Product Description

A new perspective on risk management
Risk management has evolved to address the more strategic issue of optimization of return on risk. This has been accompanied by statistical, mathematical, and financial techniques which-when actively applied-can aid an institution in producing disproportionately high returns on risk. Adding Value Through Risk Management aims to describe these techniques, illustrate their application, and discuss their strategic value for financial institutions.
David Belmont is Director of Group Risk Control for Nexgen Financial Solutions Group (NFS).

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #483590 in Books
• Published on: 2004-02-18
• Original language: English, German
• Binding: Hardcover
• 300 pages

Book Info
Text covers the strategic aspects of risk management, providing an understanding of risk optimization, capital allocations, and capital restructuring. For financial executives.

From the Inside Flap
The typical financial executive’s view of the value of risk management in their financial institution is based on the belief that risk management focuses on loss avoidance. This view is based on the history of risk management being control focused. However, risk management has evolved rapidly to address the more strategic issue of optimization of return on risk. This evolutions has been accompanied by statistical, mathematical and financial techniques which, when actively applied, can produce disproportionately high return on risk.

Given that financial institutions will have to make significant investments in their risk management systems to comply with the regulatory capital calculation requirements of BIS II, the book shows how to leverage this investment to extract shareholder value. Key concepts illustrated and explained in detail include:

• Opportunity costs of capital
• Economic profit
• Risk adjusted returns on capital
• Economic capital measurement and their relationship to economic capital allocation
• Capital structuring
• Capital budgeting

The use of risk adjusted performance information in the formulation of management strategies that seek to optimize return to shareholders are discussed in depth and illustrated by practical case studies of several leading financial institutions. Finally, practical incentive and technology challenges are addressed and pragmatic recommendations for overcoming these challenges are given.

The book aims to describe these techniques, illustrate their application, and discuss their strategic value in the management of financial institutions.

From the Back Cover
The typical financial executives view of the value of risk management in their financial institution is based on the belief that risk management focuses on loss avoidance. This view is based on the history of risk management being control focused. However, risk management has evolved rapidly to address the more strategic issue of optimization of return on risk. This evolution has been accompanied by statistical, mathematical and financial techniques which when actively applied can direct an institution towards risk taking those activities, which produce disproportionately high returns on risk. The book aims to describe these techniques, illustrate their application, and discuss their strategic value in the management of financial institutions.

Customer Reviews

Very timely. Thoughtful presentation
This book is a gem - very timely and well-thought out. David Belmont obviously has a lot of experience in this area, but also has put in a lot of thought-leadership into this book. He traces the Basel II accord to its roots in M&M economics, and convincingly argues why bank risk management is a critical function. He then traces a thread from risk management to capital management and shows why and how banks can make use of Basel implementations to achieve a high degree of control and positioning of their operations.
The only knock on this book is that I found several typos and simple editing errors - it is clear that deadlines won over editorial quality. Hopefully the next edition will be cleared up in this regard - nevertheless I highly recommend this book.

Risk management as an asset, not a cost
This is a book that every bank board member should read. Sure, any board member worth his/her salt will be familiar with Basel II and risk measures such as VaR, but how many think of Basel II as a cost or imposition, and VaR as just another piece of information? Mr Belmont's easy to follow approach should allow readers to examine the way in which they can differentiate their own institution by using the investment in regulatory risk management to create, rather than just protect,shareholder value.

Thankfully, Mr Belmont strikes a good balance between theory and reality, both in his explanantion of market behaviour and in the presentation of his arguments. This is a book that the "mathematically challenged" like me can still enjoy and benfit from.

Timely and useful for bankers contemplating BIS 2
Even without the incentives provided by the upcoming Basel 2 guidelines, this book is timely and convincingly puts forth the proposition that active risk management is in itself a valuable component in the creation of shareholder value. Returns on investment in more sophisticated tools for risk quantification will be enhanced when the information is not only used for performance measurement, but also for such shareholder value-added activities such as capital allocation and balance sheet structuring.

I recommend this book for all practitioners of risk management.