The Aries Group, Ltd. is a U.S. consulting firm specializing in global capital markets and financial sector development; privatization of state-owned enterprises; investment advisory services; and global strategic management for financial sector institutions. The Aries Group provides a full range of consulting services including advice on strategy and project implementation. Their advisory and technical assistance services extend worldwide to central banks, merchant and commercial banks, stock exchanges, regulatory agencies, mutual funds, pension institutions, the insurance and leasing industries. Their clients include national governments; international development and lending institutions; and private sector establishments. 

SERVICES

The services of The Aries Group, Ltd. are provided by a core of over 50 capital market experts and a roster of over 350 financial sector specialists experienced in financial sector reform; commercial, development, investment and central banking; and capital market development. Relying on their strong academic backgrounds, and many years of practical experience, these experts are capable of analyzing and evaluating financial institutions, instruments and markets, and formulating recommendations for improvement and reform. Their practice areas are:

-Capital Market Development

-Banking Sector Reform

-Privatization and Private Sector Development

-Pension and Insurance Reform 

 

Capital Market Development

As part of more than 30 projects undertaken throughout Asia, the Middle East and the Americas, The Aries Group, Ltd. has assisted in building and strengthening capital markets through (1) development and restructuring of regulatory agencies and other related institutions (2) review and revision of securities laws and regulations, (3) formulation of policies toward foreign and domestic resource mobilization, and (4) implementation of human resource strategies for securities market professionals and regulators.

Their capital market development activities have included:

-Establishing, strengthening and restructuring securities market institutions (such as regulatory agencies, stock exchanges, clearing and settlement organizations), intermediaries (such as investment banks, mutual funds, leasing companies, venture capital firms, brokerage houses), and activities (such as establishment of internal procedures and practices, development of appropriate organizational and staffing structures, formulation of strategic initiatives, and the design and implementation of customized management information systems).

-Reviewing existing securities laws and recommending revisions to reduce fragmentation, strengthen the enforcement powers of regulatory institutions, and provide for future use of new financial instruments, including asset-backed securities.

-Assisting regulatory institutions in drafting rules and regulations to cover all aspects of securities market operations, such as information disclosure, securities underwriting, brokerage activities, operations of mutual funds, margin trading, prudential safeguards, insider trading, etc.

-Reviewing the self-regulatory framework for exchanges, and recommending measures for improvement.

-Developing and conducting customized training programs and human resource development strategies for regulatory agencies, self-regulatory organizations, and market participants, including investment advisors and broker/dealers. 

 

Banking Sector Reform

The consensus among experts places the blame for bank failures on the banking sector itself, including the lack of transparency; insufficient disclosure of financial information; the lack, or inadequacy, of oversight; inadequacy of legal and regulatory frameworks, especially with regard to monitoring and supervising banking activities; inappropriate lending practices; and poor performance in risk management. The Aries Group, Ltd. has assisted banks and bank regulators in a number of emerging markets to overcome these impediments. Technical assistance has been provided to central, commercial and development banks and has included:

-Reviewing and drafting laws with a view to establishing independent regulatory authorities for conducting effective monetary policy and ensuring the soundness of the banking system.

-Assisting regulatory authorities in drafting regulations governing the operations of deposit-taking institutions as well as establishing procedures for off-site supervision and on-site examination.

-Conducting operational reviews and formulating restructuring options including advice on capitalization and ownership; disposition of distressed assets; strategic planning; lending policies and practices; organizational structure and staffing; as well as information technology.

-Analyzing the general characteristics of the financial system, including the range of financial services, available instruments, and sources and uses of funds, as well as formulating comprehensive policies to increase the efficiency of the banking system in mobilizing financial resources.

-Developing and conducting customized training programs and human resource development strategies. 

 

Privatization and Private Sector Development

The Aries Group, Ltd. was one of six subcontractors to the USAID-funded Center for Privatization and Private Sector Development, which has undertaken over 120 privatization assignments in nearly 50 countries. The Aries Group, Ltd. provides technical assistance and advisory services in the following areas:

-Preparing detailed action plans to implement and accelerate the privatization process, including the identification of prevailing political, regulatory and organizational impediments; development of valuation methodologies; and formulation of options for domestic private investor participation.

-Designing legal and regulatory frameworks to facilitate and safe guard the privatization process (such as anti-trust legislation, bankruptcy and fiduciary laws, and corporate governance structure).

-Developing and strengthening the institutional capabilities of agencies responsible for supporting, promoting and executing privatization.

-Designing and implementing effective local and international public relations programs to gain the support of key operatives;

-Reviewing governments' approaches to foreign investment and assisting in the development of transparent policies and regulations.

-Developing, refining and marketing financial instruments required for privatization transactions.

-Addressing key impediments to private sector participation in the economy including issues of taxation, business licensing and registration, etc.

-Assisting private sector membership and resource organizations in building and strengthening their capacity to provide services to small and medium enterprises 

 

Pension and Insurance Reform

The Aries Group, in association with its affiliate company, PEDCA LLC, provides assistance to governments in reforming pension and insurance systems through:

-Conducting base-line assessments of existing systems, including surveys of pension and provident funds and insurance companies; assessments of the prevailing regulatory environments and identification of legal/regulatory impediments to broader coverage and improved benefits; actuarial analyses of existing systems to determine economic soundness; and demographic analyses to determine the impact of population changes on the existing systems.

-Formulating recommendations for reform, including options for private and public old age social and income security systems; conducting actuarial analyses of the proposed reform options; and soliciting feedback from relevant stakeholders through workshops and seminars.

-Drafting revisions to existing pension and insurance legislation in accordance with proposed reforms.

-Developing and implementing proposals to educate various regulated entities, such as pension funds, asset management companies, insurance companies, insurance brokers, and sales agents on the reform process and proposed laws and regulations.

-Developing and implementing in-country and external training programs for asset management companies in the pension and insurance industries, as well as for representatives of regulatory authorities and government agencies.