Main News Desk

EMB launches Investment Consultancy to improve risk management

History a poor guide to the future, says EMB

London, UK - March 09, 2009

With market turmoil pushing investment risk up the list of priorities, EMB is launching an investment consultancy service to advise companies on their approach to investment strategy.

The newly formed EMB Investment Consultancy team combines actuarial, banking, econometric and financial modelling expertise to offer clients a range of risk modelling solutions. The solutions place particular emphasis on asset-side risk and the inter-relationships across the balance sheet, and will help companies plan for scenarios previously considered unthinkable. The consultancy has recruited Alun Marriott, formerly of Dresdner Kleinwort, to head up the team.

“EMB’s core actuarial and modelling skills, developed over many years in insurance, are completely transferable to the wider financial community,” remarked Alun Marriott. “We are building on those skills to offer a practical approach to the quantitative and qualitative analysis of how financial risk changes through time.”

“In today's climate, it’s important to recognise that history is a poor guide to the future and that human judgement can be equally important as mathematical models. Our approach combines the two in a structured way, so that assumptions in the risk modelling process survive the 'stress test' of reality. This is particularly critical as the economy continues to struggle and governmental and regulatory bodies strive to contain the fallout."

Marriott added, "These issues affect many in the broader financial community, including banks, insurance companies, and retirement schemes. The risk management industry must remain mindful of the extent to which it is exposed to an over-reliance on models that assume history repeats. As every practitioner learns early on, 'Past performance is no guarantee of future performance'.”

EMB expects to work closely with general, life and composite insurers who, in the main, have weathered the first wave of recession rather better than the banking community at large, but still face challenges in maintaining value.

“For many in financial services, 2009 is likely to prove equally as challenging as 2008. In these times, it is critical we focus on the evolution of risk and on the assumptions we make when modelling it. At EMB we have the practical expertise, research and solution platforms to help,” notes Alun Marriott.

About the company

Established in 1993, EMB (www.emb.com) is a rapidly growing international consultancy firm specialising in non-life insurance. Covering personal lines, commercial insurance and the London Market, its services include Business, Actuarial and Investment Consultancy, Professional Development, Marketing Sciences and Software. EMB pioneered the development and use of high performance actuarial software using modern desktop PCs. The range is unrivalled, making it feasible to perform tasks that would otherwise be impossible, impractical or hugely time-consuming. Headquartered in the UK, EMB employs more than 300 people around the globe covering Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe, Middle East & Africa with clients that include 28 of the top 30 non-life companies in the world.

Contact details

Tel: +44 (0)1372 751060
Email: graham.whitehead@emb.com
Web: http://www.emb.com

Technorati tags: EMB consultancy | investment | financial advisor | financial services |

Bookmarklets:

Recent Press Releases

2010 Archive

2009 Archive

2008 Archive

2007 Archive

Jump to:

Main News Desk

EMB launches Investment Consultancy to improve risk management

About the company

Contact details