PWC

The four leading international consultancy firms, known as the Big Four, have joined a growing list of companies that this week decided to cut their ties with operations in Russia because of the invasion of Ukraine.

PWC, KPMG, Deloitte and Ernst & Young collectively employ some 14.000 staff in Russia. The companies said ties with its Russian business will be severed, letting these operation continue but no longer as part of their networks.

There’s a strong level of interest in crypto finance in Luxembourg’s financial centre, according to a survey carried out by the Luxembourg House of Financial Technology and PwC. The Grand Duchy nevertheless has yet to develop the necessary infrastructure to be a leading crypto finance centre.

The survey, entitled “Crypto-assets: Paradigm shift or short-term trend?” was carried out in the last quarter of 2021 and was presented on Wednesday at a Luxembourg event hosted by PwC.

There is a mismatch between asset managers and institutional investors when it comes to ESG, according to PwC Luxembourg’s annual report on the Luxembourg banking sector, which this year places extra emphasis on developments surrounding ESG. The report explains that three-quarters of institutional investors plan to stop investing in non-ESG products next year, but only 14 per cent of fund houses plan to stop marketing non-ESG products. 

Although Luxembourg decided not to “gold plate” the EU Cross-Border Distribution Directive for funds, other member states have moved to add their own local requirements when transposing the legislation. What should asset managers be looking for as these rules are rolled out?

Few doubt the pandemic has changed for good the lives of the near half of the Luxembourg workforce who are able to work from home. The financial services regulator has clarified rules on governance, substance and security requirements for remote working.

The number of cross-border funds registered globally recorded its slowest growth since 2009 last year. At the same time, however, Luxembourg strengthened its position as leading global fund hub according to the PwC Luxembourg Global Fund Distribution survey.

Substantial governance-reform targets have been set for banks and investment firms by the CSSF. Some quick changes are required, but otherwise the regulator’s circular letter 20/759 seeks to drive long-term culture change on boards of directors regarding risk, diversity, and sustainability.

European banks are focusing their innovation efforts on customer experience, a study by PwC Luxembourg has found. Though the study was conducted before the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, PwC’s Banking Industry Leader Roxane Haas believes Covid-19 will lead to a further acceleration of innovation in the field.