Tony Gibson
Contribution from Tony Gibson, former publishing director, board director, Risk Waters
Contribution from Tony Gibson, former publishing director, board director, Risk Waters
Occasionally, I dig up a beer bottle top in our back garden and remember fondly that I was lucky enough to have had David Rivers and Simon Turner, drinking beer, at my 40th birthday party in the summer of 2001. Twenty years seems like a long time, but also only yesterday.
In September 2001, I was working at Risk Waters alongside Simon and in daily contact with David, as well as Neil Cudmore, Dinah Webster and so many of our staff who fell victim. They were friends built through daily contact and the endless time we spent together on business trips, as well as the bonds that bind when working in a developing media company.
Travel was easy before 11th September and New York was almost next door to London. We had a vibrant office on Lafayette Street. Every evening, a crowd gathered at the Mekong, our local watering hole. It was a happy office, fuelled by reporting on the tremendous speed of development in financial technology. David, Neil, Dinah and Simon were always at the heart of this activity, buoyed by the community, excitement and togetherness that events bring and their own welcoming personalities. Our events team and journalists always gave their all, and the inaugural Waters Financial Technology conference was planned as a flagship.
I had first come to know Neil and Dinah in Hong Kong, and felt like I moved with them to New York, Neil often telling of the crane he’d had to hire to get Dinah’s favourite piece of furniture in through an upper window in their Murray Hill apartment. Dinah always bubbled, all the time wearing a vibrant silk scarf. The office was her family.
Simon, with his responsibility for Waters, was a frequent visitor to New York, always finding a very ‘affordable’ hotel the rest of us refused to stay in. He had taken me to a dinner at the Honourable Artillery Company, his territorial army regiment, showing me a painting set in the Falklands he featured in. It was the back of his head, but he was sure it was him.
I often think, where would our 16 staff be now? It is hard to answer but I am confident they all had strong paths ahead and I know many would now be amongst my closest friends. They are much missed.
I should add a note of thanks to all the staff of Risk Waters at the time and my pride to be working with them. The shock and horror of the event itself and the loss of friends, colleagues, delegates and others was hard to deal with – but the desire of everyone to help as the news unfolded was a reminder of the good.
If you would like to view all the articles in our 9/11 commemoration, click here
Only users who have a paid subscription or are part of a corporate subscription are able to print or copy content.
To access these options, along with all other subscription benefits, please contact info@risk.net or view our subscription options here: http://subscriptions.risk.net/subscribe
You are currently unable to print this content. Please contact info@risk.net to find out more.
You are currently unable to copy this content. Please contact info@risk.net to find out more.
Copyright Infopro Digital Limited. All rights reserved.
You may share this content using our article tools. Printing this content is for the sole use of the Authorised User (named subscriber), as outlined in our terms and conditions - https://www.infopro-insight.com/terms-conditions/insight-subscriptions/
If you would like to purchase additional rights please email info@risk.net
Copyright Infopro Digital Limited. All rights reserved.
You may share this content using our article tools. Copying this content is for the sole use of the Authorised User (named subscriber), as outlined in our terms and conditions - https://www.infopro-insight.com/terms-conditions/insight-subscriptions/
If you would like to purchase additional rights please email info@risk.net
More on Comment
Op risk data: Lloyds lurches over £450m motor finance speed bump
Also: JPM trips up on trade surveillance; Reg Best Interest starts to bite. Data by ORX News
Georgios Skoufis on RFRs, convexity adjustments and Sabr
Bloomberg quant discusses his new approach for calculating convexity adjustments for RFR swaps
In a world of uncleared margin rules, Isda Simm adapts and evolves
A look back at progress and challenges one year on from UMR and Phase 6 implementation
Op risk data: Morgan Stanley clocked in block trading shock
Also: HSBC deposit guarantee gaffe; Caixa hack cracked; reg fine insult to cyber crime injury. Data by ORX News
Digging deeper into deep hedging
Dynamic techniques and gen-AI simulated data can push the limits of deep hedging even further, as derivatives guru John Hull and colleagues explain
How AI can give banks an edge in bond trading
Machine learning expert Terry Benzschawel explains that bots are available to help dealers manage inventory and model markets
Op risk data: US piqued by Pictet tax breach
Also: US Bank’s Covid failings; South Korea’s short-selling clampdown. Data by ORX News
Levelling the playing field for stablecoins
Regulatory asymmetries are a barrier to innovation in digital payments
Most read
- As FCMs dwindle, regulators fear systemic risk
- Top 10 operational risks for 2024
- Top 10 op risks: AI fears drive cyber risk to record high