Bank and Insurance Capital Management

Book excerpt: In the aftermath of the financial crisis, capital management has become a critical factor in value creation for banks and other financial institutions. Although complex and subject to regulatory change, the strategic importance of capital management became apparent during the crisis and has moved the subject to the top of corporate agendas. Bank and Insurance Capital Management is an essential guide to help banks and insurance companies understand and manage their capital position. Bridging the gap between theory and practice, it provides proven techniques for managing bank capital, as well as explaining key capital management perspectives, including accounting, regulatory, risk and capital management and corporate finance. It also shows how to analyze a firm's stakeholders such as depositors, policy holders, debt holders and shareholders, and manage their expectations, and how to align risk and capital management so as to best optimize the return on capital and preserve capital in periods of stress. Economic capital is also discussed in depth, as are the practicalities of bank and insurance M&A, and the book also shows how financial innovations can be used to optimise the capital position and how diversification effects are reflected in the capital position. This book will arm readers with the knowledge and skills needed to understand how capital management can improve capital structure and performance, achieving an optimal cost of, and return on capital, creating value as a result.