Few have ever questioned the generosity of Russian-Armenian businessman Ruben Vardanyan, who has given away hundreds of millions of dollars in charitable donations and social investments since emerging as a leading post-Soviet entrepreneur in the 1990s. But open-source journalists allege in a new investigative report that "employees" at the multibillion-dollar investment bank co-founded and led by Vardanyan used "bogus" trades and a complex network of offshore companies starting in 2006 to help launder billions of dollars originating in Russia, evade taxes, hide assets, and fool international oversight bodies. The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) says in the March 4 report that Vardanyan's Troika Dialog was at the heart of an $8.89 billion global money-laundering system that it dubbed the "Troika Laundromat." The OCCRP pointed out that Vardanyan "was Troika's president, chief executive officer, and principal partner" at the time and "enjoyed a reputation as a … [Read more...] about ‘Troika Laundromat’ Accusations Cast Millionaire Vardanyan In New Light
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Veteran City banker and billionaire Bruno Schroder dies aged 86
Bruno Schroder, the longest serving FTSE 100 board member and British banking veteran, has died aged 86. The billionaire, who served as a non-executive director of his family’s business Schroders for more than 50 years, died yesterday following a short illness, the company said. Read more: Lloyds and Schroders sign £80bn joint venture deal Schroder was the great-great-grandson of John Henry Schroder, who founded the financial institution in 1804. He was on the company’s board from January 1963 until his death yesterday. The company’s chairman Michael Dobson said: “Bruno made an enormous contribution to Schroders over more than 50 years. “He was passionate about Schroders and unwavering in his support for the company. “His long experience, good judgment and sense of humour will be sorely missed.” Born in January 1933, Schroder was educated at Eton and, after completing national service in the Life Guards, went to Oxford University. After … [Read more...] about Veteran City banker and billionaire Bruno Schroder dies aged 86
Ambitious Lindsey Vonn to ‘take on the world’ after skiing career
Actor. Businesswoman. Mom. Heck, maybe even all three. Life after skiing is already taking shape for Lindsey Vonn and she has not even competed in her last race. "Next goal, take on the world," Vonn said, perhaps jokingly — but who'd put it past her? — when discussing what the future holds for her when she retires after the world championships in Sweden. One thing's for sure: She's unlikely to be slipping out of the limelight. "I'm a driven person," said Vonn, who has 1.6 million Instagram followers and, at the height of her career in 2013, was worth $3 million, according to Forbes. "I'm not going to be sitting on the couch, twiddling my thumbs. That would be boring. It's all about pushing myself." Just like it was all or nothing in her record-setting skiing career— her current shiner around her right eye and the highlight reel of crashes are testament to that — Vonn intends to immerse herself in lots of things once she puts away her racing suit. She … [Read more...] about Ambitious Lindsey Vonn to ‘take on the world’ after skiing career
As business schools rethink what they do, so must the FT
Welcome to the Financial Times 2019 Global MBA ranking. As the FT’s new Work & Careers editor, this has been my first experience of seeing how much work — and careful checking and rechecking — goes into compiling these tables. We hope we can make them even more useful and relevant for you this year.When the idea of the FT’s business education rankings was conceived in the late 1990s, they reflected a different, largely pre-internet world, dominated by a few business schools and where an expensive business education was for the privileged — overwhelmingly white, male — few.Two decades later, a one- or two-year MBA remains the flagship course for business schools. The top 10 schools for global MBAs in 2019 are still dominated by long-established US and European institutions — the top three this year are Stanford, Harvard and Insead — but the business beyond the traditional big brands has been transformed.More than 150 schools submitted … [Read more...] about As business schools rethink what they do, so must the FT
MBA class sizes: is there an ideal number?
Big or small? Is there an ideal figure for teaching numbers on an MBA? A large intake might indicate a school’s pulling power, provide greater networking opportunities and draw employers to recruitment events. At the same time, breaking down a big group into smaller classes can foster intimacy and intensity of experience.One institution that has succeeded on both counts is Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business in New Hampshire. It is notable among the elite of MBA providers in the US for two reasons. First, it was one of only two of the “magnificent seven” leading US business schools to see an increase in applications in 2018, when most institutions in the country were hit by flat or declining demand. Second, the school distinguishes itself from its peers by actively managing its admissions to ensure small MBA study classes of 12 people.These two achievements are not unrelated, says Matthew Slaughter, Tuck’s dean. “The human scale facilitates … [Read more...] about MBA class sizes: is there an ideal number?