RiskMetrics Group
Risk Management RiskMetrics Labs ISS Governance Services Financial Research & Analysis

Webcasts

RiskMetrics Group hosts an ongoing series of web conferences to create constructive dialogue around risk, governance, accounting and legal issues impacting investors. Each webcast is approximately one hour in duration unless otherwise specified.  If you have any questions, please contact eventenquiries@riskmetrics.com

 

Webcast Replays and Transcripts


Iterative Basel II Implementation: Credit simulation in low data coverage environments
May 1, 2008 – 10:00 AM EDT

As US Banks face more questions regarding their impending Basel II implementations and move towards an advanced credit risk framework, RiskMetrics Group invites you to a forum to explore the questions:

  • Why now ?
  • How can this impact my Credit Risk?
Basel II goes much beyond merely setting a regulatory standard. It covers stress testing and economic capital, which are indispensable for understanding and managing your credit risk, especially in the current volatile market environment.

 

Inflation Products: Risk Factors and Valuation
April 29, 2008 - April 29, 2008 - 14:30 BST, 15:30 CEST, 09:30 EDT
As trading volume of inflation-linked products has risen significantly in the last few years, so has the importance of a consistent and accurate approach for pricing and measuring the risk of these instruments.

In previous models, inflation risk would have been nested within interest rate market risk, now with the introduction of new analytics from RiskMetrics Group, users can view inflation as a separate risk type and get better valuations.

During this webcast, Fabien Couderc, Senior Researcher at RiskMetrics Group will discuss the breakeven inflation methodology behind the analytics and Jamie Wong, Senior Risk Analyst will use RiskManager case studies to demonstrate how these types of products can be modelled and how stressing inflation will affect them.

 

Poison Pills in Japan - What You Need to Know for 2008
April 25, 2008 - 10:00 AM EDT, 15:00 BST, 16:00 CEST
This webcast will examine how this relatively new takeover defense is affecting the market for corporate control in Japan. Findings from an upcoming background report on poison pills will be featured.

 

Subprime Litigation and Liability - What You Need to Know for 2008
April 11, 2008 - 11:00 AM EDT, 16:00 BST, 17:00 CEST
A panel of experts will discuss the legal issues raised by the rising wave of subprime-related litigation, as well as the liability implications for directors and officers. We'll also review the highlights from an upcoming RiskMetrics Group background report on subprime litigation.

 

Corporate Governance in Hong Kong and China - What You Need to Know for 2008
April 8, 2008 - 1:00 PM Australia EST, 11:00 AM HKT, SGT, CST, 12:00 PM JST
RiskMetrics Group's David Smith and Geof Stapledon will reveal the findings from a new white paper on corporate governance practices in mainland China and Hong Kong. They will also be joined by Fraser Howie, Head of Structured Products at Credit Lyonnaise Securities (CLSA) and well-known author of "Privatizing China", who will share his insight on the current state of governance practices in mainland China.

 

M&A and Risk Perspective into the Bear Stearns Fallout
March 25, 2008 - 11:00 AM EDT

Adding to an already turbulent market environment, the impact of Bear Stearns' collapse shines a bright light on residual credit risk embedded in the financial markets and yet another opportunistic bid in the M&A landscape. Please join RiskMetrics Group’s M&A Edge analyst Chris Young, Financials analyst Zach Gast and Legal Edge analyst Nick Rodelli as they share their insight on:

  1. the merger terms from the shareholder’s perspective;
  2. the potential standard of review of director actions under Delaware law; and
  3. continuing risk in the financial system.

You may access the following M&A Edge and Legal Edge reports, "Bear Stearns – Desperate Hours" and "The Bear Stearns Companies: The Delaware Angle" upon registration for this webcast.

 

Securities Litigation - What European Investors Need to Know
March 14, 2008 - 14:30 GMT, 15:30 CET, 10:30 AM EDT
A wave of securities litigation in the U.S., prompted by market volatility and the credit crisis, will prompt a corresponding wave of settlements. This panel discussion will examine litigation trends and provide important information for European investors who may want to participate in securities class actions.

 

2008 North American Proxy Season Preview - What You Need to Know for 2008
March 7, 2008 - 11:00 AM EST
Join RiskMetrics Group's Patrick McGurn, Martha Carter, Meg Voorhes and Debra Sisti as they provide a preview of the top issues for proxy season in the U.S. and Canada, including key trends in director elections, M&A and shareholder activism, executive compensation, and social and environmental shareholder proposals.

 

Auction Rate Security: Understanding Risk Exposure
March 5, 2008 - 11:00 AM EST
Please join us for a webcast, “Auction Rate Security: Understanding Risk Exposure,” which will cover the surprisingly high company exposure to auction rate securities and other risky “close-to-cash” investments. This webcast should serve to help investors better understand a company’s risk exposure, despite the limited transparency or lack of investment disclosure available. RiskMetrics Group’s analyst Jeremy Perler will discuss today’s transparency issues, offer tips for assessing risk despite the current barriers, and present various company methods and examples of disclosure.

 

Acquisition Accounting Webcast: New Rules & Shenanigans
February 26, 2008 - 10:00 AM EST
This webcast will cover the implications of the new accounting standard on mergers and acquisitions (FAS 141R and FAS 160) and how these changes could significantly impact companies’ financial results.  Two of RiskMetrics Group's research analysts will discuss what investors and analysts should know about the new rules from both the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and the U.S. Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB).  We will also discuss how the new standards likely won’t lead to an improved quality of financial reporting, both before and after the adoption date of FAS 141R.

This webcast is part of RiskMetrics Group’s CFRA Academy, a comprehensive suite of educational services designed to support the continuing education and development of financial services professionals.  Clients of CFRA Academy have access to training seminars, Industry Risk Assessment Profiles (IRAPs), a rapid-response accounting help desk, educational reports, industry reports, and conference call series.  Clients of CFRA Academy may access the full research report associated with this webcast.  For more information on this webcast, or the CFRA Academy service, please contact marketing@riskmetrics.com.

 

European Voting Policies - What You Need to Know for 2008
February 26, 2008 - 14:30 GMT, 15:30 CET, 9:30 AM EST
Join leading European Asset managers who have developed their own custom voting policy and discover how they address key topics that arise in general meetings. Compare their approach to yours and learn more about RiskMetrics’ European updates on proxy voting policies.

 

European Governance Landscape - What You Need to Know for 2008
February 22, 2008 - 14:30 GMT, 15:30 CET, 9:30 AM EST
RiskMetrics Group's Jean-Nicolas Caprasse and all European Lead analysts explore the current state and challenges of corporate governance in Europe.

 

Iterative Basel II Implementation for European Banks: Credit simulation in low data coverage environments
February 20, 2008 - 14:00 GMT, 15:00 CET
In a classical Basel implementation, complete obligor information is required to calculate economic capital, concentration and credit risk. However, as European institutions work towards compliance with Pillar II/the supervisory review process, it is becoming apparent that ignoring a lack of required credit data can cause Basel II to lose its value proposition altogether.

Webcast Content Preview:
  • Low data environments
  • The three pillars of Basel II
  • Different approaches to missing data
  • The iterative approach to implementing Basel II
  • The weakness of the linear approach to Basel II in a low data environment
Please join us for an informative webcast exploring these issues. Ran Fuchs, Head of Credit Risk Business at RiskMetrics Group, will examine the drawbacks of orthodox procedures and present an alternative approach to the calculation of economic capital.

 

What not to wear: Analysing European Equity Risk
February 13, 2008 - 12:00 GMT, 13:00 CET, 07:00 EST
Please join us for a webcast to explore how forensic accounting techniques can be used to uncover the risks in equities which may not be appreciated by the market.

Companies sometimes present a more favourable picture of their financial health than warranted by the state of their accounts. During this webcast, Niels Aalen, Global Head of Financial Research and Analysis and Paul Nagy, Head of European Accounting Research will illustrate how RiskMetrics Group’s forensic accounting research:
  • Helps identify short ideas for hedge fund managers
  • Highlighted accounting problems at Ericsson, Northern Rock, Conergy and others in 2007 before their share prices fell
  • Helps long only and hedge fund managers avoid companies which appear to be high risk

 

Securities Litigation – What You Need to Know for 2008
January 25, 2008 - 11:00 AM EST
How will current lawsuits on the docket and new settlements affect investors in the coming year? Will the credit crisis and market turmoil yield a new wave of settlements? These trends are the subject of an upcoming RiskMetrics Group white paper, part of our What You Need to Know for 2008 educational program.

Please join us for a webcast exploring securities litigation trends for the upcoming year. Adam Savett, Head of Securities Class Action Services for RiskMetrics Group will host a panel of noted industry experts, including Stuart Grant, Managing Partner at Grant & Eisenhofer, Lyle Roberts, Partner at Dewey & LeBoeuf, and Kevin LaCroix, Director at OakBridge Insurance Services.

 

Accounting Trends Webcast – What You Need to Know for 2008
January 18, 2008 - 11:00 AM EST
Join Marc Siegel, RiskMetrics Group's Global Head of Financial Research and Analysis, on a webcast covering accounting and financial reporting trends in 2008. You can expect to receive the whole story about the key themes and specifics which will impact you this year in analyzing companies. This webcast will look back at aggressive reporting techniques and unconventional methods management has used to mask operational deterioration in their businesses and how you can learn to challenge a company's assertions on reported metrics going forward. Examples will be given where reverse-engineering company data through forensic financial accounting, or deep-dive analysis, has yielded results that have either corroborated or disproved the reported results. In addition to uncovering companies' hidden risk in the marketplace, Mr. Siegel will discuss accounting issues that should be at the forefront of investors’ minds, as well as what regulators are focusing on in 2008.

 

Solar Energy Conference Call: Do Company Valuations Adequately Incorporate Risks Reflected In Company Financial Statements?
January 15, 2008 - 10:00 AM EST (audio only)
The solar energy industry has seen remarkable economic growth fueled by rising energy prices, greater public awareness of global warming, and government incentives for renewable energy. Given the skyrocketing share prices of companies within the solar industry, RiskMetrics Group's Financial Accounting analysts performed a detailed analysis of several financial statement metrics at various companies in an effort to uncover those companies that may be at risk of failing to meet expectations in future periods. Please join analysts Dan Mahoney, Jon Dye, and Jean-Louis Thiemele for what should be a thought-provoking conference call on Tuesday, January 15 at 10:00 am EST covering company fundamentals within the Solar Energy Industry. They will debate and identify several areas of concern that may lead to weaker than anticipated financial results of companies in the sector.

 

Corporate Governance and Climate Change: The Banking Sector – What You Need to Know for 2008
January 11, 2008 - 11:00 AM EST
With nearly $6 trillion in market capitalization, the global financial sector will play a vital role in supporting timely, cost-effective solutions to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Ceres, a leading coalition of investors, environmental organizations and other public interest groups working to address sustainability challenges such as global climate change, and the Investor Network on Climate Risk will soon publish a groundbreaking report, authored by RiskMetrics Group's Climate Change Research Group, that reveals how 40 of the world's largest banks are preparing to face the challenge of minimizing climate risks.

Please join panelists Mindy Lubber, President of Ceres, and Doug Cogan, Head of Climate Change Research at RiskMetrics Group, as they share the findings from the report, Corporate Governance and Climate Change: The Banking Sector. Panelist Bruce Gillander, Division Director at the Florida Department of Financial Services Division of Treasury, will also discuss how the Division of Treasury is engaging with investment managers on the issue of climate change. The forum will also provide insight into how corporate executives and board directors are addressing the governance controls that will be needed to minimize climate risks while maximizing climate-friendly opportunities.

 

Assessing Consumer Credit Through Credit Card Securitizations
January 9, 2008 - 10:00 AM EST (audio only)
Credit card master trusts are an excellent bellwether of conditions in consumer credit. We published a recent report on the topic and you can access the report by clicking here (If you need your login details, please email cservices@riskmetrics.com). Our analysis of U.S. credit card securitizations shows that credit quality has deteriorated steadily between early September and the end of November, the traditional start of the holiday shopping season. Do these trends suggest the U.S. consumer is approaching the breakpoint? Furthermore, what insights can we draw from a comparison with U.K. credit card issuers?

Please join Analysts from RiskMetrics Group's CFRA Accounting Lens - Global Financials Sector - on Wednesday, January 9th at 10am EST, for a discussion providing a combined perspective on credit card lenders in the U.S & U.K markets.

 

Share Lending: What You Need to Know for 2008 –
Accounting, Governance and Risk Management Perspectives Webcast
January 4, 2007 - 11:00 AM EST
How can institutional investors mitigate the risks of securities lending and coordinate their corporate governance and securities lending policies?

Join RiskMetrics Group's Peter Friz, Head of Global Voting Services and Bimal Patel, Governance Analyst, along with a panel industry practitioners, to learn more about best practices in securities lending and the issues investors face today.

 

Credit Markets: What You Need to Know for 2008 –
Accounting, Governance and Risk Management Perspectives Webcast
December 14, 2007 - 10:00 AM EST, 3:00 PM GMT, 4:00 PM CET
On this webcast, RiskMetrics Group's thought leaders from the Accounting, Governance and Risk Management businesses will come together for a panel discussion on what is changing in the credit markets, what trends they have seen, and what you need to know for 2008.

 

Canadian Policy Review for 2008
December 11, 2007 - 1:00 PM EST
On this webcast, Debra Sisti, Head of Canadian Research for ISS Governance Services, will discuss the recently released updates to RiskMetrics Group's Canadian proxy voting policy. Updated policies include critical executive compensation and board issues. We will also provide a high level review of our policies related to areas of greatest concern to Canadian institutions and issuers.

 

U.S. Policy Updates for 2008
December 5, 2007 - 11:30 AM EST
On this webcast, Dr. Martha Carter, Chair of the ISS Governance Services Global Policy Board, and Patrick McGurn, Special Counsel, will discuss the recently released 2008 U.S. proxy voting policy. Please join us to learn what is changing, and why, as you prepare for the 2008 proxy season.

 

Portfolio Credit Risk and Economic Capital Reporting for Middle Eastern Institutions Webcast
December 4, 2007 - 11:00 AM GMT/ 2:00 PM (KSA)
Banks within the Middle East region face the same challenges as banks across the globe with regard to meeting Basel II requirements and following best practices in credit portfolio risk management.

Robert Stamicar, Head of Risk Management Research Americas at RiskMetrics Group will present a brief overview of the industry standard CreditMetrics® methodology followed by a discussion of mapping techniques between implied ratings and default probabilities. The web cast will explore how implied ratings can be estimated from market data such as equity prices and CDS spreads via a structural model.

 

“M&A Edge” Webcast - An Overview and Outlook of the Current M&A Landscape
November 14, 2007 - 1:00 PM EST
Over the past two years, RiskMetrics Group's M&A Edge has documented the rise of shareholder activism, in particular the species of activism practiced by hedge funds. We have noted that activism as an investment strategy is now considered to be a legitimate asset class, as evidenced by the significant amount of institutional funds dedicated to achieving alpha by proactive shareholder engagement. M&A Edge subscribers who receive our monthly Pipeline of contentious situations know that our team has tracked high-profile activist campaigns since 2005. We’re also happy to announce that our coverage has expanded to Europe as well.

With the rise of such hedge fund activism, a volatile market in public-to-private transactions with an intervening credit crunch, and M&A activity gaining momentum overseas, the M&A landscape has never been more dynamic. Please join analyst Chris Young for a webcast detailing the M&A product offering that is currently available on the Financial Research & Analysis internet platform. The webcast forum will feature insight into the current M&A landscape, an overview of how the M&A team evaluates contentious deals, the value proposition of M&A Edge research, and what to expect on the M&A horizon.

 

International Convergence and the Possible Use of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in the U.S.
October 25, 2007 - 11:00 AM EDT
Please join Robert Herz, Chairman of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), and James Leisenring, from the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) for a web conference on October 25, 2007 at 11:00 am EST, discussing “International Convergence and the Possible Use of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in the U.S.”

Mr. Herz and Mr. Leisenring will share their perspective on:
  • Why the capital markets will benefit from a common set of high quality accounting standards,
  • What the possible paths to a single set of standards would be,
  • Key aspects of the convergence process,
  • Potential challenges of this initiative, and
  • Where international convergence stands today.
Additionally, the discussion will provide insight into the running debate of a two-GAAP system and IFRS system, and the pros and cons of differing standards.

The webcast will be moderated by Marc Siegel, RiskMetric Group's Head of Accounting Lens & Legal Edge Research, and member of FASB’s Investors Technical Advisory Committee.

 

2007 Proxy Season In Review Webcast
October 16, 2007 - 1:00 PM EDT
Now that the 2007 U.S. proxy season has ended, what's behind the major trends in corporate governance? From Say on Pay to Proxy Access, you'll hear which issues received strong support and which didn't. RiskMetrics Group's Special Counsel, Patrick McGurn, will offer an insightful look at the trends from this past season, and provide an overview of what issues are likely to be hot for the 2008 proxy season. Registrants also receive an electronic copy of our Post-Season Report.

 

Identifying Non-financial European Companies with Higher Exposure to the Strained Credit Environment Webcast
October 9, 2007 - 11:30 AM EDT
RiskMetrics Group is pleased to invite you to attend the conference call, information below, on Identifying European (non-financial) companies with potentially higher exposure to the current adverse credit environment. Download an excerpt from our recently published report.

We have approached our analysis in three different ways:
  1. Companies with significant short term debt exposure and weak cash flow. We identified 58 such companies of which 6 had short term debt higher than 40% of their total capital.
  2. Companies with significant overall debt exposure and poor liquidity profile. We identified 28 such companies of which 17 had negative free cash flow in either the last fiscal year or last 12 month period or both
  3. Companies using debt capital to finance their acquisition driven growth. We identified 18 such highly acquisitive companies; in 3 of these companies, the ratio of debt/capital increased by more than 3000 bps in the last three years.

 

Preparing for the 2007 Australian AGM Season
September 18, 2007 - 9:00 and 11:00 AM Australian Eastern Standard Time
The 2007 main AGM season is closing fast, and a host of issues will face investors as they consider how to cast their votes.

ISS Governance Services held informational webcasts for institutional investors and issuers, providing insights as they prepare for the 2007 proxy season, covering issues such as:
  • Reflections on ASX Corporate Governance Council's new guidelines
  • Developments in executive remuneration: Retention payments and tailor-made LTIs
  • How ISS assesses Remuneration Reports

 

Interpreting and Implementing ESG Screening Mandates
July 25, 2007 - 11:00 am EDT
As part of our ongoing efforts to help institutional investors navigate environmental, social and governance (ESG) screening mandates, ISS invites you to attend our upcoming webcast, Interpreting and Implementing ESG Screening Mandates. John Deosaran will discuss what's new on the screening front, how to interpret clients' ESG mandates and integrate screening data into systems. He will also explore the market opportunities for ESG screening capabilities. To learn how ISS can help you interpret and implement your ESG screening mandates, please join us.

 

Evaluating the Dynamic M&A Landscape--What You Need to Know
June 27, 2007 - 1:00 pm EDT
With the rise of hedge funds agitating for change within companies plus an increase in public-to-private transactions, the M&A landscape has never been more dynamic. Please join us for this special Governance Forum on Wednesday, June 27 at 1 pm Eastern Daylight Time as Chris Young assesses the current M&A landscape, provides an overview of how ISS evaluates M&A deals, and discusses what's next on the horizon.
Printable Version