to make a positive difference, then it’s vital you get involved. We know there are many great ideas that can help drive the transformational change that is desperately needed; and we want to shine a big bright light on those ideas.
There are many important questions that need to be discussed and our events are all about creating a forum where people can “tell it as it is” and be heard, not ignored.
Questions such as:
- Do the financial regulators in Canada have sufficient powers to properly govern the sector?
- If they do have sufficient powers, are those powers being used effectively?
- If not, is regulatory capture a factor?
- Are vested interests getting in the way of consumers getting good outcomes?
- Are positive innovations being ignored, because they challenge vested interests and the status quo?
- Are the public finding it easy to get the information they need to make well-informed decisions?
- Are class actions having to fill the void created by ineffective regulatory enforcement?
- Are the fiduciary standard and best interest rules working as intended?
- Is the financial services sector in Canada serving society as it should?
- Has the Friedmanite idea of “maximising profit in the short term” spoiled the culture in financial services?
- What are the underlying forces driving poor market conduct?
- Is the regulatory framework in Canada working as it should? – if not, what can be done?
- Should there be a “Financial Consumers Bill of Rights?”
These are the types of questions and issues that impact the public’s perceptions of the financial services sector, which has been riddled with various types of malpractice, malfeasance, misconduct and mis-selling for many years; not just in Canada but in most parts of the world.
Clearly, the reputational integrity of the sector has been badly damaged. That’s why the Transparency Task Force is initiating and facilitating a global conversation about what’s wrong in financial services; and what needs to be done to fix it.
Furthermore, through those discussions we are creating a framework for finance reform that is designed to drive the positive, progressive and purposeful change that is needed.
Scroll down for further info, speaker details and to make bookings
Who should participate?
This online event will be of particular interest to individuals and organisations that authentically align with the idea that the financial services sector is important and that there is scope for improvement in how it works.
You can expect to be amongst progressively minded and collaboratively minded people.
On the basis that “progress begins with realism” we’ll be running the event as a forum to enable everybody to “say it as they see it.” We will be facilitating the kind of candid yet constructive discussion that is needed to help move matters forward.
We don’t think any one person or organisation has all the answers; and we also think that all answers are worth listening to, so if you’ve got a point of view that you’d like to share, and are keen to hear the views of others, this is definitely an event for you.
This symposium will cover important topics that will be of particular interest to:
- Think Tanks and Civil Society Groups with an interest in the financial ecosystem
- Economists
- Industry Observers, Commentators; the Media in General
- Policymakers
- Regulators
- Politicians interested in the financial services sector
- Financial Conduct Professionals
- Sustainaility experts
- Bankers and representatives of Banking organisations
- Risk Management Professionals
- Compliance Professionals
- Pension Professionals
- Financial Planners
- Fiduciaries
- Financial Services Trade Bodies and Professional Associations
- Academics and researchers in governance, stewardship, ethics, conduct and compliance in the banking, investment and pensions space; and more
Format
We will be using Zoom.
We will be structuring the event in such a way that it will be as engaging and as interactive as we can possibly make it. We’ll be working hard to create as “life-like” an event as possible, with every opportunity taken to create interaction and engagement.
There will be several presentations with Q&A sessions and an open discussion and debate session towards the end.
Here’s the programme and timings, so far*
1:00pm EST
Welcome to the symposium, introductions and initial exploration of the main issues; plus “Why we must rebuild trustworthiness and confidence in financial services; and how we can do it” by
Andy Agathangelou FRSA
Founder, Transparency Task Force; Governor, Pensions Policy Institute; Chair of the Secretariat Committee to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Pension Scams; former Founding Chair, Friends of Automatic Enrolment; former Founding Chair, Association of Member Nominated Trustees
1:20pm EST
Presentation #1, for 10 minutes + 5 minutes Q&A with facilitated discussion, by
Paul Bates
Senior Counsel, Bates Barristers
Paul Bates is a Canadian senior litigation counsel with 35+ years of experience in complex commercial litigation. Paul is also a member of the UK Bar, and professionally associated with Outer Temple Chambers in the London, U.K.
Paul maintains an extensive practice in financial services, including collective redress, with an emphasis on retail and institutional investor compensation for regulatory contraventions by financial institutions and intermediaries.
Paul serves as a member of the Ontario Securities Commission Investor Advisory Panel to assist the Commission to identify investor interests in Canadian regulatory developments. Paul also leads competition claims for consumer redress.
1:35pm EST
Presentation #2, for 10 minutes + 5 minutes Q&A with facilitated discussion, by
Edd Twohig
Edd Twohig holds dual citizenship and has resided in both the USA and Atlantic Canada.
As a Chartered Accountant he has practiced as a partner in the profession and as VP, consultant and project manager with consulting engineers. Consulting beyond North America included in the Mid east, Caribbean and Africa.
Business interests included fisheries, cable television and venture Capital. Political service included two terms in a Provincial Legislature, as a Federal MP candidate and extensive post retirement macroeconomic and fiscal policy research and analysis.
Critique and study of small business taxation policies over the last half century have revealed their major role in financializing the economy and reduction of distributive justice. Rational policies would dictate the replacement of both income and consumer point of sale taxes.
The ability of money creation by the Government allows taxation for solely social purposes that encourage or discourage citizen action. The complication and high cost to taxpayers and the Government to determine and collect both income or point of sale tax could be eliminated. The failure, of citizens and legislative representatives alike, to willingly apply rational thought and to debate alternatives to the status quo may mark the end of our Democratic Capitalism Empire.
1:50pm EST
Short leg-stretch and comfort break, for 10 minutes
2:00pm EST
Presentation #3, for 10 minutes + 5 minutes Q&A with facilitated discussion, by
Peter Pham
Managing Director & Principal Fund Manager, Phoenix Capital Group
Peter is the founder and chairman of Phoenix Capital. A bespoke advisory firm offering analysis, strategies & insights on investment and finance.
The firms forte is in emerging markets. Recently partnering with S&P Dow Jones to construct The Socialist Republic of Vietnam’s, VN30 Equal Weight Index.
His thoughts and opinions on finance have been featured on publications such as The Motley Fool, Seeking Alpha, CNN Money, Bloomberg, Financial Times, Reuters, Dow Jones, The Wall Street Journal, Active Trader, Minyanville, Euromoney, and Trading Markets.
His podcast series has been featured on ITunes international in “New & Noteworthy” section. This series features numerous financial thought leaders including Jim Rogers, Mark Mobius, James Altucher, Jack Schwager, Rick Rule, Marc Faber, Vitaliy Katsenelson, Porter Stansberry, Frank Curzio, and Richard Maybury.
They discuss market insights through casual, thought-provoking, and at times radical discussions.
Peter has acquired more than 18 years of experience in capital markets and fund management. He is a force to be reckoned with.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phampeter/
2:15pm EST
The “Just a Minute” Round
Inspired by the BBC Radio 4 programme, we have asked a selection of our attendees to spend just a minute sharing their thoughts on what has been covered during the symposium.
But unlike the Radio 4 programme our speakers won’t be penalised for hesitation, repetition or deviation!
Hilliard MacBeth
Director, Wealth Management, Portfolio Manager and Investment Advisor, Richardson Wealth
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilliard-macbeth-cim-fcsi-61707329/
2:25pm EST
Open discussion & debate, 30 minutes
7:55pm SAST until 8:00pm SAST
Final conclusions; suggested next steps and close to the formal proceedings.
However, for those that want it…
8:00pm SAST until 8:30pm SAST
Please click below to book your place
For any queries please contact us.
