Gold Magazine December 2013 - January 2014, Issue 33 | Page 72

business consultation

Help is
{business}

at Hand
Many companies are experiencing difficult times but,
with the right professional advice, they can take the
correct decisions that will ensure their survival.
By John Vickers | Photography by Jo Michaelides

T

he last time that
Rakis Christoforou was
interviewed on
these pages, he
had just become
the first Cypriot
to obtain the Certified in Financial
Forensics (CFF) and Accredited in Business
Valuation (ABV) certifications after passing two rigorous exams in New York and
meeting the strict professional education
and experience requirements. He was then
working for Bank of Cyprus but, following
the events of March, decided that it was
time to set up his own company, RC Business Valuation & Forensic Accounting Ltd.
When he spoke to Gold this time, he had
just returned from at National conference
on Forensic and Valuation Services in Las
Vegas where he not only interacted with
his peers but attended a presentation which
suggested what ought to be happening in
Cyprus right now.

Gold: Given your successful career in the
banking industry, what made you decide
to resign and form your own company in
the present turbulent economic environment where most companies are struggling to survive?
Rakis Christoforou: Precisely because
of my desire to help companies that are
going through difficult times due to the
economic and financial crisis. As a result
of the crisis, banking institutions are unable to financially support their customers
who have been left alone to find solutions
to their problems. It is generally expected
that the next two years will be very difficult for many companies operating in
Cyprus. Only those with proper professional consultation will be able to take the
right business decisions and survive during
this critical period. I believe that my long
experience in the accounting/banking professions, combined with my unique qualifications, enables me to help companies take
the right decisions for their future.

72 Gold the international investment, finance & professional services magazine of cyprus