Special Reports provide in-depth FT coverage of countries around the world, as well as industries from tech to luxury and themes ranging from workplace health to entrepreneurship.

FT Wealth: September

The Financial Times proposes to publish this magazine on 06th September 2024.

We plan to include the following pieces of content (please note: this list is provisional):

How the uber wealthy actually don't give much of their money away. 

If you asked Jeff Bezos, in like 1999, if he made 100bn, how much of that would he give away, he would have said 99bn. But that has not come to pass. 

The reality is that founders who wait to get involved with charity never really level up to the per cent that those who start out with it do. Giving is not a natural impulse/ generating huge wealth actually changes the way your brain processes empathy. 

Chinese wealth managers see business soar as rich families bring in portfolio professionals.

Paul Rippon, co-founder of Monzo, leaves the City to run an alpaca farm with his wife. Making money didn’t make him happy, is he happy now?

The future of niche German private banking

For decades, small private banks have serviced wealthy German families, despite the competitive pressure from much larger rivals based in Switzerland, London and the US. What is the future for these niche institutions? 

Space travel and the wealthy

Family Offices are investing in space and a lot of venture capital groups in the sector are raising money from them as they are long term investors more inclined to invest in something that may take years to bear fruit.

Commodity traders and what they are doing with their millions 

One has invested in a game reserve in South Africa, while others have used their money for various business ventures.

USUAL COLUMNS

Editor’s letter

Rigby column 

Guest column  

Book review 

Information

■ Recently published FT Special Reports can be viewed at www.ft.com/specialreports 

A full list of published reports can be viewed at http://www.ft.com/reports/library Forthcoming FT Special Reports and their synopsis can be downloaded via the 

Future Reports link on the www.ft.com/specialreports page. 

For website assistance please call + (0) 20 7775 6297.

This editorial synopsis must not be amended in any way by anyone other than the Editor of Special Reports. 

All submissions or suggestions for editorial features should be sent to [email protected] 

This is to ensure all suggestions can be assessed and to enable the editorial team to cope with the huge volume of approaches that would otherwise stop them from doing their work. Due to the volume of approaches the editorial team are unable to confirm receipt or respond to all enquiries. 

Advertisement and Sponsorship Information

For details of the advertising and sponsorship opportunities please contact:

Petra Harkay +44 (0) 20 7775 6815, [email protected]

or your usual Financial Times representative.

Please note the advertising representatives cannot assist with editorial approaches or other editorial matters. Please be advised that Financial Times advertisers and sponsors have no influence on editorial content.

FT Business Education:  

Masters in Management

The Financial Times proposes to publish this Special Report on September 09, 2024.

We plan to include the following pieces of content (please note that this list is provisional):

Introduction

An analysis of the FT ranking of leading MiM programmes around the world and trends in the sector.

The Masters in Management Ranking

The 2024 ranking of MiMs, plus school profiles, key and methodology.

Confidence

Surveys show Generation Z students are asking for support in developing self confidence, ready for their working lives. How are business schools responding? 

MiM + MBA

Exploring how some schools are introducing options to bridge the gap between MiM and MBA degrees, encouraging candidates ultimately to pursue both, for example through dual programmes or by offering shorter MBAs for previous MiM graduates. 

Spiritual Growth

Looking at religiously-backed schools, which are at the forefront of the “humanistic management” movement, intended “to create sustainable flourishing on Earth rather than short-term wealth”, in the words of Michael Pirson, one of its proponents.

Peace and Understanding

At a time when many university campuses are hotbeds of protest against wars and conflicts, how are business schools preparing MiM students to manage in a world where peace and human rights are increasingly important to colleagues and customers? 

Big Plan on Campus

European business schools are investing heavily in campus expansion. While some are developing their sites on the continent, others are building shared campuses further afield to accommodate rising interest in study abroad.     

Interview

An in-depth interview with a graduate about their studies and what it has meant for their career. 

Starting Out, Starting UP

With MiMs typically studied immediately after a bachelor's degree, and young people increasingly ambitious to launch businesses at an early age, how are schools preparing future entrepreneurs? 

Data

FT ranking specialists explore trends in masters in management, illustrated with charts.

Global Education Editor’s Letter

Looking at developments in business education and our coverage of it. 

Student Views

Students and graduates share their experiences of study and what came next.

Technology

An FT tech specialist explores developments that will affect business and our working lives. 

In Real Life

A graduate explains what it was like to study for a MiM and what it has meant for their career, in their own words.  

Information

■ Recently published FT Special Reports can be viewed at www.ft.com/specialreports 

A full list of published reports can be viewed at http://www.ft.com/reports/library Forthcoming FT Special Reports and their synopsis can be downloaded via the 

Future Reports link on the www.ft.com/specialreports page. 

For website assistance please call + (0) 20 7775 6297.

This editorial synopsis must not be amended in any way by anyone other than the Editor of Special Reports. 

All submissions or suggestions for editorial features should be sent to [email protected] 

This is to ensure all suggestions can be assessed and to enable the editorial team to cope with the huge volume of approaches that would otherwise stop them from doing their work. 

Due to the volume of approaches the editorial team are unable to confirm receipt or respond to all enquiries. 

Advertisement and Sponsorship Information

For details of the advertising and sponsorship opportunities please contact:

 Gemma Taylor +44 (0)20 7873 3698, [email protected]

Matt Rodford +44 79212 50719, [email protected]

or your usual Financial Times representative.

Please note the advertising representatives cannot assist with editorial approaches or other editorial matters. Please be advised that Financial Times advertisers and sponsors have no influence on editorial content.

FT Health: Communicable Diseases

The Financial Times proposes to publish this FT Report on 12 September 2024

We plan to include the following features (please note that this list is provisional):

Future Pandemics

The recent spread of H5N1 in animals, with some limited transmission to humans, has raised concerns about new epidemics. International efforts to prepare have stalled since Cvoid-19, including around a proposed pandemic treaty.

Vaccines

From RSV to malaria and tuberculosis, a series of new vaccines are in development and being distributed to tackle infections. Lower income countries are also building more manufacturing capacity to boost supplies. But funding and challenges in coverage present continuing concerns. 

Disease Surveillance

There are a growing number of networks and new techniques to identify the emergence and spread of infections, coordinated by groups including the US CDC, the Pasteur Institute and Africa’s CDC.  A look at the approaches, their effectiveness and what more is required for early warning and response.

The Health Workforce

Doctors, nurses and community healthcare workers are essential to support, prevent and to respond to communicable diseases. But burnout of existing staff and budget restrictions limiting new trainees are accelerating a “brain drain” of talent and exacerbating efforts to prepare cadres to handle surges in demand caused by new disease outbreaks.

Science of Communicable Diseases

A look at some of the most interesting recent insights into the understanding of communicable diseases and innovative responses.

Disease Profiles

The latest on recent developments with specific diseases such as the emergence of polio in Gaza and New York, and progress in tackling TB.

Nutrition

There is a growing focus on the importance of healthy eating, food fortification and cultivation of the microbiome to build the body’s defences against communicable diseases. A look at the latest insights and obstacles.

Optional: Op-ed

By a leading public health/ infectious disease expert.

Information

■ Recently published FT Special Reports can be viewed at www.ft.com/specialreports 

A full list of published reports can be viewed at http://www.ft.com/reports/library Forthcoming FT Special Reports and their synopsis can be downloaded via the 

Future Reports link on the www.ft.com/specialreports page. 

For website assistance please call + (0) 20 7775 6297.

This editorial synopsis must not be amended in any way by anyone other than the Editor of Special Reports. 

All submissions or suggestions for editorial features should be sent to [email protected] 

This is to ensure all suggestions can be assessed and to enable the editorial team to cope with the huge volume of approaches that would otherwise stop them from doing their work. Due to the volume of approaches the editorial team are unable to confirm receipt or respond to all enquiries. 

Advertisement and Sponsorship Information

For details of the advertising and sponsorship opportunities please contact:

Sunny Sun +81 903207 7568, sunny.sun@ft.com

Oliver Higgs +44 (0)20 7775 6823, oliver.higgs@ft.com

or your usual Financial Times representative.

Please note the advertising representatives cannot assist with editorial approaches or other editorial matters. Please be advised Financial Times advertisers and sponsors have no influence on editorial content.

Investing in Nigeria

The Financial Times proposes to publish this Special Report on 01 October 2024.

We plan to include the following pieces of content (please note this list is provisional):

Introduction

Nigeria has taken a radically new economic turn under the presidency of Bola Tinubu, now 15 months in office, with a big-bang abandonment of subsidies on fuel and electricity and two painful devaluations of the naira. The policy changes have excited potential investors, but have caused severe hardship among the population. According to a political ally of the president, “these reforms are part of a broader strategy to revive Nigeria's economy [and lay] the groundwork for sustainable economic growth by addressing fundamental structural issues”. Some commentators have failed to see the clear outline of this supposed bold structural reform. But if, indeed, Nigeria has genuinely set out in a new direction, will it be enough to diversify the economy, get growth going and revive Nigeria’s fortunes as an attractive place for both domestic and international investors?

Economy 

The new central bank governor has adopted orthodox monetary polices to bring down stubbornly high inflation, though there are concerns that suppressing demand through higher interest rates may not be effective in an environment in which supply constraints may be a bigger factor than excess demand in driving up prices. This piece will examine the outlook for inflation, the exchange rate and growth.

Foreign Direct Investment

Among the companies that have left or scaled down their investment in Nigeria are Shoprite, Tiger Brands, Woolworths, Diageo, Procter & Gamble and GSK. Other companies that are staying are issuing profit warnings. But as some companies leave or struggle, others are arriving. Tolaram, a Singapore-based investment firm, bought the Guiness operations from Diageo for $70mn. Investors from Turkey and the Gulf are trickling in. One big investor in Africa said companies leaving now had badly mistimed their exit and were making a big mistake by abandoning a country  that can only go in one direction: upwards. Is he right?

Portfolio Investors

Orthodox monetary policy and, at least in theory, a “willing seller, willing buyer” foreign exchange regime has revived foreign interest in Nigeria’s debt and equity markets. This piece looks at the sentiment of portfolio investors and asks whether flows of “hot money” are merely a short-term palliative or whether they can help lay the foundations for Nigeria’s economic recovery 

Dangote Refinery

The Dangote refinery has been the biggest investment by far in Nigeria in many decades. Now it is operating, what will its impact be and is Dangote’s implicit faith in the Nigerian investment climate justified?

Import Substitution

With the naira now at unprecedented lows, even big companies like Unilever are developing strategies to source locally, for example using cassava as an ingredient in toothpaste. If the naira stays weak, such strategies are bound to multiply. Depending on how resourceful companies are, the high price of imported inputs could further damage an already weakened manufacturing sector or trigger an innovation boom. The FT investigates.

Agriculture

Nigeria’s agricultural sector has underperformed for years, partly undermined by a strong exchange rate which made importing food an attractive alternative to growing it at home. The previous administration of Muhammadu Buharia prioritised farming as a job creator and an economic engine and put in place measures to fund farmers of rice and other basic commodities. Can the new administration build on these innovations and what are the prospects for Nigeria’s farming industry? 

Oil and Gas 

Big changes are afoot in the oil and gas sector with international companies like Shell and Exxon divesting from onshore oil fields and the subsequent rise of domestic producers to take their place. Oil theft remains a perennial issue and one with big implications for the macroeconomic stability of the country and its attractiveness as an investment destination. In the long run, Nigeria will have to take big decisions about the future of its offshore oil industry and whether it is serious about its transition from oil to  gas. 

Case Study

The FT will profile one prominent investor, either foreign or domestic, and ask whether it holds lessons for other existing or would-be investors about doing business in Nigeria. 

Information

■ Recently published FT Special Reports can be viewed at www.ft.com/specialreports 

A full list of published reports can be viewed at http://www.ft.com/reports/library Forthcoming FT Special Reports and their synopsis can be downloaded via the 

Future Reports link on the www.ft.com/specialreports page. 

For website assistance please call + (0) 20 7775 6297.

This editorial synopsis must not be amended in any way by anyone other than the Editor of Special Reports. 

All submissions or suggestions for editorial features should be sent to [email protected] 

This is to ensure all suggestions can be assessed and to enable the editorial team to cope with the huge volume of approaches that would otherwise stop them from doing their work. Due to the volume of approaches the editorial team are unable to confirm receipt or respond to all enquiries. 

Advertisement and Sponsorship Information

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Larry Kenney: Mob:+44 (0) 7775 921 048, [email protected]

Luke McGreevy: +971 (5) 087 63027, [email protected]

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or your usual Financial Times representative.

Please note the advertising representatives cannot assist with editorial approaches or other editorial matters. Please be advised that Financial Times advertisers and sponsors have no influence on editorial content.

FT Business Education:  

Executive MBA

The Financial Times proposes to publish this Special Report on October 14, 2024.

We plan to include the following pieces of content (please note that this list is provisional):

Introduction

An analysis of the FT ranking of leading Executive MBA programmes around the world and trends in the sector.

The Executive MBA Ranking

The 2024 ranking of EMBAs, plus school profiles, key and methodology.

Changing Direction

In a shift from historical norms, many EMBA candidates want to switch careers rather than stick with their employer and are self-funding these expensive degrees. FT data from 2023 show a quarter want to change careers or employers. So how can an EMBA help? 

Executive Coaching

Coaching has become increasingly common on EMBA programmes, with some business schools offering it as a post-graduation perk. What does it offer participants? 

EMBA Under Pressure

Employers traditionally paid for EMBAs to retain and develop rising stars, but many are cutting back this such funding, while fewer than half of programmes reported growth in applications last year. Do EMBAs still offer companies a return on investment - and are alternatives, such as internal leadership programmes, a viable substitute? 

Getting on Course

How to find and choose the right EMBA, with advice from admissions tutors and participants. 

Late Entrants

Meeting mature participants looking to EMBAs for a late-career boost, as executives anticipate being in the workforce longer and want to upgrade their skills.

The Art of Business

A number of business schools have substantial and original art collections on their campuses. They are partly aesthetic and in some cases reflect alumni donations, but are also a form of investment, and a teaching tool around creativity and the art market.

Interview

An in-depth interview with a graduate about their studies and what they have meant for their career. 

Data:  FT ranking specialists explore trends in the EMBA, illustrated with charts.

Global Education Editor’s Letter

Looking at developments in business education and our coverage of it. 

Student Views

Students and graduates share their experiences of study and what came next.

Technology

An FT tech specialist explores developments that will affect business and our working lives. 

In Real LIfe

A graduate explains what it was like to study for an EMBA and what it has meant for their career, in their own words.  

Information

■ Recently published FT Special Reports can be viewed at www.ft.com/specialreports 

A full list of published reports can be viewed at http://www.ft.com/reports/library Forthcoming FT Special Reports and their synopsis can be downloaded via the 

Future Reports link on the www.ft.com/specialreports page. 

For website assistance please call + (0) 20 7775 6297.

This editorial synopsis must not be amended in any way by anyone other than the Editor of Special Reports. 

All submissions or suggestions for editorial features should be sent to [email protected] 

This is to ensure all suggestions can be assessed and to enable the editorial team to cope with the huge volume of approaches that would otherwise stop them from doing their work. 

Due to the volume of approaches the editorial team are unable to confirm receipt or respond to all enquiries. 

Advertisement and Sponsorship Information

For details of the advertising and sponsorship opportunities please contact:

 Gemma Taylor +44 (0)20 7873 3698, [email protected]

Matt Rodford +44 79212 50719, [email protected]

or your usual Financial Times representative.

Please note the advertising representatives cannot assist with editorial approaches or other editorial matters. Please be advised that Financial Times advertisers and sponsors have no influence on editorial content.

Scoreboard: Business of Sailing

The Financial Times proposes to publish this FT Report on 18 October 2024

We plan to include the following features (please note that this list is provisional):

Technology

A look at how the Americas Cup boats have changed through the years, including the switch from monohulls to multihull foilers. 

F1 on Water: How Red Bull and Ineos took their on track rivalry out on water. 

Sponsorship

What attracts sponsors to the Americas Cup, and other competitive sailing competitions?

Ferrari: Why is the Italian racing car brand looking to move into sailing?

E Series

Will a new all-electric celebrity-backed power boat competition make waves?

Interview / Profile: With one of the team captains. 

Learning on Foils

A look at new courses being offered for sailors wanting to race at the top level

Americas Cup Preview: Can anyone stop New Zealand?

Information

■ Recently published FT Special Reports can be viewed at www.ft.com/specialreports 

A full list of published reports can be viewed at http://www.ft.com/reports/library Forthcoming FT Special Reports and their synopsis can be downloaded via the 

Future Reports link on the www.ft.com/specialreports page. 

For website assistance please call + (0) 20 7775 6297.

This editorial synopsis must not be amended in any way by anyone other than the Editor of Special Reports. 

All submissions or suggestions for editorial features should be sent to [email protected] 

This is to ensure all suggestions can be assessed and to enable the editorial team to cope with the huge volume of approaches that would otherwise stop them from doing their work. Due to the volume of approaches the editorial team are unable to confirm receipt or respond to all enquiries. 

Advertisement and Sponsorship Information

For details of the advertising and sponsorship opportunities please contact:

Nikola Peros +33 (6) 2805 8404, [email protected]

Bing Wang +33 (1) 8565 0607, [email protected]

Giulia Pepe +44 (0)20 7873 3225, [email protected]

or your usual Financial Times representative.

Please note the advertising representatives cannot assist with editorial approaches or other editorial matters. Please be advised Financial Times advertisers and sponsors have no influence on editorial content.

Biodiversity 

The Financial Times plans to publish a special report to coincide with the 

Biodiversity COP16 taking place on 21 October 2024. 

We plan to include the following features (please note that this list is provisional):

Biodiversity, which describes the variety of life on Earth in all its forms, is in significant decline – largely due to changes in land and sea use, climate change and pollution. 

The UN Biodiversity COP15 two years ago agreed to certain goals by 2030, including formal protection of around 30 per cent of the planet, halving food waste and cutting government subsidies that harm the environment. But tackling biodiversity loss has often been overshadowed by the urgency of cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

• Rewilding: how to restore biodiversity without jeopardising food production
• EU green targets and the challenges facing the next European Commission
• Indigenous leadership: how can indigenous knowledge and experience be integrated into biodiversity strategies?
• Managing the impact of renewables development on natural habitats
• Ocean protection: record ocean warming, pollution and overfishing are threatening marine life. What is being done about it?
• The rise of biodiversity in ESG investment 

Information

■ Recently published FT Special Reports can be viewed at www.ft.com/specialreports 

A full list of published reports can be viewed at http://www.ft.com/reports/library Forthcoming FT Special Reports and their synopsis can be downloaded via the 

Future Reports link on the www.ft.com/specialreports page. 

For website assistance please call + (0) 20 7775 6297.

This editorial synopsis must not be amended in any way by anyone other than the Editor of Special Reports. 

All submissions or suggestions for editorial features should be sent to [email protected] 

This is to ensure all suggestions can be assessed and to enable the editorial team to cope with the huge volume of approaches that would otherwise stop them from doing their work. Due to the volume of approaches the editorial team are unable to confirm receipt or respond to all enquiries. 

Advertisement and Sponsorship Information

For details of the advertising and sponsorship opportunities please contact:

Nora Beydoun,  +44 (0)7759 523 819, nora.beydoun@ft.com

or your usual Financial Times representative.

Please note the advertising representatives cannot assist with editorial approaches or other editorial matters. Please be advised Financial Times advertisers and sponsors have no influence on editorial content.

Investing in Argentina

The Financial Times proposes to publish this FT Report in 2024

We plan to include the following features (please note that this list is provisional):

Introduction: Is this Argentina’s Moment?

After years of economic turmoil, Argentina stands at a crossroads. The election of Javier Milei, a radical libertarian president promising drastic reforms has excited investors and raised spirits in the business community. The Milei phenomenon has aroused widespread global interest, with tech billionaires and hedge fund managers among his biggest fans. But can Milei deliver on his promises and overcome congressional resistance to deliver the big changes the country needs to return to growth and make the most of its huge opportunities? 

Finance Minister Interview

What are the government’s top priorities for economic reform and how does it plan to keep budgets balanced while restoring growth? Will the government dollarise the economy and when does it plan to lift exchange controls? How will it take privatisation forward? FT interview with former Wall Street trader and Economy Minister Luis Caputo (or failing him, deregulation minister Federico Sturzenegger). 

The Oil and Gas Boom Underway at Vaca Muerta

Fourteen years after the discovery of the world’s second-largest shale gas and fourth-largest shale oil at Vaca Muerta, the remote Patagonian field’s moment may finally be here. Drillers have been posting rapid production increases as gas pipeline infrastructure materialises. An ambitious LNG export plan, led by state energy firm YPF, has sparked enormous interest from investors amid a global surge in demand for the liquified fuel. We look at the most promising projects and the challenges still to overcome for Argentina to become a major oil and gas exporter.

Lithium and Copper make Argentina a Mining Investor Darling

Thanks to constitutional rules that leave control over natural resources in the hands of investment-hungry provinces, and to federal government enthusiasm to diversify the country’s exports, Argentina has developed the world’s largest lithium pipeline, with half a dozen projects set to come online and production to increase seven-fold by 2030. The country is also finally tapping its long-neglected copper reserves, which analysts say could be an even bigger industry than lithium, with one project under construction, seven more in development, and an ambitious goal to become a top-ten producer by 2030. 

Huge Hidden Wealth

While the government is perennially short of hard currency, Argentines are not. They hold an estimated $278bn outside of the formal system, in overseas accounts or in cash in safety deposit boxes or stuffed under mattresses. 

The undeclared dollars are the result of Argentina’s tight capital restrictions, widespread distrust of erratic tax policy, and the ever-depreciating peso—which has lost 97 per cent of its value against the dollar in the last five years alone. Milei’s government hopes to tap some of those dollars via a tax amnesty and other policies. This piece will look at how Argentines’ across the economic ladder hide and use their dollars, ask them what it would take to bring them in, and speak to government officials about how they plan to pursue them. 

Tourism Boom Stretches Infrastructure in Patagonia

Long a favourite with explorers and adventurers, the vast southern wilderness of Patagonia is now a big hit with luxury tourists. An influx of wealthy visitors means that $3000 a night lodges with guest chefs are springing up, along with a host of lesser accommodation. The boom is bringing wealth to the remote region but also putting pressure on precarious infrastructure in what was a pristine wilderness. Report from Los Glaciares National Park in Santa Cruz province and from Ushuaia, the world’s most southerly city. 

The New Boom in High-altitude Wine

The mainstay of the Argentine wine industry is the Malbec grape grown in the province of Mendoza. But a fresh boom is being powered by high-altitude wines from more exotic locations such as the northern province of Salta or southern Patagonia, which are bringing new grape varieties to global attention and catching the interest of connaisseurs and tourists alike. 

Can Food Exports Regain Competitiveness?

Argentina is the world’s third largest food exporter and its abundant stock of arable land means it could be much bigger still at a time when global food supplies are under pressure. New technology and stable government rules hold the key to unlocking the sector’s full potential. 

Information

■ Recently published FT Special Reports can be viewed at www.ft.com/specialreports 

A full list of published reports can be viewed at http://www.ft.com/reports/library Forthcoming FT Special Reports and their synopsis can be downloaded via the 

Future Reports link on the www.ft.com/specialreports page. 

For website assistance please call + (0) 20 7775 6297.

This editorial synopsis must not be amended in any way by anyone other than the Editor of Special Reports. 

All submissions or suggestions for editorial features should be sent to [email protected] 

This is to ensure all suggestions can be assessed and to enable the editorial team to cope with the huge volume of approaches that would otherwise stop them from doing their work. Due to the volume of approaches the editorial team are unable to confirm receipt or respond to all enquiries. 

Advertisement and Sponsorship Information

For details of the advertising and sponsorship opportunities please contact:

Jonathan Florez   +1 (917) 551 5041, [email protected]

or your usual Financial Times representative.

Please note the advertising representatives cannot assist with editorial approaches or other editorial matters. Please be advised Financial Times advertisers and sponsors have no influence on editorial content.

FT Business Education:  

Asia-Pacific Business Schools

The Financial Times proposes to publish this Special Report on October 28th, 2024.

We plan to include the following pieces of content (please note that this list is provisional):

The Rise of Asia

Asia is an ever more important focus for business education, as both a source of students leaving to study in Europe and North America, and increasingly staying at home or in their region at a time of growing investment in local institutions, demand for specific skills and geopolitical tensions.

Directory

A listing of the leading business schools in Asia Pacific, with analysis of the key trends, as a guide to prospect students, recruiters, faculty and others.

China

Post Covid, many students are keen to study closer to home, but face limited places in their own highly competitive institutions. Local and international students are reflecting on the relative merits of study on the mainland, Hong Kong, Singapore and beyond. 

India

India’s rising middle class is sending many students abroad but also seeking to encourage foreign institutions to establish locally at a time of recent visa restrictions. Its powerful network of national business schools continues to thrive, albeit largely still attracting domestic students.

Australia

Against a backdrop of domestic pressures and a decline in Chinese students, Australian universities are transforming and exploring new options including transnational education. 

Opinion

A column by an academic in and about the region, drawing on research insights to highlight important business trends in Asia.

Caselet

A short case study on a topical Asian business dilemma with questions of use in classrooms and by others interested in debating emerging issues relevant to executives and managers.

Information

■ Recently published FT Special Reports can be viewed at www.ft.com/specialreports 

A full list of published reports can be viewed at http://www.ft.com/reports/library Forthcoming FT Special Reports and their synopsis can be downloaded via the 

Future Reports link on the www.ft.com/specialreports page. 

For website assistance please call + (0) 20 7775 6297.

This editorial synopsis must not be amended in any way by anyone other than the Editor of Special Reports. 

All submissions or suggestions for editorial features should be sent to [email protected] 

This is to ensure all suggestions can be assessed and to enable the editorial team to cope with the huge volume of approaches that would otherwise stop them from doing their work. 

Due to the volume of approaches the editorial team are unable to confirm receipt or respond to all enquiries. 

Advertisement and Sponsorship Information

For details of the advertising and sponsorship opportunities please contact:

 Gemma Taylor +44 (0)20 7873 3698, [email protected]

Matt Rodford +44 79212 50719, [email protected]

or your usual Financial Times representative.

Please note the advertising representatives cannot assist with editorial approaches or other editorial matters. Please be advised that Financial Times advertisers and sponsors have no influence on editorial content.

Global Brands

The Financial Times proposes to publish this FT Report on 29 October 2024

Our special report will draw upon Kantar’s industry-renowned Global Brands data - and exclusive analysis, available only to the FT, to produce 8 articles, each with an accompanying mini-ranking or graphic.

These will be split into (provisionally):

3 articles on the fastest-growing brands in the fastest-growing markets: 

• India
• Latin America
• Africa

3 articles on the brand and sales dynamics within specific sectors, eg 

• Use of AI in non tech industries; 
• EV quotient in automotive brand value;
• Alcohol brands 'as a moat';
• or 
• A trend within the luxury sector 

2 newsworthy data-led stories, eg 

• Debunking the 'Go woke, go broke' argument, proving that inclusivity=sales
• Using data to predict return on investment on marketing spend. 

NB At this stage, data is still being anaylsed so the content is not final - we may amend some of it when we look closely at the delivered datasets.

Information

■ Recently published FT Special Reports can be viewed at www.ft.com/specialreports 

A full list of published reports can be viewed at http://www.ft.com/reports/library Forthcoming FT Special Reports and their synopsis can be downloaded via the 

Future Reports link on the www.ft.com/specialreports page. 

For website assistance please call + (0) 20 7775 6297.

This editorial synopsis must not be amended in any way by anyone other than the Editor of Special Reports. 

All submissions or suggestions for editorial features should be sent to [email protected] 

This is to ensure all suggestions can be assessed and to enable the editorial team to cope with the huge volume of approaches that would otherwise stop them from doing their work. Due to the volume of approaches the editorial team are unable to confirm receipt or respond to all enquiries. 

Advertisement and Sponsorship Information

For details of the advertising and sponsorship opportunities please contact:

Mark Magrane on +44 (0)7855 352 176, [email protected]

or your usual Financial Times representative.

Please note the advertising representatives cannot assist with editorial approaches or other editorial matters. Please be advised Financial Times advertisers and sponsors have no influence on editorial content.

FTfm: Fixed Income 

The Financial Times proposes to publish this FT Report on November 04, 2024

We plan to include the following features (please note that this list is provisional):

Is There a Future for Traditional Bond Funds? 

Investors are avoiding traditional actively-managed bond funds and preferring to use either low-cost exchange traded funds or alternative fixed-income assets such as private credit and infrastructure debt funds, says BlackRock CEO Larry Fink. He has called this the “barbell effect” - because it looks like money is collecting at the two far ends of the spectrum. It is similar to the division in equity investment, where investors are bifurcated between passive index funds and high-fee private equity funds. But what will this mean for conventional bond funds? Do they still have a use? Or do their returns no longer justify their fees?

Is the Trump Trade to Buy Bonds? Or Equities? 

Investors have long been preparing for a second Donald Trump presidency. And the one outcome they seem to agree on is inflation. A big increase in trade tariffs, and tax cuts for businesses and wealthy individuals, plus deregulation look like a recipe for higher stocks and higher inflation, which is bad for bond prices. But, when it looked more likely Trump would win, and create geopolitical chaos by abandoning Europe and Taiwan, bond prices rose. Investors sought safety in US Treasuries government bonds —the go-to asset in times of geopolitical stress. So will Trump's isolationist, protectionist, populism be good or bad for fixed-income investors? 

Will Lower Inflation mean Higher Demand for Bonds?

With inflation finally falling after years of rising prices, bonds appear to offer a reasonable return, again. In Britain, the 10-year government bond yields 4.2 per cent, while in the US, the equivalent Treasury bond offers 4.4 per cent. Assuming that central banks manage to keep inflation to 2 per cent a year, this means bonds offer a real (after inflation) yield of more than 2 percentage points - for the first time in ages. Does this mean they are a serious option for your portfolio?

Is there a dangerous bubble in China's sovereign bonds? 

The People’s Bank of China has been worried about a bubble forming in the country’s sovereign bond market. So worried that it intervened in the market: borrowing several hundred billion renminbi of long-dated bonds that it can sell into the market to try to satisfy demand. The central bank fears that regional banks may be buying at too high a price, creating problems if the value of their holdings suddenly drops - a crisis similar to that which caused the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank last year.

Can Emerging Market Bonds Keep Outperforming?

Resilient economies and domestic reforms have helped emerging market bonds outperform western counterparts. Argentina’s bonds have been among the top performers, as investors have welcomed a radical austerity package and deregulation by incoming president Javier Milei. Meanwhile, dollar bonds in Sri Lanka, Ghana and Zambia have all delivered double-digit returns this year as they enter the final phase of their debt restructuring processes. Significant support from the IMF and other official creditors has also reduced the likelihood of more sovereign debt defaults. So are these the bonds to hold for the best total returns in months and years ahead?  

Are Junk Bonds too Risky if Interest Rates Stay High?

Fixed-income investors have been selling out of the US junk bonds and switching to higher-quality debt, as fears persist over a much longer period of high interest rates and a surge in bankruptcies. They seem worried about companies potentially losing access to funding and defaulting on their debt as borrowing costs stay high. Market expectations for US interest rates have swung wildly in 2024: in January, investors were expecting six or seven rate cuts in the year; they are currently pricing in about two quarter-percentage-point cuts. Does that make junk bonds too risky? 

Information

■ Recently published FT Special Reports can be viewed at www.ft.com/specialreports 

A full list of published reports can be viewed at http://www.ft.com/reports/library Forthcoming FT Special Reports and their synopsis can be downloaded via the 

Future Reports link on the www.ft.com/specialreports page. 

For website assistance please call + (0) 20 7775 6297.

This editorial synopsis must not be amended in any way by anyone other than the Editor of Special Reports. 

All submissions or suggestions for editorial features should be sent to [email protected] 

This is to ensure all suggestions can be assessed and to enable the editorial team to cope with the huge volume of approaches that would otherwise stop them from doing their work. Due to the volume of approaches the editorial team are unable to confirm receipt or respond to all enquiries. 

Advertisement and Sponsorship Information

For details of the advertising and sponsorship opportunities please contact:

Isaac Thomas on +44 (0) 7513 833 941, [email protected]

Ben Tobin +1 929 746 1463, [email protected]

or your usual Financial Times representative.

Please note the advertising representatives cannot assist with editorial approaches or other editorial matters. Please be advised Financial Times advertisers and sponsors have no influence on editorial content.

Plastics and Chemicals

The Financial Times proposes to publish this FT Report on November 25, 2024

Plastics and chemicals suppliers, and the companies that use their products, face several significant challenges in making their businesses more future-proof and sustainable - and reducing the negative impacts they have on human and animal health. This special report will address 6 of them:

Environmental Impact and Waste Management

Plastics contribute significantly to environmental pollution, particularly in oceans where they harm marine life. The challenge is to develop effective waste management and recycling systems to reduce plastic waste and prevent it entering food chains. Manufacturers must innovate to create biodegradable or easily recyclable plastics, while users need to adopt and support sustainable consumption practices. We look at how waste is being dealt with in different countries.

Transitioning to Sustainable Production

The production of plastics and chemicals often involves the use of non-renewable resources, such as petroleum and natural gas. Transitioning to sustainable production methods, such as using bio-based feedstocks or incorporating circular economy principles, is essential. But this requires significant investment in new technologies and infrastructure. We ask how manufacturers and users are embracing sustainable practices to reduce their carbon footprints.

Microplastics: The Health Hazards for Humans

On average, people now consume around 5 grammes of microplastics a week without knowing — ingesting it in food and drink and inhaling it from polluted air — according to academics at Rutgers University. And the risk is that these microplastics enter cells and interfere with cell nuclei, which raises concerns about potential DNA damage. Italian scientists have even found tiny plastic particles from various sources in human placentas collected from six women with normal pregnancies. Health experts agree that microplastic ingestion has to be prevented, but how can it be when so many industries depend on the material? Solutions range from regulatory bans, as in Europe, to the use of seaweed-based substitutes. Which will work? 

Oceans Full of Plastic

According to Unesco, more than one million seabirds and 100,000 marine animals - including sea lions, seals, and turtles - are killed by plastic pollution every year. Plastic can affect marine species in a variety of ways, from entanglement and injury to ingestion and toxic contamination. The major determining factor is the size of the plastic, which can adversely affect different species in different ways – and on different timescales. In one case in 2019, a whale died from gastric shock after ingesting 40kg of plastic bags. Without drastic action, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) projects that the amount of plastic produced yearly will triple by 2060. Prevention, monitoring, reducing marine litter, and spreading awareness are among the approaches being used to stop more material entering the ocean. But how much progress is being made?

Bioplastics - A Viable Alternative?

As recycling difficulties persist, demand for biodegradable plastic substitutes is increasing - and some businesses are turning to seaweed as an alternative. New York-based Loliware raised $6mn last year to make biodegradable straws and other alternatives for single-use plastics. London-based Notpla has partnered with food delivery company Just Eat Takeaway to make biodegradable packaging from seaweed. Other materials derived from corn or potatoes have also been tried in bioplastics. Sugar cane bioplastics made an impact in Brazil more than a decade ago. But these sources require more land and fresh water — two ingredients that are not a problem with seaweed.

The Fast Fashion Challenge

The fashion industry’s size and its chemical- and water-intensive manufacturing processes, together with its reliance on synthetic materials and non-renewable energy, mean its negative impact on the environment is immense. In some parts of the world, unwanted and discarded clothing items are overwhelming landfills and choking waterways. We ask what can be done to make the industry less chemical and synthetics reliant. 

Information

■ Recently published FT Special Reports can be viewed at www.ft.com/specialreports 

A full list of published reports can be viewed at http://www.ft.com/reports/library Forthcoming FT Special Reports and their synopsis can be downloaded via the 

Future Reports link on the www.ft.com/specialreports page. 

For website assistance please call + (0) 20 7775 6297.

This editorial synopsis must not be amended in any way by anyone other than the Editor of Special Reports. 

All submissions or suggestions for editorial features should be sent to [email protected] 

This is to ensure all suggestions can be assessed and to enable the editorial team to cope with the huge volume of approaches that would otherwise stop them from doing their work. Due to the volume of approaches the editorial team are unable to confirm receipt or respond to all enquiries. 

Advertisement and Sponsorship Information

For details of the advertising and sponsorship opportunities please contact:

Nick Phillips on +44 (0)20 7873 4216, [email protected]

Christie Lee on +852 5969 1574, [email protected]

or your usual Financial Times representative.

Please note the advertising representatives cannot assist with editorial approaches or other editorial matters. Please be advised Financial Times advertisers and sponsors have no influence on editorial content.

FTfm Responsible Investing

The Financial Times proposes to publish this FT Report on 25 November 2024

We plan to include the following features (please note that this list is provisional):

Navigating the Anti-ESG Backlash

Conservative backlash against the environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment agenda has been gathering momentum. Several US states have passed legislation pushing back against ESG, with bills that target asset managers who "boycott" the fossil fuel or firearms industry. BlackRock, the world’s biggest asset manager, has suffered withdrawals worth billions of dollars by public bodies in conservative states. How are investors navigating this complex political environment, and do they expect it to become still more challenging?

Cashing in on the Transatlantic Subsidy Race

Joe Biden's climate-focused Inflation Reduction Act has revolutionised the green investment landscape in the US, with vast subsidies and tax incentives for low-carbon energy. Under pressure for a response, the EU has responded with a generous package of its own. With elections this year in both those jurisdictions — and many others — the policy outlook is especially uncertain. As governments jostle to provide the most attractive destination for green investment, which sectors stand to benefit most, and how can investors reap the rewards?

Spotlight on Biodiversity

Nature and biodiversity long received little attention from the corporate and financial worlds, even as concerns about carbon emissions rose up the agenda. Now, the subject is receiving an unprecedented weight of attention, amid increasingly worrying signs of problems from species loss to water scarcity.  A growing number of asset management groups are offering funds that promise to help protect the planet's natural ecosystems. How are they pursuing this goal - and can they make a difference?

Why Critical Minerals are Critical to Energy Policy 

One of the biggest challenges in energy transition is securing the critical minerals needed to power it. But a major report from the International Energy Agency has found that mineral supplies are worryingly concentrated. Over 70 per cent of the world’s cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo. More than two-thirds of global rare earth metal extraction is in China, which also accounts for the vast bulk of processing of minerals including lithium, cobalt and copper. At the same time, miners are struggling to clean up their act and there has been little progress on the sustainability of critical mineral production. What needs to be done to improve supply?

Waking up to Modern Slavery

Despite its powerful green credentials, the global solar industry is heavily reliant on the Chinese province of Xinjiang, where there have been serious and widespread allegations of forced labour. With 50mn people living in modern slavery according to the International Labour Organisation, such human rights violations may be present in supply chains across many other industries. Major new regulation in the EU will force companies to report much more extensively on this issue. How can investors navigate the risks around forced labour – and play a role in eliminating it?

Tackling the Data Shortfall

Fund managers pursuing ethical investment strategies have long complained of a chronic shortage of reliable data. A growing field of data providers have emerged to seek to fill that gap – but they vary widely in their quality and rigour, according to some observers. What approaches are major investors taking to access the best information, and what is the most innovative work being done to provide it?

Information

■ Recently published FT Special Reports can be viewed at www.ft.com/specialreports 

A full list of published reports can be viewed at http://www.ft.com/reports/library Forthcoming FT Special Reports and their synopsis can be downloaded via the 

Future Reports link on the www.ft.com/specialreports page. 

For website assistance please call + (0) 20 7775 6297.

This editorial synopsis must not be amended in any way by anyone other than the Editor of Special Reports. 

All submissions or suggestions for editorial features should be sent to [email protected] 

This is to ensure all suggestions can be assessed and to enable the editorial team to cope with the huge volume of approaches that would otherwise stop them from doing their work. Due to the volume of approaches the editorial team are unable to confirm receipt or respond to all enquiries. 

Advertisement and Sponsorship Information

For details of the advertising and sponsorship opportunities please contact:

Isaac Thomas on +44 (0) 7513 833 941, [email protected]

Ben Tobin +1 929 746 1463, [email protected]

or your usual Financial Times representative.

Please note the advertising representatives cannot assist with editorial approaches or other editorial matters. Please be advised Financial Times advertisers and sponsors have no influence on editorial content.