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Business, Financial, Technology

Spotlight on Cybersecurity in New York and Singapore With Top Cyber Security Speaker Edgar Perez

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Edgar Perez, author of The Speed Traders and Knightmare on Wall Street, has partnered with Terrapinn Training for 3-Day Masterclass in Cybersecurity to bring key insights for CEOs and board members in New York and Singapore on cyber security.

New York City, NY, USA — Mr. Edgar Perez, author of Knightmare on Wall Street and The Speed Traders, returns to New York and Singapore with his insightful analysis and prescriptions for organizations to thrive in today’s information-driven economy.

In addition to learning how to better prepare their organizations to face today’s cybersecurity challenges, participants at Terrapinn Training’s 3-Day Masterclass Cybersecurity (http://www.terrapinntraining.com/training/826/3-Day-Masterclass-in-Cybersecurity) will:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity and its key aspects
• Get to grips with various cybersecurity testing methods
• Learn valuable system administration techniques for executives
• Discover how to establish or improve your cybersecurity program
• Consider how the “weak human link” can become the organization’s greatest strength
• Understand the four components of the cyber preparedness continuum

Edgar Perez (http://www.mredgarperez.com), author of The Speed Traders and Knightmare on Wall Street, is a recognized futurist, keynote speaker and director of programs targeted at board members, chief executive officers and senior executives looking for new ways to gain and maintain a competitive business advantage.

SPEAKER’S RECENT TESTIMONIALS

• “Your presentation was the real highlight of the Emerging Markets Investments Summit. You clearly have the connections in the industry and are very well connected.” Alex Ritson, BBC News Presenter at The Newsroom, World Business Report and Business Matters (United Kingdom)

• “There is a new day in trading and speed is the key. Edgar Perez is the poster child.” Eugene Steele, Managing Partner, Trading Rooms World Wide (United States)

• “I would like to show my appreciation on your willingness to share your insights about cybersecurity. We would certainly have you in mind as we move forward to deal with this very important issue.” Nik Hasyudeen, former President of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (Malaysia)

• “Perez illuminates the world of speed.” Brenda Jubin, Contributor, Seeking Alpha (United States)

• “Edgar Perez is THE expert on high-frequency trading.” Liz Claman, Anchor, FOX Business News (United States)

• “It was such a pleasure to have you participate in our conference. The feedback was great and the information you shared with the audience was invaluable. Once again, thank you for your contribution in making the event a success.” Holly Chudzy, Corporate Events Coordinator, Peters & Co. (Canada)

SPEAKER’S KEYNOTE TOPICS

• The Importance of the Cybersecurity Framework for Directors and CEOs
An email embedded with malware. Security systems hacked by thieves. Credit card numbers stolen from store purchases. There’s certainly no shortage of examples when it comes to data security breaches and the havoc they wreak on business. No wonder then that nearly a third of CEOs in KPMG’s latest global survey identified cyber security as the issue having the biggest impact on their companies today. Every organization should apply a Cybersecurity Framework for analyzing cyber security, and ideally it should be integrated into an organization’s existing enterprise risk framework. The key is making it part of the mainstream of risk management within an organization. The most innovative companies today have recognized that cyber security is a customer experience and revenue opportunity, not just a risk that needs to be managed. Mr. Perez will explain why this must done across the entire organization and why the CEO and Board of Directors have the most important role to play.

• The Impact of Brexit in the U.K and the World
Companies inside and outside Britain’s borders have warned that the Brexit decision is affecting their businesses, highlighting how the June vote for the UK to leave the European Union is having wide repercussions. The vote roiled equity markets worldwide and led to a devaluation of sterling amid concerns over a prolonged slowdown in consumer demand. The U.K.’s decision to leave the European Union inflicted an immediate blow on the economy as business activity shrank at its fastest pace since the last recession seven years ago. The International Monetary Fund said that it had become less optimistic on global growth, and warned the damage could worsen if confidence falters among investors and companies, as fears abound over businesses and customers reining in spending during a period of uncertainty for the UK as it negotiates the terms of its exit. Mr. Perez will identify the world economies that will feel the lion’s share of the short and long-term pain to come.

• Establishing or Improving a Cybersecurity Program
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework, which was drafted by the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), comprises leading practices from various standards bodies that have proved to be successful when implemented, and it also may deliver regulatory and legal advantages that extend well beyond improved cybersecurity for organizations that adopt it early. Its adoption may prove advantageous for businesses across virtually all industries. Mr. Perez will explain why a proper Cybersecurity Program will build on the analysis of the possible areas of concern, an understanding of the company’s most critical assets, and a thorough review of Information Technology’s policies and procedures when faced with cybercrime.

• Finance in the New Global Economy
Until quite recently, globalization was seen as a one-way street. Multinationals, which led the charge four decades or so ago into growing global markets, were its ambassadors, and American and European workers, whose wages and upward mobility were flattened, were feeling left out. The core idea was that globalization, technological innovation and unfettered free trade would erase historical and geographic boundaries, making the world ever more economically interconnected and alike. Developed economies would come under more and more competitive pressure from eager upstart nations. Now we are entering a new age of volatility. Financiers will become less important, manufacturers more so. Blue collar jobs will go high tech. Robots will replace Chinese workers. Mr. Perez will discuss why finance stands now in front of its biggest transformation triggered not by any of the financial conglomerates that dominate the world today but by obscure startups that could be working already in garages in Silicon Valley, Shanghai, Kiev or Delhi.

• China: To Rebalance or Not to Rebalance
China’s 12th Five-Year Guideline in 2011 included efforts to rebalance its economy, shifting emphasis from investment towards consumption and development from urban and coastal areas toward rural and inland areas. Flash forward to 2016 and the country is exhibiting massive overcapacity in sectors linked to real estate, steel, cement, coal and construction equipment, zombie businesses continue to undermine the sustainability of China’s growth and exports are declining. At 260% of gross domestic product, the country’s overall debt is approaching danger levels. The world’s second-largest economy is now posting its weakest annual growth in 25 years, 6.9% for 2015. To top it all, $676 billion left China in 2015; with so much overcapacity in China, lack of confidence in the future as monetary policy can change tomorrow, why should people keep money inside China? Why should we bet on China? Mr. Perez will bring the answers you are looking for.

• The Biggest Risks for Financial Markets
Constant regulatory changes and technological evolution have transformed the financial landscape so profoundly since the advent of the first electronic networks in the early 1970s. Regulators around the world are now in a race to respond to the evolution of technology in financial markets and prevent its operational challenges from becoming the biggest risk for financial markets. However, when considering technology and the cyber landscape, errors are bound to happen. Financial services firms are expected to have deployed the most sophisticated defense systems against cyberattacks. Trading firms are expected to have controls in place and invest in the technology to keep up to date. Most companies would realize the need of these investments and honestly attempt to implement them, but their IT departments would soon hit a wall, because of direct involvement from senior management and boards of directors. Compliance actions against those who missed their importance will go a long way toward restoring investor confidence and limiting the impact of the biggest risk for financial markets.

• Blockchain and its impact on Finance
Blockchain technology (the software behind the digital currency, Bitcoin) offers an opportunity to overhaul existing business models, including banking infrastructure, approach to settlements and customer interactions. Now it is only a matter of time before the broader financial services and banking industries shift to blockchain and network-based approaches. The application possibilities are endless, improving the way we hold and transfer secure goods from money to deeds to music to intellectual property. In fact, blockchain, as a pure platform technology, may be able to cut out the middlemen (or middle companies) everywhere, even disrupting other disruptors like Airbnb or Uber. Mr. Perez will explain why the question is not whether network business models supported by blockchain technology will disrupt organizations, but when.

• Social Engineering: The “Weakest Human Link” in Cybersecurity
Social engineering involves tricking your employees into breaching security protocols or giving away information, most often over the telephone or via email. Social engineering exploits human weaknesses rather than technology, preying upon people’s propensity towards trust in particular. Often, these exploits are used to gather information to support a more targeted cyberattack, with the initial forays based on the premise of ‘little and often’ so as not to cause concern. Employees at all levels, including senior executives, are vulnerable. Mr. Perez will explain why by improving employee awareness and introducing simple technical measures, organizations can protect themselves against social engineering techniques and the risk of a cyberattack and its potential impact on business, customers and data.

• The Present and Future of High-Frequency Trading
On May 6, 2010, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted nearly 1,000 points, then its biggest intraday point drop ever. The “Flash Crash” revealed the influence of high-frequency trading to mainstream audiences around the world. In fact, over the past 15 years, the global financial market has fragmented: where there were once three main U.S. exchanges, there are now more than 40 exchanges and alternative trading systems. High-frequency trading companies have largely replaced traditional broker-dealers, using algorithms instead of human traders to make decisions in milliseconds, mostly in response to orders made by other algorithms. Mr. Perez will discuss the benefits brought by technology, making trading faster and more efficient, as well as the potential costs brought upon institutional and retail investors.

ABOUT EDGAR PEREZ
Mr. Edgar Perez is a published author, business consultant for billion-dollar private equity and hedge funds and Council Member at the Gerson Lehrman Group, Guidepoint Global Advisors and Research International, with subject matter expertise in cyber security, investing, trading, financial regulation (Dodd-Frank Act) and market structure.

He is author of Knightmare on Wall Street, The Rise and Fall of Knight Capital and the Biggest Risk for Financial Markets (2013), and The Speed Traders, An Insider’s Look at the New High-Frequency Trading Phenomenon That is Transforming the Investing World, published in English by McGraw-Hill Inc. (2011), Published in Mandarin by China Financial Publishing House (2012), and Investasi Super Kilat, published in Bahasa Indonesia by Kompas Gramedia (2012).

Mr. Perez is course director of Cybersecurity Boardroom Workshop, How Boards of Directors and CXOs Can Build the Proper Foundation to Address Today’s Information Security Challenges, and The Speed Traders Workshop, How High Frequency Traders Leverage Profitable Strategies to Find Alpha in Equities, Options, Futures and FX; he has presented his workshops in Singapore, Hong Kong, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Warsaw, Kiev, New York, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai. He contributes to The New York Times and China’s International Finance News and Sina Finance.

Mr. Perez has been interviewed on CNN’s Quest Means Business, CNBC’s Squawk on the Street, Worldwide Exchange, Cash Flow and Squawk Box, FOX BUSINESS’s Countdown to the Closing Bell and After the Bell, Bloomberg TV’s Market Makers, CNN en Español’s Dinero, Petersburg – Channel 5, Sina Finance, BNN’s Business Day, CCTV China, Bankier.pl, TheStreet.com, Leaderonomics, GPW Media, Channel NewsAsia’s Business Tonight and Cents & Sensibilities. In addition, Mr. Perez has been featured on Sohu, News.Sina.com, Yicai, eastmoney, Caijing, ETF88.com, 360doc, AH Radio, CNFOL.com, CITICS Futures, Tongxin Securities, ZhiCheng.com, CBNweek.com, Caixin, Futures Daily, Xinhua, CBN Newswire, Chinese Financial News, ifeng.com, International Finance News, Finance.QQ.com, hexun.com, Finance.Sina.com, The Korea Times, The Korea Herald, The Star, The Malaysian Insider, BMF 89.9, iMoney Hong Kong, CNBC, Bloomberg Hedge Fund Brief, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Dallas Morning News, Valor Econômico, FIXGlobal Trading, TODAY Online, Oriental Daily News and Business Times.

Mr. Perez has presented to the Council on Foreign Relations, Vadym Hetman Kyiv National Economic University (Kiev), Quant Investment & HFT Summit APAC (Shanghai), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (Washington DC), CFA Singapore, Hong Kong Securities Institute, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University, University of International Business and Economics (Beijing), Hult International Business School (Shanghai) and Pace University (New York), among other public and private institutions. In addition, Mr. Perez has spoken at a number of global conferences, including Cyber Security World Conference (New York), Inside Market Data (Chicago), Emerging Markets Investments Summit (Warsaw), CME Group’s Global Financial Leadership Conference (Naples Beach, FL), Harvard Business School’s Venture Capital & Private Equity Conference (Boston), High-Frequency Trading Leaders Forum (New York, Chicago), MIT Sloan Investment Management Conference (Cambridge), Institutional Investor’s Global Growth Markets Forum (London), Technical Analysis Society (Singapore), TradeTech Asia (Singapore), FIXGlobal Face2Face (Seoul) and Private Equity Convention Russia, CIS & Eurasia (London).

Mr. Perez was a vice president at Citigroup, a senior consultant at IBM, and a strategy consultant at McKinsey & Co. in New York City. Previously, he managed Operations and Technology for Peruval Finance. Mr. Perez has an undergraduate degree in Systems Engineering from Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería, Lima, Peru (1994), a Master of Administration from Universidad ESAN, Lima, Peru (1997) and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School, New York, with a dual major in Finance and Management (2002). He belongs to the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. Mr. Perez is an accomplished salsa and hustle dancer and resides in the New York City area.

Media Contact:
Julia Petrova
Media Relations Coordinator
The Speed Traders
+1-414-FORUMS0
jpetrova@thespeedtraders.com

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Business, Financial, Technology

Tesla Passes Ford and GM in Market Value; It Better Boosts Security, Says Cyber Speaker Edgar Perez

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Edgar Perez, author of Knightmare on Wall Street and The Speed Traders, partnering with Terrapinn Training to bring key information security insights for CEOs, board members and investors who need to become more educated about cyber security today.

New York City, NY, USA — The record pace of auto sales in the United States is slowing down, leaving investors increasingly bearish on auto stocks. But there is one exception, says The New York Times. Tesla, the electric-vehicle upstart, continues to surge.

Tesla surpassed Ford Motor and General Motors in market value, starkly illustrating the growing gap in investors’ optimism over its future versus the prospects for the traditional carmakers from Detroit. Tesla’s chief executive, Elon Musk, has shattered the conventional wisdom that automakers should be viewed as a stable, reliable investment. Instead, he promotes his California-based company as a dynamic vehicle for growth, despite the risks and challenges ahead of it.

In his vision, Tesla is going to change the world, and is primed to cash in on the two transformative trends in the industry: the shift to electric vehicles as part of a broader societal move to cleaner energy, and the advent of automated driving. Yet, despite Tesla’s announcement in 2014 that it was hiring dozens of security researchers to test its cars (about 40 or so employees are now dedicated to information security), researchers at the Chinese firm Tencent revealed serious security issues when they burrowed through the Wifi connection of a Tesla S all the way to its driving systems and remotely activated the moving vehicle’s brakes.

Security problems in Tesla vehicles are bound to continue. In the same way hackers have attacked big and small companies to get ahold of their most critical information, cybercriminals might adapt spear phishing, stealing the driver’s credentials, or ransomware, which is the malicious software that holds computers and systems hostage for money, to work on cars. Tesla better keeps hiring more ethical hackers to further test its systems.

Edgar Perez, author of The Speed Traders and Knightmare on Wall Street, is a recognized global keynote speaker and director of programs targeted at board members, chief executive officers and senior executives looking for new ways to gain and maintain a competitive business advantage. Partnering with Terrapinn Training, Mr. Perez offers the 3-Day Masterclass Cybersecurity for executives to:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity and its key aspects
• Get to grips with various cybersecurity testing methods
• Learn valuable system administration techniques for executives
• Master the cybersecurity framework and its five core functions
• Discover how to establish or improve your cybersecurity program
• Consider how the “weak human link” can become the organization’s greatest strength
• Understand the four components of the cyber preparedness continuum

SPEAKER’S KEYNOTE TOPICS

• Establishing or Improving a Cybersecurity Program
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework, which was drafted by the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), comprises leading practices from various standards bodies that have proved to be successful when implemented, and it also may deliver regulatory and legal advantages that extend well beyond improved cybersecurity for organizations that adopt it early. Its adoption may prove advantageous for businesses across virtually all industries. Mr. Perez will explain why a proper Cybersecurity Program will build on the analysis of the possible areas of concern, an understanding of the company’s most critical assets, and a thorough review of Information Technology’s policies and procedures when faced with cybercrime.

• The Importance of the Cybersecurity Framework for Directors and CEOs
An email embedded with malware. Security systems hacked by thieves. Credit card numbers stolen from store purchases. There’s certainly no shortage of examples when it comes to data security breaches and the havoc they wreak on business. No wonder then that nearly a third of CEOs in KPMG’s latest global survey identified cyber security as the issue having the biggest impact on their companies today. Every organization should apply a Cybersecurity Framework for analyzing cyber security, and ideally it should be integrated into an organization’s existing enterprise risk framework. The key is making it part of the mainstream of risk management within an organization. The most innovative companies today have recognized that cyber security is a customer experience and revenue opportunity, not just a risk that needs to be managed. Mr. Perez will explain why this must done across the entire organization and why the CEO and Board of Directors have the most important role to play.

• The Biggest Risks for Financial Markets
Constant regulatory changes and technological evolution have transformed the financial landscape so profoundly since the advent of the first electronic networks in the early 1970s. Regulators around the world are now in a race to respond to the evolution of technology in financial markets and prevent its operational challenges from becoming the biggest risk for financial markets. However, when considering technology and the cyber landscape, errors are bound to happen. Financial services firms are expected to have deployed the most sophisticated defense systems against cyberattacks. Trading firms are expected to have controls in place and invest in the technology to keep up to date. Most companies would realize the need of these investments and honestly attempt to implement them, but their IT departments would soon hit a wall, because of direct involvement from senior management and boards of directors. Compliance actions against those who missed their importance will go a long way toward restoring investor confidence and limiting the impact of the biggest risk for financial markets.

• The Impact of Brexit in the U.K and the World
Companies inside and outside Britain’s borders have warned that the Brexit decision is affecting their businesses, highlighting how the June vote for the UK to leave the European Union is having wide repercussions. The vote roiled equity markets worldwide and led to a devaluation of sterling amid concerns over a prolonged slowdown in consumer demand. The U.K.’s decision to leave the European Union inflicted an immediate blow on the economy as business activity shrank at its fastest pace since the last recession seven years ago. The International Monetary Fund said that it had become less optimistic on global growth, and warned the damage could worsen if confidence falters among investors and companies, as fears abound over businesses and customers reining in spending during a period of uncertainty for the UK as it negotiates the terms of its exit. Mr. Perez will identify the world economies that will feel the lion’s share of the short and long-term pain to come.

• Finance in the New Global Economy
Until quite recently, globalization was seen as a one-way street. Multinationals, which led the charge four decades or so ago into growing global markets, were its ambassadors, and American and European workers, whose wages and upward mobility were flattened, were feeling left out. The core idea was that globalization, technological innovation and unfettered free trade would erase historical and geographic boundaries, making the world ever more economically interconnected and alike. Developed economies would come under more and more competitive pressure from eager upstart nations. Now we are entering a new age of volatility. Financiers will become less important, manufacturers more so. Blue collar jobs will go high tech. Robots will replace Chinese workers. Mr. Perez will discuss why finance stands now in front of its biggest transformation triggered not by any of the financial conglomerates that dominate the world today but by obscure startups that could be working already in garages in Silicon Valley, Shanghai, Kiev or Delhi.

• China: To Rebalance or Not to Rebalance
China’s 12th Five-Year Guideline in 2011 included efforts to rebalance its economy, shifting emphasis from investment towards consumption and development from urban and coastal areas toward rural and inland areas. Flash forward to 2016 and the country is exhibiting massive overcapacity in sectors linked to real estate, steel, cement, coal and construction equipment, zombie businesses continue to undermine the sustainability of China’s growth and exports are declining. At 260% of gross domestic product, the country’s overall debt is approaching danger levels. The world’s second-largest economy is now posting its weakest annual growth in 25 years, 6.9% for 2015. To top it all, $676 billion left China in 2015; with so much overcapacity in China, lack of confidence in the future as monetary policy can change tomorrow, why should people keep money inside China? Why should we bet on China? Mr. Perez will bring the answers you are looking for.

• Blockchain and its impact on Finance
Blockchain technology (the software behind the digital currency, Bitcoin) offers an opportunity to overhaul existing business models, including banking infrastructure, approach to settlements and customer interactions. Now it is only a matter of time before the broader financial services and banking industries shift to blockchain and network-based approaches. The application possibilities are endless, improving the way we hold and transfer secure goods from money to deeds to music to intellectual property. In fact, blockchain, as a pure platform technology, may be able to cut out the middlemen (or middle companies) everywhere, even disrupting other disruptors like Airbnb or Uber. Mr. Perez will explain why the question is not whether network business models supported by blockchain technology will disrupt organizations, but when.

• Social Engineering: The “Weakest Human Link” in Cybersecurity
Social engineering involves tricking your employees into breaching security protocols or giving away information, most often over the telephone or via email. Social engineering exploits human weaknesses rather than technology, preying upon people’s propensity towards trust in particular. Often, these exploits are used to gather information to support a more targeted cyberattack, with the initial forays based on the premise of ‘little and often’ so as not to cause concern. Employees at all levels, including senior executives, are vulnerable. Mr. Perez will explain why by improving employee awareness and introducing simple technical measures, organizations can protect themselves against social engineering techniques and the risk of a cyberattack and its potential impact on business, customers and data.

• The Present and Future of High-Frequency Trading
On May 6, 2010, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted nearly 1,000 points, then its biggest intraday point drop ever. The “Flash Crash” revealed the influence of high-frequency trading to mainstream audiences around the world. In fact, over the past 15 years, the global financial market has fragmented: where there were once three main U.S. exchanges, there are now more than 40 exchanges and alternative trading systems. High-frequency trading companies have largely replaced traditional broker-dealers, using algorithms instead of human traders to make decisions in milliseconds, mostly in response to orders made by other algorithms. Mr. Perez will discuss the benefits brought by technology, making trading faster and more efficient, as well as the potential costs brought upon institutional and retail investors.

ABOUT KNIGHTMARE ON WALL STREET
Knightmare on Wall Street, The Rise and Fall of Knight Capital and the Biggest Risk for Financial Markets, provides a fascinating account of what it took to elevate the firm to the cusp of the retail investing revolution of the late 1990s, to struggle through booms and busts, and to bring the firm down, to end up ultimately being ignominiously bought up by a competitor.

Knight Capital announced a staggering loss of $440 million. What followed after this shocking announcement were several rounds of desperate conversations with a number of vulture players who had smelled opportunity and were readying themselves to pick up bargain-priced pieces. On August 6, 2012, Joyce confirmed that Knight Capital had struck a deal with Jefferies, TD Ameritrade, Blackstone, GETCO, Stephens, and Stifel Financial, staving off collapse days after the trading mishap.

Knightmare on Wall Street, is a thrilling minute-by-minute account of the terrifying hours following Knight Capital’s August 1, 2012 trading debacle, with news-breaking research regarding the firm’s 17 years of tumultuous existence as an independent company. Knightmare on Wall Street is the definitive behind-the-scenes story of Knight Capital.

ABOUT THE SPEED TRADERS
High-frequency traders have been called many things-from masters of the universe and market pioneers to exploiters, computer geeks, and even predators. Everyone in the business of investing has an opinion of speed traders, but how many really understand how they operate? The shadow people of the investing world, today’s high-frequency traders have decidedly kept a low profile-until now. In this title, The Speed Traders, Mr. Perez opens the door to the secretive world of high-frequency trading (HFT). Inside, prominent figures of HFT drop their guard and speak with unprecedented candidness about their trade.

Mr. Perez begins with an overview of computerized trading, which formally began on February 8, 1971, when NASDAQ launched the world’s first electronic market with 2,500 over-the-counter stocks and which has evolved into the present-day practice of making multiple trades in a matter of microseconds. He then picks the brains of today’s top players. John Netto (M3 Capital), Manoj Narang (Tradeworx), and Aaron Lebovitz (Infinium Capital Management) are just a few of the luminaries who decided to break their silence and speak openly to Mr. Perez. Virtually all of the expertise available from the world of speed trading is packed into these pages.

The Speed Traders, published by McGraw-Hill, is the most comprehensive, revealing work available on the most important development in trading in generations. High-frequency trading will no doubt play an ever larger role as computer technology advances and the global exchanges embrace fast electronic access. The Speed Traders explains everything there is to know about how today’s high-frequency traders make millions-one cent at a time.

ABOUT EDGAR PEREZ
Mr. Edgar Perez is a published author, business consultant for billion-dollar private equity and hedge funds and Council Member at the Gerson Lehrman Group, Guidepoint Global Advisors and Research International, with subject matter expertise in cyber security, investing, trading, financial regulation (Dodd-Frank Act) and market structure.

He is author of Knightmare on Wall Street, The Rise and Fall of Knight Capital and the Biggest Risk for Financial Markets (2013), and The Speed Traders, An Insider’s Look at the New High-Frequency Trading Phenomenon That is Transforming the Investing World, published in English by McGraw-Hill Inc. (2011), Published in Mandarin by China Financial Publishing House (2012), and Investasi Super Kilat, published in Bahasa Indonesia by Kompas Gramedia (2012).

Mr. Perez is course director of Cybersecurity Boardroom Workshop, How Boards of Directors and CXOs Can Build the Proper Foundation to Address Today’s Information Security Challenges, and The Speed Traders Workshop, How High Frequency Traders Leverage Profitable Strategies to Find Alpha in Equities, Options, Futures and FX; he has presented his workshops in Singapore, Hong Kong, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Warsaw, Kiev, New York, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai. He contributes to The New York Times and China’s International Finance News and Sina Finance.

Mr. Perez has presented to the Council on Foreign Relations, Vadym Hetman Kyiv National Economic University (Kiev), Quant Investment & HFT Summit APAC (Shanghai), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (Washington DC), CFA Singapore, Hong Kong Securities Institute, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University, University of International Business and Economics (Beijing), Hult International Business School (Shanghai) and Pace University (New York), among other public and private institutions. In addition, Mr. Perez has spoken at a number of global conferences, including Cyber Security World Conference (New York), Inside Market Data (Chicago), Emerging Markets Investments Summit (Warsaw), CME Group’s Global Financial Leadership Conference (Naples Beach, FL), Harvard Business School’s Venture Capital & Private Equity Conference (Boston), High-Frequency Trading Leaders Forum (New York, Chicago), MIT Sloan Investment Management Conference (Cambridge), Institutional Investor’s Global Growth Markets Forum (London), Technical Analysis Society (Singapore), TradeTech Asia (Singapore), FIXGlobal Face2Face (Seoul) and Private Equity Convention Russia, CIS & Eurasia (London).

Mr. Perez has been interviewed on CNN’s Quest Means Business, CNBC’s Squawk on the Street, Worldwide Exchange, Cash Flow and Squawk Box, FOX BUSINESS’s Countdown to the Closing Bell and After the Bell, Bloomberg TV’s Market Makers, CNN en Español’s Dinero, Petersburg – Channel 5, Sina Finance, BNN’s Business Day, CCTV China, Bankier.pl, TheStreet.com, Leaderonomics, GPW Media, Channel NewsAsia’s Business Tonight and Cents & Sensibilities. In addition, Mr. Perez has been featured on Sohu, News.Sina.com, Yicai, eastmoney, Caijing, ETF88.com, 360doc, AH Radio, CNFOL.com, CITICS Futures, Tongxin Securities, ZhiCheng.com, CBNweek.com, Caixin, Futures Daily, Xinhua, CBN Newswire, Chinese Financial News, ifeng.com, International Finance News, Finance.QQ.com, hexun.com, Finance.Sina.com, The Korea Times, The Korea Herald, The Star, The Malaysian Insider, BMF 89.9, iMoney Hong Kong, CNBC, Bloomberg Hedge Fund Brief, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Dallas Morning News, Valor Econômico, FIXGlobal Trading, TODAY Online, Oriental Daily News and Business Times.

Mr. Perez was a vice president at Citigroup, a senior consultant at IBM, and a strategy consultant at McKinsey & Co. in New York City. Previously, he managed Operations and Technology for Peruval Finance. Mr. Perez has an undergraduate degree in Systems Engineering from Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería, Lima, Peru (1994), a Master of Administration from Universidad ESAN, Lima, Peru (1997) and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School, New York, with a dual major in Finance and Management (2002). He belongs to the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. Mr. Perez is an accomplished salsa and hustle dancer and resides in the New York City area.

Media Contact:
Julia Petrova
Media Relations Coordinator
The Speed Traders
+1-414-FORUMS0
jpetrova@thespeedtraders.com

HOME

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Cyber Security Speaker Edgar Perez Keynotes Securities and Exchange Commission’s Annual Conference

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Edgar Perez, author of The Speed Traders and Knightmare on Wall Street, partnering with Terrapinn Training in 3-Day Masterclass Cybersecurity to bring key insights for CEOs and board members on cyber security.

New York City, NY, USA — Mr. Edgar Perez, author of The Speed Traders and Knightmare on Wall Street, addressed senior staffers of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) during the Division of Enforcement’s Market Abuse Unit’s annual conference in Washington DC. The mission of the SEC is to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation; the SEC strives to promote a market environment that is worthy of the public’s trust.

Mr. Perez was hosted by Mr. Daniel Hawke, Chief of the Division of Enforcement’s Market Abuse Unit. His unit investigates large-scale market abuses and complex manipulations schemes by institutional traders, market professionals and others. In particular, the unit focuses on many of the high-frequency trading issues discussed in The Speed Traders, Perez’s volume that introduced electronic and high-frequency trading to the general public.

The Market Abuse Unit is part of the Division of Enforcement, which was created in 1972 to consolidate enforcement activities that previously had been handled by the various operating divisions at the Commission’s headquarters in Washington DC. The Commission’s enforcement staff conducts investigations into possible violations of the federal securities laws, and litigates the Commission’s civil enforcement proceedings in the federal courts and in administrative proceedings.

Edgar Perez (http://www.mredgarperez.com), author of The Speed Traders (http://www.thespeedtraders.com) and Knightmare on Wall Street (http://www.knightmareonwallstreet.com), is a recognized keynote speaker and director of programs targeted at board members, chief executive officers and senior executives looking for new ways to gain and maintain a competitive business advantage. He can be reached through Twitter and Weibo.

SPEAKER’S KEYNOTE TOPICS

• The Importance of the Cybersecurity Framework for Directors and CEOs
An email embedded with malware. Security systems hacked by thieves. Credit card numbers stolen from store purchases. There’s certainly no shortage of examples when it comes to data security breaches and the havoc they wreak on business. No wonder then that nearly a third of CEOs in KPMG’s latest global survey identified cyber security as the issue having the biggest impact on their companies today. Every organization should apply a Cybersecurity Framework for analyzing cyber security, and ideally it should be integrated into an organization’s existing enterprise risk framework. The key is making it part of the mainstream of risk management within an organization. The most innovative companies today have recognized that cyber security is a customer experience and revenue opportunity, not just a risk that needs to be managed. Mr. Perez will explain why this must done across the entire organization and why the CEO and Board of Directors have the most important role to play.

• The Impact of Brexit in the U.K and the World
Companies inside and outside Britain’s borders have warned that the Brexit decision is affecting their businesses, highlighting how the June vote for the UK to leave the European Union is having wide repercussions. The vote roiled equity markets worldwide and led to a devaluation of sterling amid concerns over a prolonged slowdown in consumer demand. The U.K.’s decision to leave the European Union inflicted an immediate blow on the economy as business activity shrank at its fastest pace since the last recession seven years ago. The International Monetary Fund said that it had become less optimistic on global growth, and warned the damage could worsen if confidence falters among investors and companies, as fears abound over businesses and customers reining in spending during a period of uncertainty for the UK as it negotiates the terms of its exit. Mr. Perez will identify the world economies that will feel the lion’s share of the short and long-term pain to come.

• Blockchain and its impact on Finance
Blockchain technology (the software behind the digital currency, Bitcoin) offers an opportunity to overhaul existing business models, including banking infrastructure, approach to settlements and customer interactions. Now it is only a matter of time before the broader financial services and banking industries shift to blockchain and network-based approaches. The application possibilities are endless, improving the way we hold and transfer secure goods from money to deeds to music to intellectual property. In fact, blockchain, as a pure platform technology, may be able to cut out the middlemen (or middle companies) everywhere, even disrupting other disruptors like Airbnb or Uber. Mr. Perez will explain why the question is not whether network business models supported by blockchain technology will disrupt organizations, but when.

• The Biggest Risks for Financial Markets
Constant regulatory changes and technological evolution have transformed the financial landscape so profoundly since the advent of the first electronic networks in the early 1970s. Regulators around the world are now in a race to respond to the evolution of technology in financial markets and prevent its operational challenges from becoming the biggest risk for financial markets. However, when considering technology and the cyber landscape, errors are bound to happen. Financial services firms are expected to have deployed the most sophisticated defense systems against cyberattacks. Trading firms are expected to have controls in place and invest in the technology to keep up to date. Most companies would realize the need of these investments and honestly attempt to implement them, but their IT departments would soon hit a wall, because of direct involvement from senior management and boards of directors. Compliance actions against those who missed their importance will go a long way toward restoring investor confidence and limiting the impact of the biggest risk for financial markets.

• Finance in the New Global Economy
Until quite recently, globalization was seen as a one-way street. Multinationals, which led the charge four decades or so ago into growing global markets, were its ambassadors, and American and European workers, whose wages and upward mobility were flattened, were feeling left out. The core idea was that globalization, technological innovation and unfettered free trade would erase historical and geographic boundaries, making the world ever more economically interconnected and alike. Developed economies would come under more and more competitive pressure from eager upstart nations. Now we are entering a new age of volatility. Financiers will become less important, manufacturers more so. Blue collar jobs will go high tech. Robots will replace Chinese workers. Mr. Perez will discuss why finance stands now in front of its biggest transformation triggered not by any of the financial conglomerates that dominate the world today but by obscure startups that could be working already in garages in Silicon Valley, Shanghai, Kiev or Delhi.

• China: To Rebalance or Not to Rebalance
China’s 12th Five-Year Guideline in 2011 included efforts to rebalance its economy, shifting emphasis from investment towards consumption and development from urban and coastal areas toward rural and inland areas. Flash forward to 2016 and the country is exhibiting massive overcapacity in sectors linked to real estate, steel, cement, coal and construction equipment, zombie businesses continue to undermine the sustainability of China’s growth and exports are declining. At 260% of gross domestic product, the country’s overall debt is approaching danger levels. The world’s second-largest economy is now posting its weakest annual growth in 25 years, 6.9% for 2015. To top it all, $676 billion left China in 2015; with so much overcapacity in China, lack of confidence in the future as monetary policy can change tomorrow, why should people keep money inside China? Why should we bet on China? Mr. Perez will bring the answers you are looking for.

• Social Engineering: The “Weakest Human Link” in Cybersecurity
Social engineering involves tricking your employees into breaching security protocols or giving away information, most often over the telephone or via email. Social engineering exploits human weaknesses rather than technology, preying upon people’s propensity towards trust in particular. Often, these exploits are used to gather information to support a more targeted cyberattack, with the initial forays based on the premise of ‘little and often’ so as not to cause concern. Employees at all levels, including senior executives, are vulnerable. Mr. Perez will explain why by improving employee awareness and introducing simple technical measures, organizations can protect themselves against social engineering techniques and the risk of a cyberattack and its potential impact on business, customers and data.

• Establishing or Improving a Cybersecurity Program
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework, which was drafted by the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), comprises leading practices from various standards bodies that have proved to be successful when implemented, and it also may deliver regulatory and legal advantages that extend well beyond improved cybersecurity for organizations that adopt it early. Its adoption may prove advantageous for businesses across virtually all industries. Mr. Perez will explain why a proper Cybersecurity Program will build on the analysis of the possible areas of concern, an understanding of the company’s most critical assets, and a thorough review of Information Technology’s policies and procedures when faced with cybercrime.

• The Present and Future of High-Frequency Trading
On May 6, 2010, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted nearly 1,000 points, then its biggest intraday point drop ever. The “Flash Crash” revealed the influence of high-frequency trading to mainstream audiences around the world. In fact, over the past 15 years, the global financial market has fragmented: where there were once three main U.S. exchanges, there are now more than 40 exchanges and alternative trading systems. High-frequency trading companies have largely replaced traditional broker-dealers, using algorithms instead of human traders to make decisions in milliseconds, mostly in response to orders made by other algorithms. Mr. Perez will discuss the benefits brought by technology, making trading faster and more efficient, as well as the potential costs brought upon institutional and retail investors.

ABOUT EDGAR PEREZ
Mr. Edgar Perez is a published author, business consultant for billion-dollar private equity and hedge funds and Council Member at the Gerson Lehrman Group, Guidepoint Global Advisors and Research International, with subject matter expertise in cyber security, investing, trading, financial regulation (Dodd-Frank Act) and market structure.

He is author of Knightmare on Wall Street, The Rise and Fall of Knight Capital and the Biggest Risk for Financial Markets (2013), and The Speed Traders, An Insider’s Look at the New High-Frequency Trading Phenomenon That is Transforming the Investing World, published in English by McGraw-Hill Inc. (2011), Published in Mandarin by China Financial Publishing House (2012), and Investasi Super Kilat, published in Bahasa Indonesia by Kompas Gramedia (2012).

Mr. Perez is course director of Cybersecurity Boardroom Workshop, How Boards of Directors and CXOs Can Build the Proper Foundation to Address Today’s Information Security Challenges, and The Speed Traders Workshop, How High Frequency Traders Leverage Profitable Strategies to Find Alpha in Equities, Options, Futures and FX; he has presented his workshops in Singapore, Hong Kong, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Warsaw, Kiev, New York, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai. He contributes to The New York Times and China’s International Finance News and Sina Finance.

Mr. Perez has presented to the Council on Foreign Relations, Vadym Hetman Kyiv National Economic University (Kiev), Quant Investment & HFT Summit APAC (Shanghai), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (Washington DC), CFA Singapore, Hong Kong Securities Institute, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University, University of International Business and Economics (Beijing), Hult International Business School (Shanghai) and Pace University (New York), among other public and private institutions. In addition, Mr. Perez has spoken at a number of global conferences, including Cyber Security World Conference (New York), Inside Market Data (Chicago), Emerging Markets Investments Summit (Warsaw), CME Group’s Global Financial Leadership Conference (Naples Beach, FL), Harvard Business School’s Venture Capital & Private Equity Conference (Boston), High-Frequency Trading Leaders Forum (New York, Chicago), MIT Sloan Investment Management Conference (Cambridge), Institutional Investor’s Global Growth Markets Forum (London), Technical Analysis Society (Singapore), TradeTech Asia (Singapore), FIXGlobal Face2Face (Seoul) and Private Equity Convention Russia, CIS & Eurasia (London).

Mr. Perez has been interviewed on CNN’s Quest Means Business, CNBC’s Squawk on the Street, Worldwide Exchange, Cash Flow and Squawk Box, FOX BUSINESS’s Countdown to the Closing Bell and After the Bell, Bloomberg TV’s Market Makers, CNN en Español’s Dinero, Petersburg – Channel 5, Sina Finance, BNN’s Business Day, CCTV China, Bankier.pl, TheStreet.com, Leaderonomics, GPW Media, Channel NewsAsia’s Business Tonight and Cents & Sensibilities. In addition, Mr. Perez has been featured on Sohu, News.Sina.com, Yicai, eastmoney, Caijing, ETF88.com, 360doc, AH Radio, CNFOL.com, CITICS Futures, Tongxin Securities, ZhiCheng.com, CBNweek.com, Caixin, Futures Daily, Xinhua, CBN Newswire, Chinese Financial News, ifeng.com, International Finance News, Finance.QQ.com, hexun.com, Finance.Sina.com, The Korea Times, The Korea Herald, The Star, The Malaysian Insider, BMF 89.9, iMoney Hong Kong, CNBC, Bloomberg Hedge Fund Brief, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Dallas Morning News, Valor Econômico, FIXGlobal Trading, TODAY Online, Oriental Daily News and Business Times.

Mr. Perez was a vice president at Citigroup, a senior consultant at IBM, and a strategy consultant at McKinsey & Co. in New York City. Previously, he managed Operations and Technology for Peruval Finance. Mr. Perez has an undergraduate degree in Systems Engineering from Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería, Lima, Peru (1994), a Master of Administration from Universidad ESAN, Lima, Peru (1997) and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School, New York, with a dual major in Finance and Management (2002). He belongs to the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. Mr. Perez is an accomplished salsa and hustle dancer and resides in the New York City area.

Media Contact:
Julia Petrova
Media Relations Coordinator
The Speed Traders
+1-414-FORUMS0
jpetrova@thespeedtraders.com

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Business, Financial, Technology

London Speaker Bureau to Represent Cybersecurity and Financial Regulation Visionary Edgar Perez

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Edgar Perez, author of The Speed Traders and Knightmare on Wall Street, to provide CEOs, directors and senior managers around the world his insights on the role of finance, technology and geopolitics in innovating and driving performance across organizations of all types.

New York City, NY, USA — Mr. Edgar Perez, author of The Speed Traders and Knightmare on Wall Street, is now being represented by London Speaker Bureau. Mr. Perez is available to speak at forums around the globe on Economics & Finance, Future & Technology, Government & Politics, and Leadership & Motivation. For more information, event managers can visit http://www.londonspeakerbureau.com/speakers/edgar-perez.

London Speaker Bureau is a dynamic organization with a solid global presence. In one recent month they were involved in 161 events held in 85 cities in 31 countries. They are a team of 90 colleagues based across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and North America, each with a detailed understanding of their region’s economic and governmental scene. Choosing them to help find a speaker will ensure the client’s event or meeting has somebody experienced and world class.

Edgar Perez, author of The Speed Traders and Knightmare on Wall Street, is a recognized keynote speaker and director of programs targeted at board members, chief executive officers and senior executives looking for new ways to gain and maintain a competitive business advantage. He can be reached through Twitter and Weibo.

ABOUT SPEAKER’S KEYNOTE TOPICS

• The Impact of Brexit in the U.K and the World
Companies inside and outside Britain’s borders have warned that the Brexit decision is affecting their businesses, highlighting how the June vote for the UK to leave the European Union is having wide repercussions. The vote roiled equity markets worldwide and led to a devaluation of sterling amid concerns over a prolonged slowdown in consumer demand. The U.K.’s decision to leave the European Union inflicted an immediate blow on the economy as business activity shrank at its fastest pace since the last recession seven years ago. The International Monetary Fund said that it had become less optimistic on global growth, and warned the damage could worsen if confidence falters among investors and companies, as fears abound over businesses and customers reining in spending during a period of uncertainty for the UK as it negotiates the terms of its exit. Mr. Perez will identify the world economies that will feel the lion’s share of the short and long-term pain to come.

• Blockchain and its impact on Finance
Blockchain technology (the software behind the digital currency, Bitcoin) offers an opportunity to overhaul existing business models, including banking infrastructure, approach to settlements and customer interactions. Now it is only a matter of time before the broader financial services and banking industries shift to blockchain and network-based approaches. The application possibilities are endless, improving the way we hold and transfer secure goods from money to deeds to music to intellectual property. In fact, blockchain, as a pure platform technology, may be able to cut out the middlemen (or middle companies) everywhere, even disrupting other disruptors like Airbnb or Uber. Mr. Perez will explain why the question is not whether network business models supported by blockchain technology will disrupt organizations, but when.

• The Biggest Risks for Financial Markets
Constant regulatory changes and technological evolution have transformed the financial landscape so profoundly since the advent of the first electronic networks in the early 1970s. Regulators around the world are now in a race to respond to the evolution of technology in financial markets and prevent its operational challenges from becoming the biggest risk for financial markets. However, when considering technology and the cyber landscape, errors are bound to happen. Financial services firms are expected to have deployed the most sophisticated defense systems against cyberattacks. Trading firms are expected to have controls in place and invest in the technology to keep up to date. Most companies would realize the need of these investments and honestly attempt to implement them, but their IT departments would soon hit a wall, because of direct involvement from senior management and boards of directors. Compliance actions against those who missed their importance will go a long way toward restoring investor confidence and limiting the impact of the biggest risk for financial markets.

• Finance in the New Global Economy
Until quite recently, globalization was seen as a one-way street. Multinationals, which led the charge four decades or so ago into growing global markets, were its ambassadors, and American and European workers, whose wages and upward mobility were flattened, were feeling left out. The core idea was that globalization, technological innovation and unfettered free trade would erase historical and geographic boundaries, making the world ever more economically interconnected and alike. Developed economies would come under more and more competitive pressure from eager upstart nations. Now we are entering a new age of volatility. Financiers will become less important, manufacturers more so. Blue collar jobs will go high tech. Robots will replace Chinese workers. Mr. Perez will discuss why finance stands now in front of its biggest transformation triggered not by any of the financial conglomerates that dominate the world today but by obscure startups that could be working already in garages in Silicon Valley, Shanghai, Kiev or Delhi.

• China: To Rebalance or Not to Rebalance
China’s 12th Five-Year Guideline in 2011 included efforts to rebalance its economy, shifting emphasis from investment towards consumption and development from urban and coastal areas toward rural and inland areas. Flash forward to 2016 and the country is exhibiting massive overcapacity in sectors linked to real estate, steel, cement, coal and construction equipment, zombie businesses continue to undermine the sustainability of China’s growth and exports are declining. At 260% of gross domestic product, the country’s overall debt is approaching danger levels. The world’s second-largest economy is now posting its weakest annual growth in 25 years, 6.9% for 2015. To top it all, $676 billion left China in 2015; with so much overcapacity in China, lack of confidence in the future as monetary policy can change tomorrow, why should people keep money inside China? Why should we bet on China? Mr. Perez will bring the answers you are looking for.

• Social Engineering: The “Weakest Human Link” in Cybersecurity
Social engineering involves tricking your employees into breaching security protocols or giving away information, most often over the telephone or via email. Social engineering exploits human weaknesses rather than technology, preying upon people’s propensity towards trust in particular. Often, these exploits are used to gather information to support a more targeted cyberattack, with the initial forays based on the premise of ‘little and often’ so as not to cause concern. Employees at all levels, including senior executives, are vulnerable. Mr. Perez will explain why by improving employee awareness and introducing simple technical measures, organizations can protect themselves against social engineering techniques and the risk of a cyberattack and its potential impact on business, customers and data.

• The Importance of the Cybersecurity Framework for Directors and CEOs
An email embedded with malware. Security systems hacked by thieves. Credit card numbers stolen from store purchases. There’s certainly no shortage of examples when it comes to data security breaches and the havoc they wreak on business. No wonder then that nearly a third of CEOs in KPMG’s latest global survey identified cyber security as the issue having the biggest impact on their companies today. Every organization should apply a Cybersecurity Framework for analyzing cyber security, and ideally it should be integrated into an organization’s existing enterprise risk framework. The key is making it part of the mainstream of risk management within an organization. The most innovative companies today have recognized that cyber security is a customer experience and revenue opportunity, not just a risk that needs to be managed. Mr. Perez will explain why this must done across the entire organization and why the CEO and Board of Directors have the most important role to play.

• Establishing or Improving a Cybersecurity Program
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework, which was drafted by the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), comprises leading practices from various standards bodies that have proved to be successful when implemented, and it also may deliver regulatory and legal advantages that extend well beyond improved cybersecurity for organizations that adopt it early. Its adoption may prove advantageous for businesses across virtually all industries. Mr. Perez will explain why a proper Cybersecurity Program will build on the analysis of the possible areas of concern, an understanding of the company’s most critical assets, and a thorough review of Information Technology’s policies and procedures when faced with cybercrime.

• The Present and Future of High-Frequency Trading
On May 6, 2010, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted nearly 1,000 points, then its biggest intraday point drop ever. The “Flash Crash” revealed the influence of high-frequency trading to mainstream audiences around the world. In fact, over the past 15 years, the global financial market has fragmented: where there were once three main U.S. exchanges, there are now more than 40 exchanges and alternative trading systems. High-frequency trading companies have largely replaced traditional broker-dealers, using algorithms instead of human traders to make decisions in milliseconds, mostly in response to orders made by other algorithms. Mr. Perez will discuss the benefits brought by technology, making trading faster and more efficient, as well as the potential costs brought upon institutional and retail investors.

ABOUT EDGAR PEREZ
Mr. Edgar Perez is a published author, business consultant for billion-dollar private equity and hedge funds and Council Member at the Gerson Lehrman Group, Guidepoint Global Advisors and Research International, with subject matter expertise in cyber security, investing, trading, financial regulation (Dodd-Frank Act) and market structure.

He is author of Knightmare on Wall Street, The Rise and Fall of Knight Capital and the Biggest Risk for Financial Markets (2013), and The Speed Traders, An Insider’s Look at the New High-Frequency Trading Phenomenon That is Transforming the Investing World, published in English by McGraw-Hill Inc. (2011), Published in Mandarin by China Financial Publishing House (2012), and Investasi Super Kilat, published in Bahasa Indonesia by Kompas Gramedia (2012).

Mr. Perez is course director of Cybersecurity Boardroom Workshop, How Boards of Directors and CXOs Can Build the Proper Foundation to Address Today’s Information Security Challenges, and The Speed Traders Workshop, How High Frequency Traders Leverage Profitable Strategies to Find Alpha in Equities, Options, Futures and FX; he has presented his workshops in Singapore, Hong Kong, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Warsaw, Kiev, New York, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai. He contributes to The New York Times and China’s International Finance News and Sina Finance.

Mr. Perez has presented to the Council on Foreign Relations, Vadym Hetman Kyiv National Economic University (Kiev), Quant Investment & HFT Summit APAC (Shanghai), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (Washington DC), CFA Singapore, Hong Kong Securities Institute, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University, University of International Business and Economics (Beijing), Hult International Business School (Shanghai) and Pace University (New York), among other public and private institutions. In addition, Mr. Perez has spoken at a number of global conferences, including Cyber Security World Conference (New York), Inside Market Data (Chicago), Emerging Markets Investments Summit (Warsaw), CME Group’s Global Financial Leadership Conference (Naples Beach, FL), Harvard Business School’s Venture Capital & Private Equity Conference (Boston), High-Frequency Trading Leaders Forum (New York, Chicago), MIT Sloan Investment Management Conference (Cambridge), Institutional Investor’s Global Growth Markets Forum (London), Technical Analysis Society (Singapore), TradeTech Asia (Singapore), FIXGlobal Face2Face (Seoul) and Private Equity Convention Russia, CIS & Eurasia (London).

Mr. Perez has been interviewed on CNN’s Quest Means Business, CNBC’s Squawk on the Street, Worldwide Exchange, Cash Flow and Squawk Box, FOX BUSINESS’s Countdown to the Closing Bell and After the Bell, Bloomberg TV’s Market Makers, CNN en Español’s Dinero, Petersburg – Channel 5, Sina Finance, BNN’s Business Day, CCTV China, Bankier.pl, TheStreet.com, Leaderonomics, GPW Media, Channel NewsAsia’s Business Tonight and Cents & Sensibilities. In addition, Mr. Perez has been featured on Sohu, News.Sina.com, Yicai, eastmoney, Caijing, ETF88.com, 360doc, AH Radio, CNFOL.com, CITICS Futures, Tongxin Securities, ZhiCheng.com, CBNweek.com, Caixin, Futures Daily, Xinhua, CBN Newswire, Chinese Financial News, ifeng.com, International Finance News, Finance.QQ.com, hexun.com, Finance.Sina.com, The Korea Times, The Korea Herald, The Star, The Malaysian Insider, BMF 89.9, iMoney Hong Kong, CNBC, Bloomberg Hedge Fund Brief, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Dallas Morning News, Valor Econômico, FIXGlobal Trading, TODAY Online, Oriental Daily News and Business Times.

Mr. Perez was a vice president at Citigroup, a senior consultant at IBM, and a strategy consultant at McKinsey & Co. in New York City. Previously, he managed Operations and Technology for Peruval Finance. Mr. Perez has an undergraduate degree in Systems Engineering from Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería, Lima, Peru (1994), a Master of Administration from Universidad ESAN, Lima, Peru (1997) and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School, New York, with a dual major in Finance and Management (2002). He belongs to the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. Mr. Perez is an accomplished salsa and hustle dancer and resides in the New York City area.

Media Contact:
Julia Petrova
Media Relations Coordinator
The Speed Traders
+1-414-FORUMS0
jpetrova@thespeedtraders.com

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Business, Financial, Real Estate

IPX 1031 Launches Free 1031 Library Portal and APP

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Placing everything related to 1031 exchanging at your fingertips.

San Francisco, CA, USA — IPX 1031, the nation’s largest tax deferred exchange facilitator, today announced the launch of their free 1031 Library web portal and mobile app for investment property owners. The portal and app were specifically designed as a streamlined, customer facing platform for 1031 Exchangers to evaluate their suitability for an exchange, perform property diligence and analysis, ask a quick question of a 1031 expert, or monitor their transaction online.

The new application, available for free through the Apple App and Google Play stores, features multi-dimensional real property oriented analytical tools, educational tutorials and wizards which allow Exchangers to communicate easily with their transactional coordinator and monitor their entire 1031 exchange process from the palm of their hand.

“We’re always looking for ways to save our customers time and empower them before, during and after their 1031 exchange. Usually that centers on our ability to interact with them during the exchange process, but it can also mean providing timely access to information, diligence and expertise” said Jennifer Keen, Executive Vice President of Investment Property Exchange Services, Inc. “The new app and portal will include some never before seen analytical tools and wizards which will help prospective Exchangers to pre-assess their transactions, educate themselves on the process, as well as manage their transaction online.”

For more information on the 1031 Library app, visit http://www.1031library.com.

About IPX 1031
(IPX 1031) Investment Property Exchange Services, Inc. is the largest facilitator of 1031 exchanges in the country and has locations nationwide. They provide their customers with a wide range of tax deferred exchange services. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fortune 300 Fidelity National Financial. For more information, visit http://www.IPX1031.com.

Media Contact:
Thomas Bottenberg
1031Library.com
415-696-1076
support@1031library.com
http://www.1031library.com

Apparel & Fashion, Financial, International Trade, Management, Retail

MDM GROUP AG pulls up plans to go public

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Meggen, Switzerland, 2017-Feb-14 — /REAL TIME PRESS RELEASE/ — MDM GROUP AG’s IPO will now take place in the second quarter of 2017 and not at the end of the year. The company aims to generate fresh capital by going public, which will allow it to invest additional funds in merchandise trading.

Retail investors will also be able to easily benefit from the company’s business model.

High revenues are generated in the retail sector in Germany every year.

Gross profit margins are particularly interesting for investors.

They often average 30 percent.

MDM GROUP AG works in this market segment. Specifically, the group mostly trades in textiles, remainders, specialty items, and merchandise from insolvency proceedings.

MDM GROUP AG has already recorded high profits in this segment.

In the international retail segment, the company’s revenues have grown by around 400 percent in the last two years alone.

The company can already record profits when making purchases. The merchandise, such as textiles, remainders, specialty items, and goods from insolvency proceedings from many top manufacturers are bought in at very favorable conditions.

The high purchasing volumes mean that savings of up to 90 percent compared to the regular wholesale price are standard.

In addition to low purchase prices for goods, in 2017 the company is also planning to purchase two top textile brands which will extend its product offering even further and will also allow the group to directly impact prices.

Thanks to its unique distribution network, the company can resell the purchased goods in a short period.

In this regard, the group works together with a large number of online distribution partners and can thus always select the most efficient marketing channel for the products.

This allows the company to not only turn over the goods quickly, but also to realize the maximum income from their sale.

The MDM GROUP purchases and sells goods every month, thus turning over the invested amounts several times.
Profits can be realized with every transaction.

The company does not receive investments from bank loans, but via subordinated loans.

Private individuals can lend the company money and receive interest in return.

The interest is fixed and agreed in advance and currently totals nine percent according to the company’s information.

Interest of up to 20 percent is even possible for special programs.

About MDM GROUP AG
MDM GROUP is a Swiss company which invests in all types of products.

The company has specialized in trading with textiles, remaining stock and special items, as well as goods from insolvency proceedings.

The business principle is to acquire the goods at substantially reduced prices of up to 90 percent less than the regular wholesale price.

As a result, the company records high profit margins.

Private individuals can invest in this business via subordinated loans.

Remuneration with fixed interest rates is agreed in this regard.

In addition, in future the MDM Group will participate in the luxury car segment.
Extensive negotiations in this regard are already being held with one of the best known car dealers and the head of sales in Germany.

Details of this will be published soon.

Contact-Details: MDM Group AG
Frau Ozlem Utanc
Rütliweg 3
6045 Meggen
Schweiz
ozlem@mdmgroup.ch

Business, Financial

Equities First Holdings, LLC Develops Transaction with Australian Company Environmental Clean Technologies Limited

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Transaction proceeds will be used to fund research and development projects in India.

Sydney, Australia and Indianapolis, IN, USA — Equities First Holdings, LLC (EFH), a provider of alternative shareholder financing, and its Australian subsidiary, Equities First Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd (EFH/A) are pleased to announce that EFH has entered into a transaction with Environmental Clean Technologies Limited (ECT) to provide funding to be used in the development of major projects in India.

ECT, which is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ASX: ESI, is a Melbourne-based company that specializes in engineering R&D and commercialisation of leading-edge coal beneficiation and iron-making technologies.

The funding ECT received from EFH will be used to help fund a $30 million research and development facility in India.

“ECT is an innovative company with a solid management team in place, and a well-laid-out plan for future success,” Al Christy, Jr., President and CEO of Equities First Holdings, LLC, said. “EFH is proud to be able to provide the funding necessary to help ECT meets its financial goals and continue the work of cracking the code of emerging energy and minerals technologies.”

Equities First Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd is based in Sydney and operates satellite offices in Melbourne and Perth. The company holds an Australian Financial Services License (Reference Number: 387079).

Glenn Fozard, Chairman of ECT commented, “ECT recognizes that EFH is the global leader in securities based lending and having them involved to help fund our Indian project is essential to keeping the outcomes on-track and on-time. The Australian EFH team conducted themselves with professionalism and integrity and have been a great support is setting up this transaction.”

About Equities First Holdings
Since 2002, Equities First Holdings, LLC (EFH) has provided clients with alternative financing by lending capital secured by publicly traded stock, to enable clients to meet their personal and professional financial goals. EFH provides capital against shares traded on public exchanges around the world. The company has completed more than 700 transactions since its founding, which offer customers high loan-to-value at low fixed interest rates.

EFH is a global company with offices in nine countries, including wholly owned subsidiaries Equities First (London) Limited, Equities First Holdings Hong Kong Limited, Equities First Holdings Singapore Limited, and Equities First Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd. For more information, visit, http://www.equitiesfirst.com.

DISCLAIMER
This release is intended for informational use only, and does not constitute an offer, stated or implied, of any type. Equities First Holdings, LLC and all of its subsidiaries work exclusively with individuals classified as sophisticated investors. The Equities First Holdings platform is not intended for retail investors.

Media Contact:
Brandon Russell
+1-317-429-3500
media@equitiesfirst.com

Accounting, Consumer Services, Electronics, Financial, International Trade, Management, Media, Telecom

Vivier Chief Executive, Luigi Wewege Announces New Book: The Digital Banking Revolution

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AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND and COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA and MADRID, SPAIN, 2016-Dec-21 — /EPR Network/ — Luigi Wewege’s latest book, The Digital Banking Revolution, shares his inside perspective on how financial technology companies are rapidly transforming the traditional retail banking industry through disruptive innovation.

In The Digital Banking Revolution, Wewege provides a look at how over the past decade financial service innovations have contributed to a completely new way in which customers are able to bank, threatening the status quo of traditional retail banks, and redefining a banking model which has been in place for generations.

Luigi’s book presents the ways these new technological advancements have facilitated the rapid emergence of digital banking firms and FinTech companies, leading to established banks being forced to swiftly increase their pace of digital adoption to stay relevant, and stop mass client attrition to these agile financial start-ups.

“These threats come at an inopportune time for banks due to mature markets currently experiencing stagnant growth. This coupled with decreasing profit margins due to the competitive pricing of new entrants, and financial customer loyalty becoming ever increasingly more tenuous,” said Wewege.

Supported by numerous illustrations, the book spans a diverse range of topics from big data analytics and mobile payments to the evolving behaviors of financial consumers. The Digital Banking Revolution concludes with Luigi providing his predictions in the book’s final chapter, which is titled The Future of Banking. In this chapter, he outlines how he believes financial services are likely to evolve, and be conducted going forward.

The book is currently available for purchase online at Amazon.com in Kindle and paperback versions, as well as being offered via a number of other major online booksellers. To learn more about the author – Luigi Wewege and his new book, The Digital Banking Revolution, please visit: www.digitalbankingrevolution.com.

ABOUT LUIGI WEWEGE
Luigi is the President and CEO of Vivier Group, a multinational financial group of companies, providing its services worldwide through representation in jurisdictions across Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe and South America. Outside of Vivier he serves as the Non-executive Chairman of Nikau Global an international trade and development firm, as Partner/Director of Palmetto Global Ventures a bespoke financial management consultancy firm, and is an invited member of Boston, Massachusetts based non-profit the Young Entrepreneur Council. For more information, about Luigi please visit: http://www.luigiwewege.com or alternatively reach him via Twitter @luigiwewege.

 

Media contact:
Brandon Hopkins
Email: info@digitalbankingrevolution.com
Phone: 803-404-4851
Web: www.digitalbankingrevolution.com

Business, Financial

Equities First Holdings Hong Kong Limited Receives Reconfirmation of Hong Kong Money Lenders License

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The Hong Kong Money Lenders License was granted by the Hong Kong Eastern Magistrates Courts.

Hong Kong, China — Equities First Holdings Hong Kong Limited, the Asian subsidiary of Equities First Holdings, LLC (EFH, http://www.equitiesfirst.com) a global securities-based lender and a leader in alternative shareholder financing solutions, has received reconfirmation of its Hong Kong Money Lenders License from the Hong Kong Eastern Magistrates Courts.

This license enables EFH to act as a securities based lender in accordance with relevant legal and regulatory requirements applicable to the conduct of its business in Hong Kong.

“This license represents EFH’s commitment to not only deliver our products and services to our clients, but to continue to meet our legal and regulatory compliance obligations in the process.” said Al Christy, President and CEO of EFH.

In order to maintain this license, EFH must continue to meet several conditions set forth by the Hong Kong Eastern Magistrates Courts, including data and privacy requirements, reporting and compliance requirements, marketing and advertising provisions, and operational and business practice standards.

EFH’s Money Lender License number is 1309/2016, and the license is valid until September 2017.

Equities First Holdings Hong Kong Limited is also licensed and regulated by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, CE number BFJ407.

In addition to its Hong Kong business operations, EFH maintains locations in the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, and Switzerland, as well as the company headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.

About Equities First Holdings
Since 2002, Equities First Holdings, LLC (EFH) has provided clients with alternative financing solutions, supplying capital against publicly traded stock to enable clients to meet their personal and professional goals. As a securities-based lender, EFH provides capital against shares traded on public exchanges around the world. The company has completed more than 700 transactions worth more than $1.4 billion to date, offering customers high loan-to-value at low fixed interest rates.

EFH is a global company with offices in nine countries, including wholly owned subsidiaries Equities First (London) Limited, Equities First Holdings Hong Kong Limited, Equities First Holdings Singapore Limited, and Equities First Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd. For more information, visit, http://www.equitiesfirst.com.

DISCLAIMER
This release is intended for informational use only, and does not constitute an offer, stated or implied, of any type. Equities First Holdings, LLC and all of its subsidiaries work exclusively with individuals classified as sophisticated investors. The Equities First Holdings platform is not intended for retail investors.

Media Contact:
Brandon Russell
+1-317-429-3500
media@equitiesfirst.com

Computers, Financial, Human Resources, Management, Software

DAN GRACE JOINS SKILLSTORM AS EVP, OPERATIONAL SERVICES

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Expands division to tie tools to ROI for customers

Charlotte, N.C., 2016-Nov-15 — /EPR Network/ — Dan Grace has joined SkillStorm, an international technology services company, as Executive Vice President of the Operational Services Division (OSD). He is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the OSD including service management, monitoring and availability. His experience includes integrating processes and emerging technologies, operational oversight, project execution and tool integration across platforms including ServiceNow, Remedy, Maximo and Service Manager.

In joining SkillStorm, Grace expands the Solutions division to incorporate a services and operations management practice. In this role, he is responsible for strategy, implementation and quality delivery of SkillStorm’s operational services across all customers. SkillStorm’s OSD offers a lean, solutions-oriented model powered by SkillStorm’s Cloud Workforce Solutions (CWS) platform. CWS is a proven alternative solution to OffShore and NearShore sourcing which provides highly skilled technology and operations based resources across the globe.

dan-grace-2-2“Our core clients in the banking and financial services sectors are working to achieve organic growth while dealing with ever-increasing challenges, from regulation and compliance to information security concerns,” says Paul Moura, SkillStorm’s President. “Operational efficiency, driven by effectively implementing today’s service management tools, provides a path that allows clients to deal with those challenges and achieve overall organizational goals while maintaining high service level expectations. Dan’s experience puts SkillStorm in the unique position to provide expert guidance to our
clients in these areas.”

“Service management tools and processes are the foundation for managing the quality of IT and business services. Their impact drives the overall success of any company, enterprise wide,” says Grace. “I’m honored and excited to join SkillStorm as part of the executive leadership team. My goal is to contribute to the continued success of the SkillStorm brand, achieving our company’s vision and exceeding customer expectations.”

Grace has served more than 23 years in managed and operational services executive
leadership roles for companies including Allstate Insurance, eBay’s PayPal division and Bank of America. He holds multiple patents and patent applications in automation, monitoring, integration, knowledge management and more. Grace holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of South Florida and will be based in SkillStorm’s Tempe, Arizona, office.

About SkillStorm
SkillStorm rapidly builds and deploys IT & Operations teams with critical skills in client facilities or in one of our U.S.-based delivery centers. Founded in 2002, SkillStorm specializes in providing services on the leading edge of technology. SkillStorm teams are tasked with executing high-impact projects such as developing applications in agile environments, building mobile apps, harnessing “Big Data’s” potential and strengthening information security efforts for Fortune 1000 and fast-growing tech companies.

SkillStorm is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and has offices nationwide: Tempe, Arizona; San Diego and Westlake Village, California; Jacksonville, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana; New York, New York; Charlotte, North Carolina; Cleveland, Ohio; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; McKinney and Plano, Texas; and Richmond, Virginia. Learn more at www.skillstorm.com.

skill-stormFor more information, contact

Andi Zitney
AZitney@SkillStorm.com
480.428.8309