A company acts through two main clusters of people – its shareholders and its board of directors. The board of directors is in charge of the management of the company’s business. They make the strategic and operational decisions of the company and is responsible for ensuring that the company meets its statutory obligations. The directors are appointed by the shareholders to manage the day-to-day affairs of the company. The shareholders are the owners of the company and provide financial backing in return for potential dividends over the lifetime of the company. The duties and powers of directors are generally governed under statutory companies law and by the memorandum or articles of association of the company.The main duties are:Act within powersPromote the success of the companyExercise independent judgmentExercise reasonable care, skillCourse goals:The learning outcomes of the course will allow participants to:Have a deeper understanding of directors duties;Have a deeper understanding of directors powers;Have a guide for the future better decision-making processes for the companyHave a guide for future better daily tasks on behalf of the company; andDevise better internal procedures for the company.Duration of course:Expected to be delivered and completed within 16 minutes.

In May 2016, the European Union (EU) published the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This legal framework revolutionizes the way that personal data are used and handled. It is a far-reaching legal instrument that will have a significant impact on all companies involved in the processing of personal data, including many outside the EU. It imposes obligations onto controllers and processors of personal data, so long as they collect and process personal data related to people in the EU. This course will provide an overview of the GDPR. Since the Regulation applies regardless of where websites are based, it must be heeded by all sites that attract European visitors, even if they don’t specifically market goods or services to EU residents.Course goals:The learning outcomes of the course will allow participants to:Understand the applicability of the GDPR;Be aware of penalties applicable for non-compliance;Understand the different roles under the GDPR;Get a broad knowledge of the GDPR requirements; andDevise procedures to comply with the requirements of GDPR.Duration of course:Expected to be delivered and completed within 30 minutes.

The Common Reporting Standard (CRS) is a global standard for the automatic exchange of financial account information. It was developed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). CRS calls on jurisdictions to obtain information from their financial institutions and to automatically exchange that information with other jurisdictions on an annual basis. It sets out the financial account information to be exchanged, the financial institutions required to report, the different types of accounts and taxpayers covered, as well as common due diligence procedures to be followed by financial institutions. Its purpose is to combat tax evasion and to improve transparency. The idea was based on the US FATCA implementation agreements and its legal basis is the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters. More than 100 countries have committed to CRS, including all EU member states and major financial centers around the world. Many African jurisdictions will be exchanged for the first time this year.Course goals:The learning outcomes of the course will allow participants to:Have a deeper understanding of the filing requisites of CRS;Have a guide for future CRS classification and reporting exercises;Devise better on-boarding process of clients in line with CRS; andDevise a better ongoing monitoring process of clients in line with CRS.Duration of course:Expected to be delivered and completed within 62 minutes.

The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), which was passed as part of the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, generally requires that foreign financial Institutions and certain other non-financial foreign entities report on the foreign assets held by their U.S. account holders or be subject to withholding on with-holdable payments. FATCA is an important development in U.S. efforts to combat tax evasion by U.S. persons holding accounts and other financial assets offshore. FATCA requires certain foreign financial institutions to report directly to the IRS information about financial accounts held by U.S. taxpayers or by foreign entities in which U.S. taxpayers hold a substantial ownership interest. The reporting institutions will include not only banks, but also other financial institutions, such as investment entities, brokers, and certain insurance companies. Some non-financial foreign entities will also have to report certain of their U.S. owners.Course goals:The learning outcomes of the course will allow participants to:Have a deeper understanding of the filing requisites of FATCA;Have a guide for future FATCA classification and reporting exercises;Devise better on-boarding process of clients in line with FATCA; andDevise better ongoing monitoring process of clients in line with FATCA.Duration of course:Expected to be delivered and completed within 51 minutes.

AML & CFT involve a set of basic compliance regulations for businesses to prevent money laundering and the financing of terror groups. AML & CFT are of the essence to a country’s regulatory bodies in their quest to protect the soundness of their financial system. The soundness of a country’s financial system impacts international capital flows and foreign direct investment in that country. Regional organizations such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), International Monetary Fund (IMF), United Nations (UN), and European Union (EU) layout recommendations for adherence to AML & CFT framework.Course goals:The learning outcomes of the course will allow participants to:Understand the process of layering & money laundering;Understand the AML & CFT framework & obligations;Understand the recommendations from the Regional Organizations;Understand the sanctions & penalties for non-compliance: andDevise internal procedures to comply with the requirements of AML & CFT.Duration of course:Expected to be delivered and completed within 68 minutes.

The trust concept is firmly established in many countries around the world, including most of the leading international financial centers. A trust is one of the most flexible instruments available in the financial services landscape. It is based on a fiduciary relationship arising from the distinction between the person who at law holds the title to property (legal owner) and the one or the ones that are beneficially entitled to it (beneficiaries). Under a trust, the legal title will be vested in the trustees and the beneficial/equitable interest in the beneficiaries under the trust. trusts are commonly used by financial advisors for tax and succession planning.Course goals:The learning outcomes of the course will allow participants to:Understand the concept of trusts;Understand the main advantages of using trusts;Understand the type of trusts; andDevise marketing strategies to include offering of trusts to investors.Duration of course:Expected to be delivered and completed within 25 minutes.

The essence of corporate governance is to ensure that a business has proper decision making processes and controls in place so that the interests of all stakeholders (shareholders,employees, suppliers, customers and the community) are balanced.Corporate governance is a pre-defined set of rules, practices, and processes by which participants in a company follows as part of their rights and responsibilities to ensure transparent decision-making process and protecting the interests of all stakeholders. Generally, these pre-defined set of rules, practices and processes are incorporated in the internal procedure manuals of the company.Course goals:The learning outcomes of the course will allow participants to:have a deeper understanding of corporate governance;have a guide for future better decision-making process for the company;have a guide for future better daily tasks on behalf of the company; anddevise better internal procedures for the company.Duration of course:Expected to be delivered and completed within 15 minutes.

An International Financial Centre (IFC) is a location with attractive business regulatory frameworks and a concentration of both banking and non-banking financial services service providers. An IFC caters mostly to customers located outside the jurisdiction of the local economy.Customers turn to IFCs for the following main services:Corporate set-ups further to tax, business, or estate planning;Banking;Asset Management;Financial market; andOthers.Course goals:The learning outcomes of the course will allow participants to:Understand the rationale of an IFC;Understand the fiscal & business advantages of using an IFC;Understand the categories of financial service providers in an IFC;Understand the offerings of financial service providers from an IFC; andUnderstand the international reporting requirements of an IFC.Duration of course: Expected to be delivered and completed within 62 minutes.

In May 2016, the European Union (EU) published the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This legal framework revolutionizes the way that personal data are used and handled. It is a far-reaching legal instrument that will have a significant impact on all companies involved in the processing of personal data, including many outside the EU. It imposes obligations onto controllers and processors of personal data, so long as they collect and process personal data related to people in the EU. This course will provide an overview of the GDPR. Since the Regulation applies regardless of where websites are based, it must be heeded by all sites that attract European visitors, even if they don’t specifically market goods or services to EU residents.Course goals:The learning outcomes of the course will allow participants to:Understand the applicability of the GDPR;Be aware of penalties applicable for non-compliance;Understand the different roles under the GDPR;Get a broad knowledge of the GDPR requirements; andDevise procedures to comply with the requirements of GDPR.Duration of course:Expected to be delivered and completed within 30 minutes.

The Common Reporting Standard (CRS) is a global standard for the automatic exchange of financial account information. It was developed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). CRS calls on jurisdictions to obtain information from their financial institutions and to automatically exchange that information with other jurisdictions on an annual basis. It sets out the financial account information to be exchanged, the financial institutions required to report, the different types of accounts and taxpayers covered, as well as common due diligence procedures to be followed by financial institutions. Its purpose is to combat tax evasion and to improve transparency. The idea was based on the US FATCA implementation agreements and its legal basis is the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters. More than 100 countries have committed to CRS, including all EU member states and major financial centers around the world. Many African jurisdictions will be exchanged for the first time this year.Course goals:The learning outcomes of the course will allow participants to:Have a deeper understanding of the filing requisites of CRS;Have a guide for future CRS classification and reporting exercises;Devise better on-boarding process of clients in line with CRS; andDevise a better ongoing monitoring process of clients in line with CRS.Duration of course:Expected to be delivered and completed within 62 minutes.

The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), which was passed as part of the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, generally requires that foreign financial Institutions and certain other non-financial foreign entities report on the foreign assets held by their U.S. account holders or be subject to withholding on with-holdable payments. FATCA is an important development in U.S. efforts to combat tax evasion by U.S. persons holding accounts and other financial assets offshore. FATCA requires certain foreign financial institutions to report directly to the IRS information about financial accounts held by U.S. taxpayers or by foreign entities in which U.S. taxpayers hold a substantial ownership interest. The reporting institutions will include not only banks, but also other financial institutions, such as investment entities, brokers, and certain insurance companies. Some non-financial foreign entities will also have to report certain of their U.S. owners.Course goals:The learning outcomes of the course will allow participants to:Have a deeper understanding of the filing requisites of FATCA;Have a guide for future FATCA classification and reporting exercises;Devise better on-boarding process of clients in line with FATCA; andDevise better ongoing monitoring process of clients in line with FATCA.Duration of course:Expected to be delivered and completed within 51 minutes.

AML & CFT involve a set of basic compliance regulations for businesses to prevent money laundering and the financing of terror groups. AML & CFT are of the essence to a country’s regulatory bodies in their quest to protect the soundness of their financial system. The soundness of a country’s financial system impacts international capital flows and foreign direct investment in that country. Regional organizations such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), International Monetary Fund (IMF), United Nations (UN), and European Union (EU) layout recommendations for adherence to AML & CFT framework.Course goals:The learning outcomes of the course will allow participants to:Understand the process of layering & money laundering;Understand the AML & CFT framework & obligations;Understand the recommendations from the Regional Organizations;Understand the sanctions & penalties for non-compliance: andDevise internal procedures to comply with the requirements of AML & CFT.Duration of course:Expected to be delivered and completed within 68 minutes.

The trust concept is firmly established in many countries around the world, including most of the leading international financial centers. A trust is one of the most flexible instruments available in the financial services landscape. It is based on a fiduciary relationship arising from the distinction between the person who at law holds the title to property (legal owner) and the one or the ones that are beneficially entitled to it (beneficiaries). Under a trust, the legal title will be vested in the trustees and the beneficial/equitable interest in the beneficiaries under the trust. trusts are commonly used by financial advisors for tax and succession planning.Course goals:The learning outcomes of the course will allow participants to:Understand the concept of trusts;Understand the main advantages of using trusts;Understand the type of trusts; andDevise marketing strategies to include offering of trusts to investors.Duration of course:Expected to be delivered and completed within 25 minutes.

The essence of corporate governance is to ensure that a business has proper decision making processes and controls in place so that the interests of all stakeholders (shareholders,employees, suppliers, customers and the community) are balanced.Corporate governance is a pre-defined set of rules, practices, and processes by which participants in a company follows as part of their rights and responsibilities to ensure transparent decision-making process and protecting the interests of all stakeholders. Generally, these pre-defined set of rules, practices and processes are incorporated in the internal procedure manuals of the company.Course goals:The learning outcomes of the course will allow participants to:have a deeper understanding of corporate governance;have a guide for future better decision-making process for the company;have a guide for future better daily tasks on behalf of the company; anddevise better internal procedures for the company.Duration of course:Expected to be delivered and completed within 15 minutes.