AmCham Financial Forum: Evolving Advice & Partnerships
AmCham Norway’s Financial Forum gathered virtually last week for the final session of 2020. Special member presenter Richard Stott, founding partner and CEO at Connectum Capital Management, outlined how financial advice is changing in light of the “Norwegian dilemma” within saving and investment culture.
With 25+ years of experience, Stott expertly compared traditional financial advice – where investors relied exclusively upon bank, insurance company and fund manager guidance – to evolved, forward-looking relationships between independent, specialized advisors and increasingly well-informed clients. “No one truly understands the complexity of financial markets. If uncertainty didn’t exist, returns wouldn’t be possible,” he iterated.
Forum participants eagerly engaged Stott on OTP risk profiles, ESG investments, state vs. personal savings reliance, and reputable Norwegian market resources throughout the session. Currently, Connectum is the only investment advisory firm in Norway certified by the Center for Fiduciary Excellence, which conducts third party audit of investment advisers in accordance with global standards.
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Presenters
DNB's Strategic Partnerships
In contrast to Stott’s insights, DNB’s Senior Strategic Partnership Manager Julie Hellberg and Head of Fintech Partnerships Kathy Chang then outlined how their team assesses potential partners in accordance with the bank’s five verticals and strategic models. Fellow banks, fintech companies, big tech, startups and non-financial firms are each potential DNB vendors, distributors, co-developers, co-owners and M&A prospects.
Detailing financial/tech industry partnerships and overlaps, both within DNB and externally, the pair strongly agreed that increasingly informed customers – combined with enhanced financial services price transparency – means intensified competition. “Banks’ significant infrastructure,” noted one participant, is an irrefutable and enduring competitive advantage.
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About the Finacial Forum
The AmCham Financial Forum is a platform that gives financial leaders the opportunity to interact, share best practices, and learn from each other – building a better understanding of what it takes to run a successful international finance department in Norway.
Our next Financial Forum is currently being planned – for interest in participating, please contact Madeleine Brekke.
Previous Finacial Forums
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AmCham Financial Forum: Political Swings & Addressing Legacy Systems
Cross-industry member leaders gathered at DNB’s Bjørvika offices for a morning Financial Forum focusing on the upcoming US election and cloud enabled digital transformation in finance.
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AmCham Financial Forum: AI in the Finance Function & Global Risk Updates
Cross-industry member leaders gathered at Marsh McLennan’s Skøyen offices for a morning Financial Forum focusing on top business risks for 2024 and modernizing financial teams.
![](https://amcham.no/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Feature-Image-Forum-draft-1-1-604x270.png)
AmCham Financial Forum: The Rabbit, the Tortoise and Cross-Border Complexity
An insightful morning at the AmCham Financial Forum held at Sparebank1 SR Bank’s new Oslo office. During the session we explored transatlantic economic trends and the Global Business Complexity Index.