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☆ Masayoshi Son is the $100 billion gambler who went from dirt track to tech titan — and he isn't done betting yet
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-28 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son has spent his life putting bold bets on the future of technology. SoftBank, the media-technology conglomerate Son founded two decades prior, was riding high on the glory it attained in the dot-com boom. He was told he was special," Barber told BI. "He wants to be seen as the great modernizer transforming this petrostate into a truly modern economy where technology is at the forefront," Barber told BI. But as previous cycles in Son's life dictate, the flurry of enthusiasm is typically followed by failure.

Persons: Masayoshi Son, Lionel Barber, —, Son, Bill Gates, Masa —, Uber, Barber, Vladimir Putin, Barack Obama, — he's, Jack Ma's Alibaba, Wang, he's, Napoleon Bonaparte, Genghis Khan, Qin Shi Huang, Emperor of, Microsoft's Gates, Jordan Strauss, Mitsunori, SoftBank, Rupert Murdoch, Larry Ellison, Jack Welch, Steve Jobs, Masayoshi, Justin Sullivan, Rajeev Misra, Nikesh Arora, Phil McCarten, Abu Dhabi's Mubadala, Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi, Michael Moritz, Kim Jong, Adam Neumann, Donald Trump, Wirecard, Jesus, NurPhoto, He's, Allen Lane Organizations: Service, Financial Times, Kremlin, Yahoo, Popular Electronics, Vision, Deutsche Bank, Google, Reuters, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Vision Fund, Valley's, Sequoia Capital, Greensill, Nvidia, Signal Publishers Locations: Tokyo's Roppongi, Japan, Masayoshi, Washington, Wayne, Emperor of China, Kyushu, United States, Riyadh, Berkeley, Las Vegas

☆ Move over diamonds, these little-known gemstones are heating up
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-11 | by ( Sarah Royce-Greensill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Experts say that this previously overlooked gemstone is rocketing in desirability and value, as collectors look beyond the so-called “Big Four’” (diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires) for more affordable, niche gemstones that may just be a shrewd investment. “Spinels and Paraiba tourmalines have seen a steady increase in demand over the last decade.”Boghossian's paraiba and diamond set features paraibas and fancy yellow diamonds. Experts posit that only one Paraiba tourmaline is mined for every 10,000 diamonds — and while similar hues are found in Madagascar, the scarcity of Brazilian stones has seen prices soar. At Bonhams, Tonkin said prices for top-quality Paraiba tourmalines reached $75,000 per carat in 2022, compared with $4,800 per carat in 2009. “These incredibly vibrant, clean gemstones really stirred something in me,” she explained in an email.

Persons: Olivia Young, Ouroboros, Ruby, Bonhams, ”, Jennifer Tonkin, Rahul Kadakia, Lily Gabriella, ” Charles Abouchar, “, Tonkin, Roberto Boghossian, Moti Ferder, Ferder foresees, Lily Gabriella's, Lily Gabriella Likewise, Minka, Lucy Crowther, ” Crowther, Young Organizations: CNN, Imperial State Crown, Abouchar SA, Lugano Diamonds, Paraiba tourmalines, Big Locations: Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, British, Burma, London, Geneva, Paraiba, ” Boghossian's paraiba, paraiba, Brazilian, Madagascar, Bonhams, Paraiba tourmalines, Memphis, India

☆ Watches and Wonders 2024: The best women’s watches on show
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Sarah Royce-Greensill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Women’s watches have undergone something of a transformation in recent years, moving beyond an outdated “shrink it and pink it” design school of thought. Courtesy HermèsThe Cut is Hermès’ first new, in-house-designed women’s watch for 20 years — and it’s worth the wait. It also comes in rose gold, diamond-dusted white gold, and in two seriously special High Jewelry iterations which feature stripes of coloured hardstones. Courtesy ChopardBaby blue seems to be the hue for women’s watches this year, and Chopard’s new Happy Sport is a delicious example. Continuing the blue theme, it eschews razzle-dazzle for a confidently chic combination of white gold and lustrous lacquer, in a newly slimmed-down silhouette.

Persons: Patek Philippe, Cartier, Chanel, Couture, Boyfriend Couture, Chanel Chanel’s Couture, Coco Chanel, Van Cleef, Van, you’d, Carrera, Piaget Piaget, They’re, Vacheron Constantin Grand Lady Kalla Vacheron Constantin Grand Lady, Constantin Vacheron Constantin, Kalla Organizations: CNN, Chopard, TAG, IWC, Schaffhausen Locations: Geneva, Switzerland

☆ Celebrating Motherhood by Design
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Sarah Royce-Greensill | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The often-isolating experience of new motherhood in Western culture also plays into the trend, Ms. Snelgrove wrote. “Some of this mom-identity-proclaiming fashion could be read as a cry for connection. If you’re expected to be performing as a professional while your heart is elsewhere, the desire to keep the kids close via one of these pieces is understandable.”While initials are popular for first-time mothers, other women prefer more discreet markers of motherhood. She has also paid £790 at auction for a vintage Elsa Peretti for Tiffany pendant with three hearts of white, yellow and rose gold to represent her family. “As a single mum it felt important that I’m included, too,” she said.

Persons: Snelgrove, ”, Alexandra Zagalsky, “ I’ve, Ms, Zagalsky, Georg Jensen, Jacqueline Rabun, Elsa Peretti, Tiffany Organizations: Los Locations: London, Los Angeles

☆ David Cameron, former PM and now Britain's new foreign minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - David Cameron, 57, served as British prime minister from 2010 to 2016, resigning after the outcome of the Brexit vote, when Britain voted to leave the European Union. * In 2013, his government legalised same-sex marriage, which Cameron backed strongly, saying at the time: "I don't support gay marriage in spite of being a Conservative. Britain's former Prime Minister and newly appointed Foreign Secretary David Cameron reacts outside 10 Downing Street in London, Britain November 13, 2023. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett Acquire Licensing Rights* As prime minister, Cameron ordered military intervention in Libya, when Britain and its allies led international efforts to help oust then-leader Muammar Gaddafi in early 2011. However, Britain voted for Brexit and he announced he would quit as prime minister the following day.

Persons: David Cameron, Cameron, King William IV, Suzanne Plunkett, Muammar Gaddafi, Sachin Ravikumar, Kate Holton Organizations: Britain, European, Eton College, Oxford University, Conservative, REUTERS, British, Scottish, European Union, Brexit, Greensill, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Libya, United Kingdom

"David Cameron was a disastrous PM. Britain's former Prime Minister and newly appointed Foreign Secretary David Cameron walks outside 10 Downing Street in London, Britain November 13, 2023. "David Cameron was at the heart of the biggest lobbying scandal of recent times," said the Liberal Democrat party's foreign affairs spokesperson Layla Moran. "I understand there's a lot of baggage that comes with David Cameron," Conservative lawmaker Tobias Ellwood told Times Radio. Theresa May, who replaced Cameron as prime minister before being ousted herself amid a party rebellion over Brexit three years later, said his experience would be invaluable.

Persons: David Cameron, Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Cameron, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Steve Tsang, David Lammy, Suzanne Plunkett, Layla Moran, Akshata Murthy, Tobias Ellwood, Dehenna Davidson, Theresa May, Martin Pollard, Alex Richardson Organizations: Downing, European Union, Conservative Party, China Institute, SOAS University of London, Reuters, Labour Party, REUTERS, Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Eton College, Times Radio, Thomson Locations: European, Britain, China, Beijing, London, Downing

Out of the 29 cabinet roles, at least 16 backed remaining in the EU, compared with 10 who supported leaving. Sunak's party still languishes around 20 points behind the opposition Labour Party before an election that must happen by January 2025. But as he was talking, he asked a former cabinet minister to the right of the party for her thoughts. With few Conservatives believing they can win the next election, others might follow her in preparing for a new job. For the Conservatives to stand a chance, they need to change that perception, and it's hard to imagine how bringing David Cameron back does that," he said.

Persons: David Cameron's, Rishi Sunak, Suella Braverman, Sunak, Liz Truss's, Braverman, Cameron, Boris Johnson, Johnson, Dehenna Davison, Keiran, David Cameron, Kylie MacLellan, Elizabeth Piper, Kate Holton, Alex Richardson Organizations: British, European Union, EU, Conservative, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, Labour, Conservatives, Thomson Locations: England

☆ Sunak rolls the dice with Cameron resurrection
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 13 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Rishi Sunak's latest pivot is riskier than it might look. The British prime minister has appointed former leader David Cameron as foreign secretary, part of a reshuffle in which he sacked firebrand Home Secretary Suella Braverman. The move suggests Sunak may be looking to appeal to centrist voters ahead of next year’s national ballot, but that may also make his party more fragile. Cameron, who left parliament in 2016 after proposing a referendum on Brexit he then lost, isn’t an obvious choice for Sunak. Centrist voters may not forgive him for allowing an EU referendum and jumping ship shortly afterwards.

Persons: David Cameron, Suella Braverman, Cameron, Keir Starmer, Sunak, Neil Unmack, George Hay, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, firebrand, Greensill Capital, Conservative, X, Thomson

☆ Julie Steinberg — Reporter at The Wall Street Journal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Julie Steinberg | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Julie SteinbergJulie Steinberg is the global metals and mining reporter at The Wall Street Journal. Based in London, she writes about miners of all sizes, the race for natural resources and the energy transition. She previously covered large investors, M&A and banks for the Journal in London, Hong Kong and New York. She earlier reported for FINS.com, the finance career website from The Wall Street Journal. Born in Winnipeg, Canada and raised in South Florida, Steinberg graduated from the University of Pennsylvania.

Persons: Julie Steinberg Julie Steinberg, Steinberg Organizations: Wall Street, Journal, Greensill, FINS.com, University of Pennsylvania Locations: London, London , Hong Kong and New York, Winnipeg, Canada, South Florida

☆ SoftBank-backed gifting startup Sendoso just completed its fourth round of layoffs in the last 16 months
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Samantha Stokes | Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

SoftBank-backed gifting startup Sendoso laid off an undisclosed number of employees in its latest round of job cuts on Tuesday. This is the fourth time in the last 16 months that Sendoso has axed its headcount: the marketing startup in June 2022 laid off around 100 employees from its then 700-employee workforce, Insider previously reported . Sendoso most recently raised $100 million in a Series C funding round led by SoftBank Vision Fund. Better, which went public in August via a long-delayed SPAC deal, conducted another round of layoffs last month . Do you have information about job cuts at tech startups?

Persons: Sendoso, SoftBank, it's, —, Samantha Stokes, Madeline Stone Organizations: LinkedIn, U.S, Sendoso, SoftBank Vision, Greensill, Stock Locations: Ireland, sstokes@insider.com, mstone@insider.com

☆ GAM’s end game still has a way to go
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMILAN, Aug 24 (Reuters Breakingviews) - GAM’s (GAMH.S) long-running takeover saga has entered a critical phase. The ball is now with the opposing shareholders, which control nearly 10% of the asset manager. The NewGAMe crowd has proposed issuing a 25 million Swiss franc convertible bond to give GAM some breathing space. But this won’t cover expected losses, restructuring charges and pension costs amounting to at least 100 million Swiss francs, GAM has calculated. As things stand, to win the game of rescuing this embattled asset manager, investors will have to dig deep.

Persons: Xavier Niel, Sarah Meyssonnier, NewGAMe’s, Lisa Jucca, Coinbase’s, Aimee Donnellan, Streisand Neto Organizations: French, REUTERS, Reuters, Management, GAM, X, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, French, Ukraine

☆ SoftBank's View avoids SEC fine, but is still running low on cash. How it went from investor darling to SPAC disaster.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Hayley Cuccinello | Aaron Weinman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

SoftBank-funded View Inc. has been dogged by regulatory troubles for more than a year and a half. The agency declined to fine View as the company self-reported the liability understatement, cooperated with the investigation, and "promptly undertook remedial measures." The SEC order did find that View violated several securities laws pertaining to negligence-based antifraud, internal accounting controls, and other matters. The firm's controversial CEO, Rao Mulpuri, has managed to raise cash for View multiple times when the company ran perilously low on cash, including from the now-bankrupt financier Greensill Capital. This is the second time View has been threatened with delisting since going public via SPAC in March 2021.

Persons: Vidul Prakash, Prakash, Rao Mulpuri, He's Organizations: Inc, Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Greensill, New York Stock Exchange Locations: California, SPAC

☆ Countdown to mega merger - how Credit Suisse wobbled and UBS rushed to rescue
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

March 19: An emergency rescue of Credit Suisse, brokered by the Swiss government, central bank and financial regulator, is announced. March 23: Switzerland's financial market regulator FINMA defends its decision to impose steep losses on Credit Suisse bondholders, calling the decision legally watertight. Separately, some holders of Credit Suisse AT1 bonds wiped out by the merger instruct lawyers to represent them for possible litigation to recover losses. April 6 - UBS CEO Ermotti tells Credit Suisse staff to stay focussed on the business, but warns of "change and hard decisions" ahead. April 15 - The Federal Reserve approves UBS's acquisition of the U.S. subsidiaries of Credit Suisse.

Persons: Greensill, FINMA, Sergio Ermotti, Axel Lehmann, Ulrich Koerner, Ermotti, John Revill, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: UBS, Credit Suisse, Suisse, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Silicon Valley Bank, Swiss National Bank, Saudi National Bank, Credit, Swiss Bank Employees Association, Federal Reserve, Court, Switzerland's Social Democratic Party, Thomson Locations: ZURICH, Silicon, Swiss, Switzerland

☆ Credit Suisse mess leaves scattered Swiss debris
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Lisa Jucca | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

ZURICH, April 24 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Swiss government intervention to save Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) from collapse last month may have avoided a financial market storm. SWISS “TRINITY” QUESTIONThe rescue of Credit Suisse has other consequences. The Swiss Bankers Association has called for an independent inquiry, and lawmakers gave a symbolic thumbs-down to the rescue of Credit Suisse on April 12. A Senate Finance Committee report found last month Credit Suisse had violated a 2014 deferred prosecution agreement with U.S. authorities by continuing to help rich Americans dodge taxes. Switzerland’s parliament on April 12 rejected a Credit Suisse rescue package that included 109 billion Swiss francs in financial guarantees.

☆ Credit Suisse lodges $440 mln London claim against SoftBank
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A view shows the logo of Credit Suisse on a building near the Hallenstadion where Credit Suisse Annual General Meeting took place, two weeks after being bought by rival UBS in a government-brokered rescue, in Zurich, Switzerland, April 4, 2023. REUTERS/Pierre AlbouyLONDON, April 19 (Reuters) - Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) has lodged a $440 million claim against Japan's SoftBank Group Corp (9984.T) in London as it presses ahead with formal proceedings in a dispute borne from the failure of Greensill Capital, a finance firm. A SoftBank spokesperson accused Credit Suisse of trying to shift blame for its own poor investment decisions and said the case was entirely without merit. "Credit Suisse continues to prioritize maximising recovery for investors in the supply chain finance funds," a spokesperson for the Swiss lender said. Credit Suisse is the biggest name to date to become ensnared in market turbulence unleashed by the collapse of U.S. lenders Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.

☆ The Swiss claim the U.S. banking crisis ultimately toppled Credit Suisse. But are they right?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Pascal Mora | Bloomberg | Getty Imageswatch nowHowever, the downward spiral of Credit Suisse's share price and mounting asset outflows were underway long before the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank earlier this month. Swiss regulator FINMA has come under fire for allowing the situation to deteriorate as the bank spent years mired in losses and scandal. Mark Yallop, chairman of the U.K.'s Financial Markets Standards Board and former U.K. CEO at UBS, told CNBC on Tuesday that he agreed with the broad assessment that Credit Suisse's downfall was "idiosyncratic." "It's unfortunate that the problems with some of the smaller U.S. banks in the last two or three weeks happened at the same time as this issue with Credit Suisse but the two are completely different and very largely unrelated," he said. By contrast, the Swiss banking and regulatory system has come under fire.

☆ Credit Suisse's $3.2 billion cut-price sale signals an ongoing crisis that could expose unicorn fintechs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The firesale of Credit Suisse to UBS is putting the banking world on high alert. A $54 billion loan from the Swiss National Bank wasn't enough to keep Credit Suisse afloat, and UBS stepped in. Credit Suisse suffered idiosyncratic problems, such as a spying scandal involving former CEO Tidjane Thiam, as well as crises relating to its relationships with hedge fund Archegos Capital and financial group Greensill Capital. "There's already a lot of soul searching about what fintech business models are," says Paul Rolles, an ex-Morgan Stanley managing director and cofounder of money-management service HyperJar. Rolles believes the banking issues of the past couple of weeks are as much about confidence as intrinsic issues.

☆ BlackRock denies report that it's preparing a takeover bid for Credit Suisse
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Katrina Bishop | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

BlackRock headquarters in New York, US, on Friday, Jan. 13, 2023. via Getty ImagesBlackRock has denied a report that it is preparing a takeover bid for embattled Swiss lender Credit Suisse . "BlackRock is not participating in any plans to acquire all or any part of Credit Suisse, and has no interest in doing so," a company spokesperson told CNBC Saturday morning. Its future looks to be hanging in the balance after a multibillion-dollar lifeline offered by the Swiss central bank last week failed to calm investors. Credit Suisse was already in the midst of a massive strategic overhaul aimed at restoring stability and profitability. The default at hedge fund Archegos Capital not long after led to another $5.5 billion loss for the Swiss investment bank.

☆ This fund manager shorted Credit Suisse — and he's sticking with his bet
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Barry Norris, fund manager at Argonaut Capital, said Saturday morning that he still expects Credit Suisse 's stock to become worthless. "If this happens we would expect [Credit Suisse] equity holders to get zero, deposit holders guaranteed and probably but not certain that bond holders will be made whole." Norris' Argonaut Absolute Return Fund fund delivered 11.3% in returns last year amid a year of losses for the broader stock market. Credit Suisse has had tumultuous few years, battling various scandals and controversies . Credit Suisse had invested heavily in Greensill and marketed its funds to clients, but the firm collapsed in 2021, leaving Credit Suisse and its customers with $1.7 billion in losses and reputational damage.

Executives will run through the numbers and formulate scenarios that might reshape Credit Suisse's future, the sources added. Credit Suisse declined to comment. Among possible scenarios, analysts, bankers and investors speculate that Credit Suisse could sell or wind down some of its existing businesses with a break-up potentially on the cards. The sell-off in Credit Suisse's shares began in 2021, triggered by losses associated with the collapse of investment fund Archegos and Greensill Capital. In December, Credit Suisse had tapped investors for 4 billion Swiss francs.

☆ From spying to Swiss bailout: How years of turbulence at Credit Suisse came to a head
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The logo of Swiss bank Credit Suisse is seen at an office building in Zurich, Switzerland February 21, 2022. The announcement that Credit Suisse would borrow up to 50 billion Swiss francs ($54 billion) from the central bank came after consecutive sessions of steep drops in its share price. It made Credit Suisse the first major bank to receive such an intervention since the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. Scandals Credit Suisse is currently undergoing a massive strategic overhaul in a bid to address these chronic issues. These oversight failures resulted in a massive shakeup of Credit Suisse's investment banking, risk and compliance and asset management divisions.

☆ Factbox: FACTBOX Credit Suisse's troubles - spies, money laundering and central bank cash
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Lescaudron was convicted by a Swiss court in 2018 of having forged the signatures of former clients, including Ivanishvili, over an eight-year period. Credit Suisse has said it expects the case, which it is appealing, to cost it around $600 million. The hedge fund's highly leveraged bets on certain technology stocks backfired and the value of its portfolio with Credit Suisse plummeted. Swiss regulators have rebuked Credit Suisse for "serious" failings in its handling of the multi-billion dollar business with Greensill. In response, Credit Suisse said it condemned the spying and had taken "decisive" steps to improve its governance and strengthen compliance.

☆ Factbox: Credit Suisse's troubles - spies, money laundering and takeover
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Credit Suisse has said it expects the case, which it is appealing, to cost it around $600 million. The hedge fund's highly leveraged bets on certain technology stocks backfired and the value of its portfolio with Credit Suisse plummeted. Swiss regulators have rebuked Credit Suisse for "serious" failings in its handling of the multi-billion dollar business with Greensill. Switzerland's financial regulator said Credit Suisse had misled it about the scale of the spying. In response, Credit Suisse said it condemned the spying and had taken "decisive" steps to improve its governance and strengthen compliance.

☆ How Credit Suisse has evolved over 167 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Here is how Credit Suisse has developed over 167 years:1856Politician and business leader Alfred Escher founds Schweizerische Kreditanstalt (SKA) to finance the expansion of the railroad network and promote Swiss industrialisation. 1997A reorganisation turns CS Holding into Credit Suisse Group and drops the SKA name; it also buys insurer Winterthur, a strategic partner. 2002A reorganisation creates two units: Credit Suisse Financial Services and Credit Suisse First Boston; two years later it splits into three units by adding Winterthur. 2005Credit Suisse and CSFB merge and stop using the Credit Suisse First Boston brand name. The Swiss authorities provide assurances that Credit Suisse has met "the capital and liquidity requirements imposed on systemically important banks".

☆ What happened at Credit Suisse and how did it reach crisis point?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Anshuman Daga | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

In December, Credit Suisse had tapped investors for 4 billion Swiss francs. Credit Suisse shares have lost more than 75% of their value over the past twelve months. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsWHAT STEPS CAN CREDIT SUISSE TAKE TO CALM INVESTORS? HOW IMPORTANT IS CREDIT SUISSE? Credit Suisse has a local Swiss bank, wealth management, investment banking and asset management operations.

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