duminică, 28 decembrie 2014

Global Marketing Network

The Global Marketing Network (GMN) is the Global Accreditation Body for Marketing Professionals. With over 30,000 Members worldwide we aim to inspire, educate and inform the Marketing Leaders of today and tomorrow, wherever they live and work in the world;
Our vision is for a strong, unified and respected Marketing Profession, worldwide, achieved through the raising of standards within it. And, with an estimated 20 million people working in a definable marketing role in the world, coupled with widespread acceptance of the need for marketers to become more professional, there is both a very sizable market, and a clear driver for change;
Considerable support has been secured over the last five years for our vision from leading Marketing scholars, experts, authors and industry leaders, and from the reputable organisations which we are delighted to have enlisted and welcomed as partners including national marketing associations, leading business schools and highly-regarded publishing and media partners;

Our vision is achieved through four key strategic programmes:

Realizing the aspirations of Marketing Professionals worldwide

by recognizing and rewarding educational and professional achievements through awarding GMN Professional Membership and Fellowship to individuals who satisfy GMN professional membership entry criteria, as assessed by the GMN Membership Committee against our globally established standards of practice.

Raising standards in marketing practice

by helping businesses achieve greater profitability and return on investment through a relentless focus, in all that we do, on what actually matters to people in business in the 21st century, through the design and development of global certification programmes, executive education programmes and conferences, delivered through an international network of accredited delivery partners.

Putting Marketing Professionals back in the Boardroom

by enabling employers to insist on and recruit the best and most up-to-date Marketing Professionals with the introduction of GMN’s Global Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Scheme and by identifying those Marketing Professionals who are Globally Accredited by profiling them in the GMN Professional Membership and Fellowship Directory - only accessible on Global CMO™ The Community.

Supporting today's Marketing Professionals around the world

by enabling them to be more knowledgeable, capable and better networked, leading to improved employ-ability, promote-ability and, ultimately, rewards - wherever they live and work in the world – through connecting through Global CMO™ The Community, sharing best practices through Global CMO™ The Magazine and other Global CMO™ initiatives designed to raise standards in Marketing practice, as well as to educate and inspire the Marketing Leaders of today and tomorrow.
Whilst there is (as yet) no external nor legislative imperative for Global Accreditation for marketers, considerable support has been secured over the last five years for GMN’s vision - not least from the senior marketing practitioners and academics that have joined GMN’s Advisory Council and Global Faculty, and from the reputable organizations GMN is delighted to have enlisted and welcomed as strategic partners.
GMN is the only worldwide body dedicated to raising standards in the marketing profession and to delivering a wider vision which has been developed with and received wide support from amongst the most senior players in the profession.

SEC Shuts Down $600 Million Online Pyramid and Ponzi Scheme

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2012-160
Washington, D.C., Aug. 17, 2012 —
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced fraud charges and an emergency asset freeze to halt a $600 million Ponzi scheme on the verge of collapse. The emergency action assures that victims can recoup more of their money and potentially avoid devastating losses.
The SEC alleges that online marketer Paul Burks of Lexington, N.C. and his company Rex Venture Group have raised money from more than one million Internet customers nationwide and overseas through the website ZeekRewards.com, which they began in January 2011.
According to the SEC’s complaint filed in federal court in Charlotte, N.C., customers were offered several ways to earn money through the ZeekRewards program, two of which involved purchasing securities in the form of investment contracts. These securities offerings were not registered with the SEC as required under the federal securities laws.
The SEC alleges that investors were collectively promised up to 50 percent of the company’s daily net profits through a profit sharing system in which they accumulate rewards points that they can use for cash payouts. However, the website fraudulently conveyed the false impression that the company was extremely profitable when, in fact, the payouts to investors bore no relation to the company’s net profits. Most of ZeekRewards’ total revenues and the “net profits” paid to investors have been comprised of funds received from new investors in classic Ponzi scheme fashion.
“The obligations to investors drastically exceed the company’s cash on hand, which is why we need to step in quickly, salvage whatever funds remain and ensure an orderly and fair payout to investors,” said Stephen Cohen, an Associate Director in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. “ZeekRewards misused the power of the Internet and lured investors by making them believe they were getting an opportunity to cash in on the next big thing. In reality, their cash was just going to the earlier investor.”
The SEC’s complaint alleges that the scheme is teetering on collapse with investor funds at risk of dissipation without its emergency enforcement action. Last month, ZeekRewards brought in approximately $162 million while total investor cash payouts were approximately $160 million. If customers continue to increasingly elect to receive cash payouts rather than reinvesting their money to reach higher levels of rewards points, ZeekRewards’ cash outflows would eventually exceed its total revenue.
Burks has agreed to settle the SEC’s charges against him without admitting or denying the allegations, and agreed to cooperate with a court-appointed receiver.
According to the SEC’s complaint, ZeekRewards has paid out nearly $375 million to investors to date and holds approximately $225 million in investor funds in 15 foreign and domestic financial institutions. Those funds will be frozen under the emergency asset freeze granted by the court at the SEC’s request. Meanwhile, Burks has personally siphoned several million dollars of investors’ funds while operating Rex Venture and ZeekRewards, and he distributed at least $1 million to family members. Burks has agreed to relinquish his interest in the company and its assets plus pay a $4 million penalty. Additionally, the court has appointed a receiver to collect, marshal, manage and distribute remaining assets for return to harmed investors.
The SEC’s investigation was conducted by Brian M. Privor and Alfred C. Tierney in the SEC’s Enforcement Division in Washington D.C. The SEC acknowledges the assistance of the Quebec Autorite des Marches Financiers and the Ontario Securities Commission.