Intel-act is holding a Financial Risk workshop in collaboration with Opti Risk Systems of the UK, on Friday and Saturday at The Victoria hotel, Sliema. It will be conducted by Gary van Vuuren.

Topics will include understanding better the different types of financial risk; assessing the impact of risk on various instruments in the banking/trading book; acknowledging the importance of financial risk and identity processes to limit risk, incorporate risk, sensitivity, optimisation and forecasting into models; and understanding the significance of the Basel Accords and their contribution to best practice in risk measure and management.

Dr van Vuuren began his science career at the University of Natal in South Africa, where he obtained a Masters degree in Astrophysics and a Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics. He worked for several years at the Atomic Energy Corporation on nuclear fusion devices.

While on a working holiday in the UK, he worked for Goldman Sachs in London and then migrated into finance and risk management. He worked as a market risk manager in South Africa's largest retail bank and then transferred to the risk department of Africa's largest asset management institution in Cape Town.

He obtained the Global Association of Risk Professionals Financial Risk Manager qualification in 2004 and has delivered lectures on risk management and quantitative finance at several South African and UK universities. He regularly provides training on these subjects to the industry.

For more information e-mail info@intel-act.com or call 7900 7273.