Game Changers issue 25

Game Changers ISSUE #25

KING OF CRYPTO! Game Changers speaks exclusevly to Lars Holst.

GAME CHANGERS

DIRECTORY O1

Note from the editor

O2

Lars Holst

View from the top. 03

King of Crypto! 04-06

O3

Gabriel Styllas

O4

Abhijit Kulkarni

O5 O6

5Comply. 07-09

Wealth Planet. 10-12

Viktoria Soltesz PSP Angels. 14-15

Ludovic Vuillier The Good Life Manifesto. 16-17

O7

Michael Buchbinder

O8

Soteris Charalambous

Scandinavian Capital Markets. 18-20

ImapacTech. 21-24

O9

Jeffrey Ng Jeffrey Ng Growth Consultancy. 25-26

1O

Hither Mann Fortune Academy. 28-30

11

Tracy Edwards

12

NOA Seafood restaurant

Around the World Yachtswoman & motivational speaker. 31-33

Review. 34-35

VIEW FROM THE TOP

With the year well and truly underway, and the sad news that the Hong Kong FX expo has been cancelled due to understandable health fears, it has been a challenging month to rearrange plans for all of the shoots we have planned for Hong Kong.

All at Game Changers Magazine wish everyone in the province and affected by the virus a speedy recovery and hope for a swift resolution to this crisis.

It was great this month to have first time entrant and cover star Lars Holst of GCEX, explain about his plans for his new venture combining both Crypto and FX to the institutional marketplace.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed this month, it was great fun putting it all together!

Paul ORFORD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Game Changers

King of Crypto!

LARS HOLST Founder and CEO of GCEX

Lars Holst CEO & Founder of GCEX

Q It’s fair to say that you started off in a different era of FX with Midas as an account executive. How was it in FX back then?

Surprisingly when I started at Midas, FX was only a very small component of my work, with the majority of my focus being on phone trading futures and options and only then much later CFDs on equities.

You must bear in mind that during the latter years of the nineties and early noughties, it was quite a novelty to trade online and the market itself was certainly more fragmented than it is today. Commissions were, of course higher per unit but yet we were still much cheaper than the banks, a strategy which worked well both for Midas and their clients.

GAME CHANGERS Issue #25

The FX landscape in particular was a very different beast. Mostly phone based and less via the e-channels we take for granted today. Leads were primarily generated from the Yellow Pages and other phonebooks. Yes, physical hard copy phonebooks. The default EURUSD spread was 5 pips (as an example) but volume was lower as well, and any platforms used were pretty basic. FX brokers to a large extent were not regulated and the opening account process was relatively easy, I guess similar to what we are witnessing in the crypto market today‌.

Q What qualities made you stand out as a leading account manager?

I am not sure I stood out from the crowd that much.

Yes, I consciously made an ongoing effort to add to my knowledge and exhibit what I know, however I was incredibly fortunate to have worked alongside colleagues all of which shared a passion to work hard and assist one another. This inevitably led to me to be given management responsibilities quite early on in my career, and I tried to lead by example and focus more on creating overall success for the combined team.

Q Midas become Saxo Bank in 2001, it was the start of the online boom for FX. Could you see from there where the industry would go?

Ha! Certainly, do not believe anyone that says YES to that question!

Q As a start-up LP, how did you sell your vision to your potential clients?

It was incredibly hard work!

Some old “friends” naturally questioned the feasibility of ideas and thoughts, but we eventually prevailed and that was ultimately down to having the right team and the correct attitude to selling our vision. As you know yourself there are always ways to do things better, always.

All companies eventually slow down after their initial growth phase. Technologies stacks begin to get outdated, new ideas take increasingly longer to execute, and then it all just becomes routine. Then all of sudden there is this new kid on the block. The story just built from there.

I myself couldn’t see it at the time, but as a team we definitely had the sense and belief that we could disrupt the market, and fortunately we did big time…

Q What’s it like letting go of a brand that you put so much time and energy into?

Q Why did you start CFH?

I started on my own in London and hired the team and unexpectedly they quickly became more than just my colleagues. However, as you move from being a small start-up team and as new owners come in with their own ideas and you realise that perhaps it’s time to move on to the next chapter.

After spending a number of years at Tier 1 banks, I came to the realisation that my attributes were better suited towards those start-ups and companies which encouraged and thrived within faster pace environments. So, I eventually left and proceeded to co-found CFH.

To be honest it is very tough initially.

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Q What makes a good leader?

I think that depends on the type of company and at what stage of the life cycle the company is at.

Q Is there a different type of leader when it comes to a start-up and an established brand?

Absolutely. In a start-up it’s very hands on where as a leader you need to know every aspect of the business, from accounting to HR and even more so your own Senior Managers Regime, as you are unable to delegate most tasks simply due to lack of resource.

It certainly takes a particular type of person and is not easy, but I personally find the challenge a lot of fun and exciting to ultimately build a business from scratch.

Personally, I think the market mimics that of FX twenty years ago. Regulation is inevitable and the underlaying technology will get better to actually serve a ‘real-world’ purpose, allowing the market to then self-correct over time.

Q Do you believe that the derivative Crypto market will challenge the derivative FX retail space in the next decade?

No not the current generation of exchange tokens, however the next generation of STOs in particular could potentially challenge the FX retail space. I guess ultimately time will tell.

Q Why is it so important for an FX brokerage to incorporate a crypto feed in 2020. Are the price fluctuations still too dangerous to take on?

Q Why do you think people follow you as a leader?

No idea, and I’m still trying to figure it out… I try to lead by example and I try to listen but you will receive a better response by asking some of my colleagues instead of me.

Q You have now started GCEX, what makes this so different from other brands?

We have the best team, the best ideas and we know how to execute, simple.

Q Digital and crypto’s has come in for a lot of criticism, what do you believe must happen to clean up this field?

If a client is able to trade TRY or oil, then I am confident they should also have the facilities with which to trade BTC, but it is still dangerous and every provider does have a responsibility to ensure that products they offer are indeed appropriate for their clients.

Q What plans do you have for GCEX in 2020?

World domination!

It’s a bit early in our development to share too many details, nevertheless we do expect exponential growth throughout 2020 as all of the pieces from the puzzle fall into place. The implementation and execution of the GCEX strategy will be key, and its down to us as a team to ensure it is done correctly.

Taking care of business!

GABRIEL STYLLAS Founder of 5Comply

It was great to meet up with my old boss Gabriel Styllas, who now runs his own boutique consultancy for some of the leading brands in both Cyprus and the wider area.

Always approachable and great to learn from over the years, it is great to have him appear Game Changers for the first time.

Q Congratulations on the establishment of your new brand FIVECOMPLY. In case the readers are not aware, you mentored me for many years, and was one of the driving forces behind Game Changers Magazine. Can you give the readers an outline of your career?

It’s a great pleasure to get interviewed by a good friend and ex colleague. I am very proud and happy for your and the Game Changers great success. You deserve this!

I have more than 20 years of experience in international banking and the financial services sector, serving among others as CEO, General manager, Head of Compliance, Head of Dealing and authorised stockbroker working for various Investment Firms and Credit Institutions.

I have also served as a member of the Board of Directors in numerous investment firms and credit institutions in the EU, supervised by the FCA, BaFIN, CySec, the Central Bank of Cyprus and the Bank of Greece.

In addition to my experience expertise with dealing with regulators, acquiring licenses world-wide, and offering seminars in relation to Investment Firms Law as well as in Compliance & Anti Money Laundering Q We first met when you were the CEO of TopFX 6 years ago. How have you seen the industry change since we first met?

The forex industry is very dynamic and its constantly changing. Especially during the last few years, we have experienced a lot of changes in the industry.

Gabriel Styllas Founder of 5Comply

During the last few years we have experienced much stricter legislation in Europe in relation to the marketing, distribution and sale of Contracts for Differences (“CFDs”) to retail clients e.g. maximum leverage limit of 30:1, restrictions on the incentives offered to trade CFDs, (including the offering of bonuses or other enticements). This is the new trend among all the well-respected major regulators around the world like the Australian regulator ASIC. At the same, nowadays the banks are much more hesitant to work with forex brokers especially with brokers in a jurisdiction without any appropriate forex regulation such as St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Bermuda and Marshall Islands.

It is therefore of utmost importance to see ahead and take the right decisions about licensing, bank account opening, selection of PSPs, etc At FIVECOMPLY we help brokers to make the right decisions and to execute them properly

P-7

Q By having a great reputation within the local eco system, did this help you grow your business?

Yes, this definitely helped FIVECOMPLY to acquire some good clients worldwide not only in the forex industry but also in the fund industry. Because it’s always been a matter of trust. Clients must trust you as a person and as a professional. As a professional, it’s also critical to earn the trust of those with whom you work: clients, associates, employees, colleagues, etc.

At FIVECOMPLY we managed to earn the trust of our clients, and our clients are happy to refer FIVECOMPLY to their professional network. This is the best way to promote our services.

Q Who is FiveComply aimed at?

FiveComply assists Investment Firms, Investment Funds, and Payment Institutions in international licensing, establishment, and operations. It provides expertise in compliance, AML, internal audit, risk management, legal / corporate support and other related issues. Our team offers customized solutions and assists clients in identifying and properly managing the ever-evolving regulatory environment.

Q We often talked about how the Hedge Fund environment can be developed in Cyprus. How could FiveComply help someone with this need?

The Cyprus fund industry is fast becoming one of the top emerging fund hubs in Europe; it is a well regulated funds jurisdiction and is looking to become an Eastern Mediterranean Oil & Gas hub.

Cyprus’ growing reputation as a funds jurisdiction is mainly due to the favourable changes in the local regulations for funds and the flexibility that can be offered. A recent regulatory development is the possibility of structuring a Registered Alternative Investment Fund (RAIF), which is easier and most importantly quicker to set up and are not subject to authorisation by CySEC (only notification). With this set-up, any investor can establish a fund in a very short time, having also the necessary flexibility to operate. The Cyprus fund industry is also backed by tax friendly environment and the network of financial and professional services providers.

At FIVECOMPLY we do help funds to get licensed by CySEC, to activate the license and to operate properly in a compliant, cost and time efficient way We are confident that the Fund industry in Cyprus will grow significantly during the next few years.

GAME CHANGERS Issue #25

Q When we worked together we used to help a lot of local brokerages with liquidity, will you be offering the same role as a compliance consultant?

FIVECOMPLY role now is different but similar. We give advice and help clients to meet the best execution requirements, and thus to ensure compliance with regards to the obligations to execute orders on terms most favourable to the clients. In order to achieve this brokers, need to establish and follow a selection process for execution venues / LPs. The brokers need to be in a position to assess different LPs and compare the results before selecting the LP. At the same time benchmark and statistics such as the average effective spread, frequency of quote delays, slippage statistics, rejections and price re-quotes, as well as metrics on order latency, must form an integral part of the LP assessment and the brokers monitoring of their LPs and their own execution.

Q We have seen the local regulatory environment change radically since we first met. Why is now critical to have a brand like FiveComply assist with any regulated entity?

It is commonly known that nowadays the retail forex brokers face many challenges. In my opinion the most important ones are related to regulation / licensing and banking. We can assist forex brokers with both.

At the same time, we can help advise brokers on the strategy to be followed taking always into consideration the upcoming regulatory changes.

Among others we provide brokers with license / regulatory roadmap comparing the main jurisdictions around the world and help the clients select the most suitable depending on their operating model and structure.

We also advise brokers on the different group structures and what is the most efficient way to operate, always taking into consideration their target markets and strategy.

Q How can people reach you to speak more about Five Comply?

A face to face meeting always helps and its appreciated by clients. We do try to arrange face to face meetings with potential clients around the world.

However, when this is not feasible, we are always ready to attend calls with potential clients and to provide customised solutions always.

We are more than happy to answer to any enquiries.

The easiest way is via the contact page on the FIVECOMPLY website, which is www.5comply.com

them to get licensed and to set up an efficient group structure.

We do specialise in group structure set up and group compliance support in relation to forex companies.

Q What do you do different at FIVECOMPLY? Our target is to be always one step ahead advising our clients about the best jurisdictions to get licensed from, the best banks to open account with and the best service providers to cooperate with, always looking ahead and taking into consideration the upcoming regulatory changes, our clients structure and target clientele / countries.

We do provide our clients with a license / regulatory road map with the best jurisdictions and we do help

Also, FIVECOMPLY consists of professional personnel having extensive knowledge and experience in the areas that our Company focused, which gives a competitive advantage to our clients by delivering smart customised solutions based on their structure and needs.

We help our clients to be compliant at all times thus minimising regulatory and reputational risks, and at the same time we identify cost efficient compliant solutions to help them grow their business.

Abhijit Kulkarni Founder of Wealth Planet

Wealth Planet ABHIJIT KULKARNI Founder of Wealth Planet

Q Being a well-known fund manager in your field, your reputation is key for you. How do you defend against unfounded online criticism?

In my opinion, online platforms are for education and should be used to inform others. If someone is criticising or blaming anyone then the online platforms or any other media should allow it only after the final judgement or conclusion from the highest legal authority of that country. Otherwise it will be easy to criticise anyone and to ruin reputation of any person or business because it’s a free tool and most important thing is, people get attracted towards negativity very fast at first without checking the facts.

Very rarely they want to hear the other side. So, if something happens with me online, I won’t go into debate through that platform as it will give a topic of discussion for people who has lots of time for it. Every country has given you a legal right to defend and you should respect it. Once you win it in that way, only then you can expose such kind of persons.

Q Is it common for competitors to carry out negative PR tactics on you?

It is very common nowadays and we can’t control it because as I said above, these platforms are free to use and negative minds are also free to spread such

things. Being in the financial markets, it becomes very sensitive to protect yourself from negativity. But the more you try to protect yourself; more it becomes sensitive. So, the best way is to focus on doing your job in honest way. We can’t control others. We can control only what we do.

Q What ways can you defend yourself from these tactics?

Respect the law of your land and defend through it.

That’s the best thing one can do. Debating, blaming, accusing through social channels is not the solution at all. If you are honest and if the truth is on your side, you will fight with the most dignified manner.

Q Many people advocate not fighting back against such slurs. What is your opinion?

Only 2 possibilities can be there. Either they are not 100% honest with their truth or they might be fearful of losing their reputation in society. Because many people think that if they take a legal path and people around them comes to know, their reputation will not remain the same in the society.

Q Do you feel that the more popular you are, the more likely you are to get hit pieces about you?

disclaimers, past track record does not guarantee future returns, in a same way we can’t guarantee anything. But again, the only thing in our hand is keep going and delivering our very best every day.

Q Do you think that websites and social media platforms should take some form of responsibility for what can be unfounded claims?

Of course yes. As I mentioned above, it should not allow anybody to post about anyone, to blame on anyone or to criticise anyone unless and until he or she has proved it in the highest legal authority of his/her country.

Q Does the action of people acting in a nefarious fashion make you produce less content? Is it like a form on online bullying?

Yes. That’s true. And that’s the nature. We used to hear from childhood that ‘the tree that bears the sweetest fruits gets the maximum number of stones’. Fortunately, in my childhood I heard something even more fantastic from my superhero Mr. Sachin Tendulkar. He said ‘If someone throws stones at you, convert it into a milestones’. So, it all depends on perception.

I won’t say less content but yes, it encourages me to post a very precise content. I never stopped myself to share knowledge through my social media channels and as I always mention, social media or any other media should be used to literate others as much as possible. It is the best medium to give free knowledge.

But unfortunately, it has become a gossip hub with lots of negativity.

Q Could you give any tips for others who are under attack?

Q Does having a successful track record serve as way to defend you against criticism?

It will vary from client to client. Because it will totally depend on their nature and how they react to criticism. As we always used to mention our

If your product is strong, don’t get distracted by the criticism and allegations. Let the lawyers do their job for you and truth will win in its own way. It sounds spiritual but that’s the truth at the end and that is – Karma Works.

PSP Angels VIKTORIA SOLTESZ Founder of PSP Angels

What’s hot in 2020

Q What can we expect regarding payments in 2020?

When it comes to payments within the high risk industries, I am afraid, 2020 is not good news. The banks are getting more and more strict, so when it comes to opening an account or finding the right payment processor, there are definitely more dark clouds than sunny days.

Back at the days we used to talk to our accountants when it came to setting up a company. We made the decision based on the tax benefits of certain jurisdictions. The tables have turned, and today, when it comes to company structure, the first person you need to consult is your payment expert.

Payment is very complex when it comes to high risk.

The prices usually depend on the relationship with

GAME CHANGERS Issue #25

your bank and on your individual circumstances, plus the laws are changing all the time. One mistake (eg an unmonitored email address which results high chargeback) can break your operation.

During our work, we have noticed that several companies struggle to understand the ever changing banking requirements and do not have a dedicated payment department. This can be the biggest weakness for any business.

We need to understand that our most important ally or the biggest enemy is our bank. They control our most important operation – our collection function.

The challenge is to be sure that our payment providers allow our clients can pay us whenever and however they want to, the conversion rate is high, the costs are low and our money is safe. Getting it right is time consuming, but extremely necessary.

Q What you think will be upcoming in 2020?

More regulation, more paperwork and definitely more headache. The payment function cannot be overlooked if we want to run a smooth operation.

I think it is absolutely necessary to to understand and weight the risks when it comes to setting up and running a safe if and calculated payment operation.

We have experienced this before with compliance when the companies were forced to build a whole department out of nothing to fulfill all the new KYC requirements. First we ignored it, then we fought against it, now we are all doing it and paying for it.

Having a payment expert is the same. Hiring someone in house however could be very expensive, mainly if you are a start up.

We provide outsourced finance and payment expert function which starts with the evaluation of the company: revising the company structure, cash flow and fraud functions, on site, or remotely.

Then, with a team of payment experts, we create a personalised financial and payment plan about how to optimise the target area’s processing costs, increase the conversion rate and improve the cash flow.

Then we seek for specific payment providers who can offer the relevant payment methods, negotiate the fees, collect and present the company’s documents, chase up the provider, and overall assist the client during the whole process, to reach the onboarding stage. The engagement can also include handling the local consultants, as well as ongoing project management services for the payment or finance operations.

Costing, collection of funds and customer experience all depends on how you collect the payments from your clients, therefore it determines your place in the competitive industry.

Viktoris Soltesz Founder of PSP Angels

You either keep up or give up.

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The Game Changers guide to‌how to be an effective communicator?

In association with The Good Life Manifesto LUDOVIC VUILLIER Founder of The Good Life Manifesto

Q Why are high level communication skills required not only in the work place?

Almost everything in life requires us to communicate with others. The moment another person is involved, be it spouse, landlord, teacher, doctor or even cashier, it will require communication in some form. It may be only non-verbal if it is a short interaction, for example when communicating with other drivers while in the car, or crossing the road as a pedestrian. Or perhaps it will require a lot of verbal communication, such as with a spouse. The better you communicate, the more effective your communications will be. This means that not only will you be achieving more, but it will also be done with less stress and fewer misunderstandings.

Q How can it improve your life?

In every way possible. Imagine everything in your life going a little more smoothly. Everything. Less fights, less misunderstandings, more cooperation and better results. Those are just a few of the ways that having good communication skills can improve your life.

Q What are the core skills to have in order to be an effective communicator?

This is a debate many people have. And it is important, since there is a lot of information about how to communicate effectively, and it takes time to learn this well. The truth is that no matter how good you are, you can always improve. But we have to start somewhere, so how to choose?

Let us remember that all communication has a purpose. That purpose is not the good feeling of just spouting words into the world. The purpose is always as part of an interaction with someone else, whether it is direct or indirect.

Keeping in mind the idea of all communication having a purpose, we then realise we need to know

GAME CHANGERS Issue #25

Ludovic Vuillier Founder of The Good Life Manifesto

two things: how to read the person in front of us, and how to tailor our communication for that particular person and purpose.

Each new piece of knowledge about communication needs to help with one of these two things.

But there is so much to know! This is where you need to filter. Learn the things that are the easiest, yet have the highest impact. With this method you may not have a sharpened communication tool yet, but it will be a useful one to get you started.

From my experience in the field, I suggest to most people to learn how to use questions well. I have met very few people who have learned to use this tool successfully, and it is a shame. I have a free webinar that I do on the subject that explains how useful it is to know how to use questions effectively in communication. I always see everyone in shock when they realise how powerful it is and yet fairly easy to learn.

Q We have a huge amount of sales people reading Game Changers, is this type of communication different to interpersonal communication?

It is not, really. The skillset is the same. The only difference is in its purpose. In our personal lives our conversations tend to be less goal oriented than the conversations we have in our business lives. But other than that, it is the same.

Q Can communication skills be learnt, or is it something people have naturally?

It is both, just like any skill. Think of Michael Phelps.

His body is built for swimming - long torso, short legs. This does not mean someone built more proportionately cannot be a great swimmer, but Phelps was built for it. Communication can absolutely be learned, and to a high level, but just like Phelps and swimming, some people have an innate ability. But except for the master levels of the skill, where the additional instinctive ability gives an edge, practically anyone can learn how to communicate at a very high level.

Q Is good communication linked to having strong self-confidence?

Absolutely. All confidence comes from the way we feel about ourselves. When you are able to communicate in a way that leads to better results in your

overall life - whether they be monetary, relationships, dating, business or simply getting your coffee served with a smile - you will feel better about your place in the world. You will feel more in control about the outcomes in your life, and that leads to greater confidence. I have worked with clients whose confidence grew so much during our time together simply by internalizing what they were seeing me do. And it is amazing to see that type of transformation in someone.

Q How can people improve their communication skills, is there a course they can take?

First of all, a good way to immediately improve communication is to emotionally disconnect yourself from the situation at hand. By not reacting to everything said to you, it is easier for you to analyse and be proactive in your responses on the subject.

There is a series of courses that we built at The Good Life Manifesto to help everyone improve their communication skills. The first course in the series teaches individuals how to properly use questions since that is by far the most underutilized communication skill, and it can bring incredible results.

I welcome everyone to a free introductory webinar about questions to understand why they are so powerful as a communication medium.

Scandinavian Capital Markets Author: Jordan Schneir

MICHAEL BUCHBINDER Managing Partner and Co-Founder At Scandanavian Capital Management

Q Thanks for the time Michael. How has the year finished at Scandinavian Capital Management?

This year was fantastic. We took the opportunity to expand our market presence and introduce ourselves to the global Foreign Exchange marketplace.

I would say we’re most proud of the Valhalla Initiative. That was a big hit with our clients and helped expose them to who we are and immerse them in our values. We hosted 19 industry leaders from 8 countries in Stockholm, ranging from educators to traders. It offered us a chance to reshape the view of the industry.

We also had an opportunity to host a Thought Leadership Conference in London back in May. This brought together leaders in the industry in a constructive atmosphere to bring about real change.

That was followed up on November 19th, conference in Johannesburg: Bringing Scandanavian Values to your business. It’s pretty amazing to see the company expand globally.

Q So what exactly is the Valhalla Initiative?

Let me start by explaining how we came up with the idea. The Foreign Exchange marketplace has been plagued for years by bad actors that obliterated trust in the industry. While many of them no longer exist, there still exists a healthy skepticism of the industry.

That’s what we will change. Our Valhalla Initiative emerges from the Swedish culture - trust, transparency, and safety. It plays off the popular Nordic Mythology, where we open ourselves to poking and prodding. We’re not afraid to lay it all out there. We’re confident in who we are and what we stand for.

We invite clients on a partially or wholly subsidized trip to our headquarters in Stockholm. They get an opportunity to meet our team, some wining and dining, as well as the culture the city has to offer.

GAME CHANGERS Issue #25

Michael Buchbinder Managing Partner and Co-Founder at Scandanavian Capital Management

For us, it allows us to expand our relationships by having frank conversations in an open setting. Sometimes you just need the face-to-face interaction on top of online correspondence to really find out what bugs people so you can fix it.

Q You’ve mentioned the aspects of trust and transparency before. It seems like that’s something personal for you.

Very much so. My journey to where I’m at today was a rocky one. Initially, I came out of my MBA from the University of Windsor. During that time, I was a financial advisor through a co-op. I stayed on afterward and followed one individual in particular who had a large book.

During the Great Recession, I watched this person single-handedly destroy wealth for his clients due to negligence and ,frankly, arrogance. He was doing his work for the commissions, not the clients.

That was my first, but not my last exposure to the dark side of the business. My second major venture came with an international partner who I worked with for several years alongside a fraternity brother of mine.

Within a short time, my friend forgot to hedge his traders, lost almost $200,000, and up and quit the business.

At the time, I was running the brokerage side. I slid into a technology role, putting together all the backend framework. I got to see how good trades worked during that job. Most of the money was made through transactional processing. However, my partner decided to basically take the money and run, which left me with squat.

So, after years of seeing the bad side and really wanting a change, I take my responsibility to our core values very seriously.

Q That’s a pretty tough ordeal to go through over the years. So how did things develop into the Scandinavian Capital Management we know today?

I actually was trading for myself over one summer when I met my partner Arif. We connected through LinkedIn initially. At the same time, I went to work for a tech company selling an app for car insurance.

Getting kicked out of car dealerships actually taught me a lot about sales. I also worked various other odd jobs.

Yet, I knew my passion was building a company with Arif. We would talk every morning for nearly seven months about how to create our own brokerage.

Finally, we took the leap.

Our endeavor actually started with just one client.

We owe a lot to them for enabling us to develop white-label technology and build our business.

Between Arif’s contacts within wealth management and mine with experienced traders...it was a synergy that worked perfectly.

It’s amazing how by doing what you say and working for the client - that it’s almost unheard of today, and something people place tremendous value in. It’s like being a decent person is a unicorn. Even with our growth, we always adhere to our core principals.

Our entire business may be the last Straight Through

Processor (STP) in existence at this point. And yet, we’ve found it so much more rewarding to build relationships and wealth for our clients as partners rather than treating them as adversaries. It’s like everyone chose to ignore the basic business literature published over the last 50 years.

Q Why do you think a lot of brokers treat their clients as their adversaries rather than their partners?

I think a lot of it comes down to the nature of the business. Brokers fall into two types: A and B book.

A book is what we do. We pass along the orders to the banks, where the financial institutions act as the counterparty. It removes any agent-principal hazards between the clients and us.

B books act as the counterparty to the clients themselves. In the short-term, this does tend to lead to more money. Most of these brokers assume the clients are uneducated or garbage traders. They find it better to make money off the clients themselves rather than the relationships.

The problem with that is one wrong move can end a firm. There’s been numerous stories (and I’ve seen it happen) where brokers can’t cover the trade. So, they come up with some excuse to get out of it with the client the worse for it. In some cases, they just disappear through bankruptcy or other ways in less regulated markets.

That’s why we highlight our responsibility and focus on our customers as partners. We hold ourselves to the same standards as we would want to be treated.

Neither Arif, myself, nor anyone that works for us wants to make a quick buck and skip town. We’re in this for the long-haul - we want to leave a legacy behind.

Q As we start the new decade, what can we look forward to from Scandinavian Capital Management?

I’m personally excited about rolling out our cTrader platform to our customers. It’s a fantastic technology, delivering functionality for trading, reporting, and easy fix api connectivity that is unparalleled at the moment. That was a key ask from our traders and a major deliverable. We cannot deliver value to our clients without staying on top of the latest advancements.

We’re also looking forward to expanding our Valhalla Initiative to another 12 Forex leaders, educators, and businesses from March to May. Most people enjoy traveling in the spring, and it’s really scenic in Stockholm during that time of year. It’s also time for our annual checkup to refocus on our values.

I realize that I talk a lot about that, but it’s incredibly important to myself and who we are. When you take these for granted, you make the same mistakes as the ones who ruined our industry. I’m not about to let that happen.

CHOOSING A CRM? Five things every Forex business needs to know and do.

Impact Tech Ltd SOTERIS CHARALAMBOUS Head of content, Impact Tech Ltd

Increasing competition and regulation within the Forex industry makes choosing a purpose-built CRM platform a logical and advantageous choice. But unless the decision-makers tasked with sourcing the new platform do their research and implement according to a plan the outcome is likely to be far lower than expectations.

A starting point for many when choosing a new CRM is whether it can do everything the existing platform can do. The logic is that it minimises disruption, but it also misses a huge opportunity to look at the existing processes and see how they can be improved.

If the idea is for the business to stand still why change the platform in the first place?

CRMs are not a sales tool. They should serve every customer-facing function in your business. Involving every

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department in your business in the selection, planning and testing of a new CRM will produce a significantly better outcome than if the decision is left to a single department or decision maker.

This requires defining and mapping processes as well as setting out business goals and needs. However, the overarching objective is that your new CRM puts the customer first by helping your customers facing employees do their jobs better than they can with whatever platform they are using currently.

Some Forex businesses are currently experiencing an example of this requirement after the EU updated their rules on financial institutions processing Cryptocurrencies. 5AMLD came into effect on January 10 and has already closed one business and underlines the urgent need to update KYC/onboarding process. For every business processing Cryptocurrencies this means changing processes in the CRM and highlights the benefits of using a purpose-built solution for Forex businesses like Impact CRM. The customer input fields in Impact CRM are fully self-customisable to follow a rule-based flow that meet the latest KYC and regulatory requirements of the territory while creating a frictionless onboarding experience for customers.

Tracking the progress of every customer’s KYC process and AML is easy and regulatory auditing is simplified with automated notifications when ID documents are due for renewal.

Every Forex CEO is aware that regulatory changes are having a bigger impact on businesses offering financial services. Investing in a platform that both improves their customers’ onboarding process and helps their support team adapt to regulatory changes effortlessly is one way to minimise this effect.

GAME CHANGERS Issue #25

Failure to properly address business and user needs will slow down the implementation process, derail user adoption and lead to damaging relationships with customers. Ultimately, the outcome of introducing a new CRM will be failure as is the case +50% of the time across most industries.

Planning and testing provide the opportunity to get valuable user information and apply it to the customisation and implementation process. A new CRM is the opportunity to increase cooperation between teams and departments but that requires cross-functional coordination.

There are some key actions that every CRM implementation project manager should ensure happens to increase the success rate of the new platform and accelerate its adoption.

Running pilot schemes for the new CRM to increase familiarity with the new platform among key users. When the benefits are experienced by these users, they will become evangelists for the new CRM and be able to help train team members as to how to achieve the highest benefits from the system through their knowledge of its features.

Integration with existing applications is also essential. Training to learn how to use a new platform is more than enough additional work for most employees regardless of the benefits it can bring. Being told that key business apps need to be replaced in order to maximise the functionality of the new platform is going to lead to resistance.

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Equally critical is the process of data migration. Customer data is an asset that needs to be preserved in order to be leveraged by the new platform. Ensure back-ups are made before data cleansing takes place and insist on the process is automated to save time and reduce potential human input errors.

Your CRM vendor should advise you on how to manage the data migration process. It’s often the case that data extraction from a legacy database is a multi-step process which involves creating views in order to consolidate the information held in different sources.

Every user database carries duplicates. The transfer process is the opportunity to address this issue. If the number is low the deduplication functionality is the most efficient way to tackle duplicates.

When implemented correctly a new CRM will become the hub for all your customer-facing activities and provide all the information users need in a timely and intuitive way. Your customers will also feel the benefits.

Communication and service will become more efficient and precise. Cross-selling opportunities will be more successful as the customer experience (CX) delivered improves.

If the platform you choose is an AI-based data intelligence solution the benefits are even greater. Your understanding increases of how customers act in relation to a scenario. Automated lead management can reduce prospecting time by 50% by 2022 20% of sales training and coaching solutions will provide in-context personalisation based on machine learning.

Jeffrey Ng Growth Consultancy JEFFREY NG www.jeffreyng.net

Q Welcome back to Game Changers Jeffrey! The readers might not be aware; you were one of the key people who helped us tremendously with the Game Changers brand at the beginning. You have your own brand now, Jeffrey Ng Growth consultancy, what tips would you give to start ups?

In our FX Industry, Indonesia have for awhile quietly witnessed how foreign brokers like Instaforex, etoro and XM, cleverly exploit the Whitespaces. Foreign Brokers entered Indonesia to create cross border disruption and penetrated deeply and grow prosperously.

Thank you for the kind words Paul. I appreciate the opportunity to return to Game Changers.

The traction that Game Changers have today is due entirely to your passion and perseverance Game Changers is a must read for many of us in the industry as it filled with actionable insights.

Thumbs Up to you , Paul.

Indonesian FX Brokers learnt the hard way and reacted only when volumes and margins thinned out, and realized the need to self disrupt and filled the Whitespaces. FX brokers in Indonesia, then setup On-line Marketing either as a new Start up or create a new Division to exploit Whitespaces that Foreign Brokers do not occupy. This somewhat pushed back the incursion and local brokers started growing their businesses again.

On Startups, founders needs to spend time finding and exploiting Whitespaces. Whitespace analysis provides windows of opportunities for disruption and growth. Startups must rapidly exploit these Whitespaces to grow or competitors will snap these up. Operationally, some key metrics founders need to hone in on, include, the Cost of Acquisition (CAC), Customers Retention Rate(CRR), Customer Life Time Revenue (CLR) , Average Revenue Per Customer(ARPC).

The Northstar metric for Startups is the rate of customer acquisition. This single metric indicate the Startups’ muscle.

Jeffrey Ng Growth Consultancy

I am pleased to have led and digitally transformed Monex Investindo, into Indonesia’s largest and one of the most profitable Broker. We innovated and is the first to provide mobile apps to our millennials clients to manage their trading. It very exciting and rewarding to work with Startups and we offer advice to Unicorns as well as to newly minted Startups.

Jeffrey Ng Growth Consultancy focused exclusively on Forex and Retail Industry which are our core expertise. We facilitate growth without the growing

pains and we have track record of strategically growing FX businesses in the UK, China and Indonesia.

Q When we worked together several years back, you always acted both honourably and fair. I am sure that this has carried over into your brand now. Who were your mentors when you began?

Thank you Paul. There are many thought leaders that impresses and helped shaped our Brand. I will start with Ms.Natallia Hunik ( Chief Revenue Officer Advanced Markets) and Mr. Pambos Panayiotou (Executive Director at Trading Point) both of whom have enormous EQ & IQ .The innovators include Andrew Ralich (CEO at oneZero) Peter Cruddas (CEO And Founder at CMC MARKETS) and closer to home Anil Bahirwani (Owner & Founder of Valutrades UK, AMB CY, & Monex ), Mr. Yudhi Sasmitapura (Owner of Forex IMF) . Both these gentlemen showed me the ropes of this business. Last but not least, Paul Orford (Head of Institutional Sales & Founder of Game Changers) for the high standard of professionalism and genuine friendship that is a sheer delight to network with.

Q Although the FX industry is quite a mature market within Indonesia, the consultancy market in helping brands get established with their technology is still relatively immature. How does your consultancy add value?

You are absolutely right Paul, there is practically no consulting company that is dedicated to the Forex Brokerage Industry in Indonesia. Jeffrey Ng Consultancy @ www.jeffreyng.net has both International and domestic clients. We assist our foreign clients find and match make deals.Our clients include Technology Providers, Trading Tools Platforms and Brokers. Our brief include search, matchmaking, designing strategies to access and penetrate the tough Indonesian Markets. We help Forex Brokers in Indonesia scale and grow their business. As an example we help Forximf.com grow 2x in the short spate of 6 months by crafting and executing a vibrant growth strategy.

Q I find that whenever I used a consultancy, they offered me technology where they made the most commission. I understand that you and your team test the technology thoroughly, so that your clients get the best product.

We are in the age of the digital consumer and technology is an important component in solving our clients challenges. Our Consultants craft strategies by embedding the right technology. This enable our clients to provide friendly interfaces and gives the company’s clients a great experience We are very

GAME CHANGERS Issue #25

focal in delivering the best customer experience for all our clients. We use the appropriate technology in accordance to our clients needs and budget. We will never introduce a technology component for our own monetary gain. All third party costs are invoice on a cost to cost basis to our clients. Conflict of Interest is a Red Line that we will not cross.

Q Is there a specific technology niche that you feel brokerages are missing out on?

Clients retention is an area where brokerages can optimize and optimize. Retention is up to 5 times cheaper than Acquisition. Client Retention drives re-deposit and increases the Life Time Revenue.

This is one area where we can increase the Brokers’ Net Margin Performance. There are not many brokers who know how to increase the retention rate and what technology is available out there that can easily revved up their performances. We work with a few technology provider as partners to successfully improved clients retention .

Q Do you cater just for start-ups, or can mature brands use your expertise also?

Jeffrey Ng Consultancy is a Growth Consultancy, we help companies at different stage of their Life Cycle.

Our goal is to help all companies grow and boost their performance through Business or grow strategies.

Q I think a lot of western brands come to Indonesia expecting a copy and paste attitude to work, which it does not. How can you help them in this respect?

Yes, what works there , may not necessarily work here in Indonesia. There are a lot of Idiosyncrasies that even older foreign brands should know . A misstep can be costly and remember Indonesia’s Forex Industry is tightly regulated and knowing how to navigate in a new market is crucial.

Q Are you primarily focusing on Indonesia, or do you also cater for the S.E Asian region?

We are an International Consultancy and have clients in Denmark, Cyprus, ,Dubai, and Indonesia.

Q What is the best way for brands to there home out to you?

We can be easily reached at our home page www.jeffreyng.net, you can chat or leave a message or email me jeffrey@jeffrey.net. We will pleased to listen and then suggest a growth path for you.

Thank you.

Game Changers Magazine

Lifestyle

Fortune Academy HITHER MANN Founder of Fortune Academy

Welcome back Hither. The readers may not be aware that you were our most clicked article of 2019, along with being the most viewed edition of Game Changers Magazine. We are really happy to have you contribute again.

That is great to here, I support any organisation creating great value and inspiring others! So here’s to wishing you continued success in 2020!!

Q We wanted to discuss with you goal setting. As a leader in personal development, how do you get the ‘new year, new me’ to stick?

Goal setting is something I have prescribed to religiously since 2004. To set a goal and achieve it 100%, you need to incorporate an immense amount of neuroscience techniques, subconscious reprogramming and quantum physics techniques to neutralise “heavily charged” areas in your life, such as grief, guilt, self doubt etc.

One you obliterate through all of these obstacles, you can guarantee you will achieve the goals you set out to. I always ensure I have an incredible morning and night routine that is designed to manifest these goals. There are 6 keys areas you need to master to make your “dreams turn to reality” and through demand from my mentorship students, I put all of this together into a Millionaire Mindset Program that I run through Fortune Academy. In fact the last retreat I ran in Cyprus just after I had my interview at Game Changers!

GAME CHANGERS Issue #25

Hither Mann Founder of Fortune Academy

Q Do you subscribe to visualising your end result?

Yes absolutely, our minds are like a “laser guided missile”. We need a target to move towards, subconsciously more than anything. Humans are a “goal oriented” species…so its essential you visualise a clear picture of your target so that your mind can get to work and manifest.

The alternative, worst case scenario, is that you feed your mind with aimless distractions such as trash tv, tabloid news, pointless news feeds on social media. My advice to all of you is be selective, if you knew how powerful your own mind was in creating your present reality, you would nurture it so much better!

Q When you were moving from optometry, to real estate, to FX trading. Did you ever have a goal for this grand plan, or was it micro planning?

Yes absolutely…I did all the points I mentioned above. I had one very clear goal however. That was that I wanted to be in business and never employed. Life gives you the answers when you remain obsessed with the end goal. The exact detail in the ventures were not always thought out, they came into alignment after I knew where I wanted to go and who I wanted to be in the process. The IPO venture for example is one area I had no idea I would ever get to, but as a famous person once said: “when you get to your goal, you can always see the next one”.

Q How do you handle disappointment or something not going as planned?

There are so many set-backs and I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t feel a sense of disappointment at times. However, it’s all about how long you stay in that state. Sometimes I am disappointed for just 5 minutes, perhaps because I recognise the problem from one similar in the past and thus know immediately how to deal with it. If it’s an unforeseen problem, one that is a complete curveball, then yes, I may be disappointed for a few hours, but I get to work immediately on understanding the root of the problem and how it can be fixed. Believe it or not, every problem has a solution.

A great shift in how I deal with problems came from a spiritual angle. I discovered total detachment from a monetary or status driven outcome.

This is something trading financial markets forces you to discover, but it was by far the greatest discovery I have had to date.

Q How did you set goals when you began Fortune Academy?

In exactly the same way – obviously then it was more about how I could serve my students best. That is where I came up with the Lifetime Education offer, for which we are the first in the world as a wealth education company.

Q Do you teach goal setting at your Millionaire Mindset workshops?

Yes, the workshops are a preview to the lifetime mentorship I provide through the Millionaire Mindset Program, so I go through the SAME training here that I do with Credit Suisse Private Bankers in Switzerland. It’s an intense process and I keep the group to just 15 people, to keep the quality of the training high and very powerful! So many breakthroughs come from this event! It is my favourite program for sure!

Q For people who may feel a little disempowered and directionless, would you subscribe them to having some kind of mentor?

Always. It is difficult to see past your own limitations. A mentor’s job is to push you to a level where you’ve never been, because you didn’t know you could. Take for example my business owner student who embarked on this Millionaire Mindset Training just over a year ago. She was earning approximately £20k a month through her online business. Having attended the Millionaire Mindset retreat (part of the lifetime program) where I take them through the 6 step process as described briefly in your top question, I made her hit a £50k monthly revenue target a month. Six months later, she reattended the retreat and I forced her to double her financial goals. Within 2 weeks she made £100k a month and casually made £91k in a single day in December 2019.

She now says that making money is something she perceives as “easy” now that she follows the step by step process in the program! She recently joined her husband to the program so that he too can experience the success she has had.

Note that I make all my students set goals for family, health and their business life together. There is no point making wealth when all else is falling apart around you! This same student goal set her “daughter” and lo and behold, she gave birth to a beautiful, healthy girl in early January this year. Its beautiful when a student follows the process I teach and so much wealth, success and happiness manifests in her life. She remained a humble student throughout the process which was crucial to her using my mentoring effectively throughout the process.

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Q You have dealt with many high powered CEO’s in banking, how do they set goals?

The crazy fact is, not many of them have a structure. They are impressive individuals, but they feel success comes from just dealing with stress well. It doesn’t, that is just 10% of the process. It’s no wonder, so many have excessive drinking habits or other releases that mask the subconscious fears they don’t wish to deal with.

One thing I have observed however, when I do talk about the ways in which neuroscience, peak performance habits and quantum physics can elevate their mental game, they are truly fascinated.

Q What makes them different to your ‘average’ person?

Their mental resilience, abiity to deal with problems and just thinking BIG. The latter is very easy when of course you have an incredibly high performing set of individuals in your circle. Power of association is our timeless rule here…its hard to argue the fact that your “network is your networth”!

Q What mental tools would you say people require to be financially independent?

The 6 areas I cover in the Millionaire Mindset Workshop. That is why I created it, I found it futile to teach others how to be wealthy through trading strategies alone, when the bigger success comes from the power of your personal psychology and understanding your mental makeup!

Q Do you have any workshops coming up soon?

My Workshops sell out in advance, February will be sold out by the time of this release.

My next workshop will be in April in London, here is the link to book tickets: www.fortuneacademy.co.uk/mmp

GAME CHANGERS Issue #25

Tracy Edwards AROUND THE WORLD YACHTSWOMAN & MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER

Q From the documentary you appeared very headstrong as child. Do you think this is nature or nurture?

When I did my Psychology degree I was fascinated with this subject. I think it is a mixture of both. I know that I have a very strong personality but my Mum steering me in the right direction when I was going off the rails is the reason I did what I did.

Q Why sailing. How did your interest develop in this?

I was working in bar in Greece and a guy came in and offered me a job. Total luck. But then my love for the ocean and the people that sail them drew me to a lifelong love affair.

Q In the 1980’s sailing was a very male dominated sport. How were you treated?

Before I started racing, I worked on charter yachts where everyone just gets on with it! Racing was very different and men didn’t want women on racing yachts. There was a definite attemot to put us off joining racing yachts.

Q What was it like being a cook on the first trip?

It seemed incredibly cramped, how do you manage the logistics of this? Most of the guys on Atlantic Privateer were mates before I joined so to that extent, we got on OK. When you are all in the same boat (so to speak!) you just get on with it. I had to put up with the same as them and in the end they resepcted that I think.

Q What were people’s reactions when you first said you wanted to have an all-female team in the around the world race?

Mostly hostile and incredulous. However, we did have help and support from some of the Maxi Skippers. Guys who didn’t sail were the worst.

There was definitely a move to keep us out of the race. But, as we stuck at it, some of the guys came around.

Q You had to remortgage your house to buy the boat.

What was that pressure like?

The pressure was at times unbearable and I did not handle it well sometimes. I think driven people are hard to live and work with and I know I was driven.

I didn’t ask for help which was immature I guess so people only ever saw the anger on the outside.

Q What struck me was the incredibly low quality of the Guardian journalist in reporting you, was it always like this back then?

Yes it was. However, in Bob’s defence he did allow us to change his mind. When we won coming into NZ his headline was ‘Not just a tin full of tarts; A tin full of smart, fast tarts! Yes I know it was not ideal but at least it had improved somewhat. Bob also came down to see Maiden into Hamble when rescued her. He was interviewed me about The Maiden Factor and I said “Bob you have come a long way” to which he replied “I had a good teacher!”

Q Despite all the odds you entered the race. How did you choose your crew mates?

It was not in a conventional way. Women turned up and we tried them out. Mostly it was down to personality and stamina and how much we could learn about the area allocated to us.

Q You had what seemed to be a difficult relationship with your second in command. When you parted ways with her, was it hard to do?

At the time I couldn’t await to get rid of her but we made up years later and I was able to apologise for treating her so badly and not letting her go in time to find another yacht. I do regret my immaturity at dealing with the situation.

Q What was the feeling like winning the leg of the race?

Unlike nothing that had gone before in my life. It was the best feeling ever and so great to be roved right.

We were all on a high for days!

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Q From the documentary you appeared very headstrong as child. Do you think this is nature or nurture?

joining racing yachts.

When I did my Psychology degree I was fascinated with this subject. I think it is a mixture of both. I know that I have a very strong personality but my Mum steering me in the right direction when I was going off the rails is the reason I did what I did.

It seemed incredibly cramped, how do you manage the logistics of this? Most of the guys on Atlantic Privateer were mates before I joined so to that extent, we got on OK. When you are all in the same boat (so to speak!) you just get on with it. I had to put up with the same as them and in the end they resepcted that I think.

Q Why sailing. How did your interest develop in this?

I was working in bar in Greece and a guy came in and offered me a job. Total luck. But then my love for the ocean and the people that sail them drew me to a lifelong love affair.

Q In the 1980’s sailing was a very male dominated sport. How were you treated?

Before I started racing, I worked on charter yachts where everyone just gets on with it! Racing was very different and men didn’t want women on racing yachts. There was a definite attemot to put us off

GAME CHANGERS Issue #25

Q What was it like being a cook on the first trip?

Q What were people’s reactions when you first said you wanted to have an all-female team in the around the world race?

Mostly hostile and incredulous. However, we did have help and support from some of the Maxi Skippers. Guys who didn’t sail were the worst. There was definitely a move to keep us out of the race. But, as we stuck at it, some of the guys came around.

Q You had to remortgage your house to buy the boat.

What was that pressure like?

Tracy Edwards Around the World Yachtswoman & motivational speaker

The pressure was at times unbearable and I did not handle it well sometimes. I think driven people are hard to live and work with and I know I was driven.

I didn’t ask for help which was immature I guess so people only ever saw the anger on the outside.

Q What struck me was the incredibly low quality of the Guardian journalist in reporting you, was it always like this back then?

Yes it was. However, in Bob’s defence he did allow us to change his mind. When we won coming into NZ his headline was ‘Not just a tin full of tarts; A tin full of smart, fast tarts! Yes I know it was not ideal but at least it had improved somewhat. Bob also came down to see Maiden into Hamble when rescued her. He was interviewed me about The Maiden Factor and I said “Bob you have come a long way” to which he replied “I had a good teacher!”

Q Despite all the odds you entered the race. How

did you choose your crew mates?

It was not in a conventional way. Women turned up and we tried them out. Mostly it was down to personality and stamina and how much we could learn about the area allocated to us.

Q You had what seemed to be a difficult relationship with your second in command. When you parted ways with her, was it hard to do?

At the time I couldn’t await to get rid of her but we made up years later and I was able to apologise for treating her so badly and not letting her go in time to find another yacht. I do regret my immaturity at dealing with the situation.

Q What was the feeling like winning the leg of the race?

Unlike nothing that had gone before in my life. It was the best feeling ever and so great to be roved right.

We were all on a high for days!

Q How did you keep your crew mates inspired and operating at optimal levels?

Knowing your team and what makes them all tick is essential for keeping up morale. No two people are

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Address: 2 Promachon Eleftherias Street, Limassol. Cyprus Telephone: 00357 25 324 056.

Website: Noa.com.cy

I was first introduced to the NOA over 7 years ago,

by Gabriel Styllas when we used to work across the road at TopFX over 6 years ago. When driving past it’s easy to miss (look for the big anchor out the front), or is often confused with Fat Fish next door.

Once you step through the door, you are greeted with a modern interpretation of a Cypriot restaurant, however the real jewel (providing it is not the winter season) is the garden restaurant / beach bar out the back of the restaurant.

On the right you will find a great bar serving some of the best cocktails in town, working in tandem with a great location to meet friends and business associates alike. It was commented to

GAME CHANGERS Issue #25

me once from a first time visitor, that they felt like they were in Barbados with the low slung netting hanging from the ceiling and easy going atmosphere.

It is well advised to book ahead if you are looking to sit in the restaurant (inside and out), with it being one of the best kept secrets in town. It has an extensive meat (lamb is a favourite of mine) along with some amazing fish choices. (try the sashimi or tuna steak if available.)

The service has always been of a high level, furthermore you never feel under pressure to finish your meal and leave. Quite often you can find yourself at the dinner table for several hours during a Saturday afternoon, going through the incredibly diverse small plates menu.

NOA is also blessed with its own beach, where you can take a refreshing dip in the Mediterranean after a long lazy summer lunch. Get there early to get a beach bed, and enjoy a refreshing aperitif before perhaps having a meal at Limassol best kept secret!

Although not the cheapest place in town, it is certainly not the most expensive.

Although you may pay a little more (not too much) you are more than rewarded with high quality food, drinks and service that often beats its more expensive peers.

For the early risers amongst us it is always nice to have a leisurely breakfast at NOA, watching the Famagusta sailing club next door take to the seas whilst you relax and contemplate your day ahead.

You can see more from NOA in previous shoots for GCTV with Maria Meramveliotaki and Edward Stanley Carey, moreover you will see us shooting again down there when the sun returns I n a couple of months.

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ISSUE #25

THE JOURNAL FOR INDUSTRY LEADERS

www.gchangersmag.com info@gchangersmag.com