Finding a location in the capital of the world’s fastest-growing economy is only one of the challenges in creating a successful hi-tech industry zone. Having the infrastructure to take advantage of that location and make it a place to live – as well as a place to work – is a far greater challenge.

Beijing ETOWN is home to some of China’s most progressive new IT companies. Their growth over the past decade has been a result of an unusual level of cooperation between different companies and with the local government in the hi-tech zone.

Sponsored by Beijing ETOWN

The remarkable rise and rise of Beijing ETOWN over the past two decades mirrors China’s transformation from the world’s workshop to a globally competitive hub for innovation, technology and high-end industry.

The end of 2014 has seen considerable turbulence in many emerging market (EM) economies, particularly those most reliant on oil – directly or indirectly. This is a reminder that the secular rise of EMs is not a linear phenomenon.

Centralizing group cash and liquidity was ranked as the top treasury priority for the next three years, when Nordea polled CFOs and group treasurers at 80 of Sweden’s largest enterprises.

Despite no action at the ECB meeting on December 4, President Mario Draghi sent strong signals that QE will start next year.

There is an elevated risk of a global recession in 2015 given eurozone stagflation, setbacks in Japan, a debt-ridden China, the risk of the oil-price collapse triggering geopolitical risk and diminishing returns from G7 monetary stimulus.

Will tomorrow’s economic reality be the same as today’s? ING’s chief economist Mark Cliffe argues that the economic situation in the world is far from normal. And this is not likely to change for the next few years.

Urbanisation, a positive framework for private-sector participation and pro-active government policies will ensure emerging markets (EMs), from the Brics to Thailand, will boost their share of global spending on infrastructure and capital projects over the next decade.

Russian banks, in general, benefit from limited external funding, manageable debt maturities and state support when needed. However, loan expansion, Basle III and volatile capital flows have reinforced the need to recapitalize the sector, particularly through common equity and hybrid debt. Structural reforms and the development of alternative pools are needed.

Services are increasingly important in global value chains involving Western Europe and Central and Eastern Europe. The roles of companies in the two regions will continue to evolve, potentially creating jobs and spurring growth for all, according to new ING research.

In today’s world of economic uncertainty, business leaders seek assurances and encouragement for their decisions. Engaging with key figures allows them to drive forward their businesses and the overall global economy to a better and more stable future: ‘Russia Calling!’ has established itself as a leading facilitator of this dialogue.

Asian corporate bond markets saw phenomenal growth after the financial crisis, and Asian corporates are increasingly turning to growing capital markets, made available by strong global liquidity, to efficiently fund expansion opportunities.

Saudi Arabia’s move to allow foreign investors to take direct exposure in listed equities in the first half of 2015 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that will allow fund managers to invest in a deep and broad market and reshape the Gulf capital landscape.

Egypt’s recovery story under-appreciated, boosted as it is by sustainable inflows of GCC aid, a much more credible economic policy and nearly three years of pent-up demand.

When it comes to the difficulties in liquidity management faced by treasurers operating in China, 21.3% say renminbi cash-pooling is top of the list of issues.

Banking giant Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) has delivered stellar first-quarter results for 2014 and is now looking to further its global expansion in cash management and cross-border services. Vice president Zheng Wanchun describes strategies for a period of challenge and opportunity in an exclusive interview with Euromoney