Over the past few decades, savvy marketers, aided by rapidly changing technology, have persuaded us to switch from cash as the currency of commerce to plastic – mainly credit cards. When financiers realised that a large number of their customers was uncomfortable with credit cards that carried high interest rates, they introduced debit cards, which instantly debited a customer’s bank account...

How to choose executive education programmes? Here are some pointers

I have written in the past about the need for mid-career academic inputs, not just in-house employer training programmes. I do believe it is important to revisit concepts and learn new theories a few years after you have completed your formal professional education. This not only helps refresh knowledge, but also helps you...

A flawed structure has been imposed on the fund industry ostensibly to protect your interest

Mutual funds (MFs) take money from you to invest in the market. But what are the legal provisions in place to protect your interest? Take a look at the structure of the fund industry. There are three ‘entities’ involved. The first is the ‘fund’ – the pool of money belonging to investors. The fund is...