Lessons in simplicity

The mood at the fifth Structured Products Europe conference in London was distinctly retrospective, as speakers and delegates spent two days dissecting their business practice with a readiness that suggests the industry has learnt from its mistakes and is well equipped for recovery.

The most important mistake made by the structured products industry lies in the creation of increasingly complex products, according to Reinhard Bellet, president of the European Structured Investment Product Association (Eusipa), the keynote speaker opening the first day of Structured Products Europe in London.

Nonetheless, the industry has weathered the storm, said Bellet, while also reminding delegates of the need to prioritise “transparency, liquidity and regulation”, which led Eusipa to