30
BOOKS ETCETERA
31 May 2017
EDITOR’S
BOOKSHELF
SUDOKU
ENTER NUMBERS INTO THE BLANK SPACES SO THAT EACH
ROW, COLUMN AND 3X3 BOX CONTAIN THE NUMBERS 1 TO 9.
Mastercard unveils
biometric card
M
astercard has unveiled the next generation biometric card,
combining chip technology with fi ngerprints to conveniently
and safely verify the cardholder’s identity for in-store purchases.
South Africa is the fi rst market to test the evolved technology, with two
separate trials recently concluded with Pick n Pay and Absa Bank.
A cardholder enrols their card by simply registering with their
fi nancial institution. Upon registration, their fi ngerprint is converted
into an encrypted digital template that is stored on the card. Th e card is
now ready to be used at any EMV (Europay, MasterCard and Visa) card
terminal globally.
When shopping and paying in-store, the biometric card works like
any other chip card. Th e cardholder simply dips the card into a retailer’s
terminal while placing their fi nger on the embedded sensor. Th e
fi ngerprint is verifi ed against the template and – if the biometrics match
– the cardholder is successfully authenticated and the transaction can
then be approved with the card never leaving the consumer’s hand.
For Absa, the biometric card forms part of the bank’s strategy to test
and develop sophisticated technology capabilities designed to improve
its payment operations and client service, reduce risk, and make banking
easier and even more secure for its customers.
“We are very proud to be the fi rst bank in Africa to test – in a real
payment environment – the single-touch authentication technology
that will unlock the benefi ts of biometrics,” says Geoff Lee, Head
of Card and P ayments at Absa Retail and Business Banking. “Th e
technology will eff ectively enable our customers to rely on their
unique fi ngerprints to make payments in a face-to-face
environment. Following the test period, we will make
it available to our customers in a way that
is aff ordable, reliable, convenient, and,
most importantly, secure.”
Geoff Lee, Head of
Payments, Absa Retail
and Business Banking
FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL PLANNING 2017
Fundamentals of Financial Planning 2017 is an introduction
to fi nancial planning, ideal for both fi nancial planners and
undergraduate students. It is also the prescribed text for
fi nancial planning and wealth management certifi cates at
NQF Level 5 and 6.
Once the book’s material is mastered, it is recommended
to proceed to the next level – the South African Financial
Planning Handbook, (see below) that is aimed at practicing
professionals and post-graduate students.
THE SA FINANCIAL PLANNING HANDBOOK 2017
The SA Financial Planning Handbook 2017 has been described
as the most comprehensive work on fi nancial planning in
South Africa. Now in its 14 th edition, it remains the prescribed
textbook for postgraduate studies in fi nancial planning.
Managing editor, Paul Rabenowitz, writes in the book’s
preface that the regulation of the fi nancial planning
profession has been “undergoing profound changes for
a number of years. For example, the Retail Distribution
Review and the Financial Sector Regulation Bill, which will
introduce an enhanced regulator – the Financial Sector
Conduct Authority and more comprehensive market conduct
regulation in the form of the proposed Conduct of Financial
Institutions Act.”
He continues: “As some of these reforms are still in
proposal stages, this book highlights the salient issues
and discusses the pertinent regulations where applicable
in each chapter.”
Sections in the book include: Principles and Practices of
Financial Planning, Insurance Planning and Risk Management,
Investment Planning, Tax Planning, Estate Planning,
Retirement Planning and Business Planning and Integrated
Financial Planning.
The book refl ects the law as it stands as at November 2016.
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