Silvana Rangel

Silvana Rangel

I am of Italian-Venezuelan origin. I do indeed enjoy long walks on the beach. But I also enjoy photography, travelling, music.

"The source of my difficulties has always been the same: an inability to accept what to others seems natural, and an irresistible tendency to voice opinions no one wants to hear..." Isabel Allende

26 Followers 20 Following 6 Organizations 12 Topics
Most recent

  • Silvana Rangel in International Security

    Figureheads in International Security

    International security is the embodiment of international relations, conflict resolution, national and foreign policy implementation, defence policy, warfare, diplomacy and humanitarianism. The skills and desired backgrounds to break into these fields vary from organization to organization and person to person.

    An example of a formally recognized international security expert with a rather atypical background is Romeo Dallaire, also known as Lieutenant-General, for his background in the Canadian Military. Dallaire joined the army at a very young age, 14, and served 35 years with the Canadian Armed Forces. In 1994, he went on to becoming the force Commander to the United Nations Assistance Mission to Rwanda (UNAMIR). Later, in 1998 he was the Assistant Deputy Minister (Human Resources- Military)… Read morein the Department of National Defence. General Dallaire is most famously known for the work he did in Rwanda with UNAMIR during the civil war to stop one of the most brutal genocides known to humankind today. What he believed was going to be a modest peacekeeping mission turned out to be a 100 day massacre of humanity in which about 800,000 Rwandans were slaughtered. He has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and is now known for his support in raising awareness for veterans. His book, Shake Hands with the Devil has been critically acclaimed as one of the most powerful eye-witness accounts, which tells of his time spent in Rwanda.

    Doctors Without Borders is another bold exemplary organization. It is a medical humanitarian organization which provides emergency medical aid to countries that have been devastated by war, disease or natural disasters. They are working within 60 different countries around the world.
    Working for Doctors Without Borders is one of the world’s most challenging humanitarian jobs and sees a lot of their staff confronting difficult or dangerous situations. According to a report published this January by Doctors Without Borders, in the past six months, 225,000 patients have been treated, 110,000 children have been vaccinated, and 30,000 malnourished children have been cared for. Although these numbers may seem small in comparison to the vast population that inhabits the Horn of Africa, were it not for the admirable efforts made by staff members, Somalians would be lacking in the medical aid that is brought about.

    From 1971 to 1979, Bernard Kouchner, was president and co-founder for Doctors Without Borders. He has a rare blend of politics and medicine in his background having worked in Ministerial Offices in positions regarding health and humanitarian action. He also worked as a Senior Civil Servant and UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Kosovo. From 2007 to 2010 he was the French Minister of Foreign and European Affairs.

    • Silvana Rangel in International Security

      Today an array of not-for-profit organizations has been established in many countries. It is the measures taken by these particular NGOs that formulate what is known of as international security. There are two main categories of entities working in the various sectors of international security: (1) international or regional organisations, such as governmental entities and encompassing States; and (2) non-governmental organisations and non-profit.
      One of the most recognized organizations within this field is the United Nations which has a variety of “conflict managers” working to keep the peace. It is widely recognized because it is one of the only organisations which is universal wherein it is constituted by Governments of all countries from around the world.
      Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan described human security as “freedom f… Read morerom want” and “freedom from fear” derived from Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms speech in 1941. These schools of thought hold the idea that human security has limiting factors which include: famine, poverty, lack of state funding and other such limitations to governments.
      ‘Freedom from fear’ focuses mainly on the idea of the protection of humans against violent threats such as civil wars, terrorism, and genocide that can be associated with these factors. ‘Freedom from want’ puts an emphasis on the theory that humans need further protection from long standing issues such as hunger, disease and natural disasters.

      • Silvana Rangel in Risk Management

        Some useful Risk Management Blogs:

        -The official blog of Risk Management Magazine which provides podcasts, daily reviews, interviews, and videos all related to risk management and insurance. http://www.riskmanagementmonitor.com/
        - http://blog.clearrisk.com/ : Clear Risk is a blog which provides “guidance, resources and news” about risk management.
        -http://www.iii.org/insuranceindustryblog/: The Insurance Industry blog “aims to provide timely information and discussion on contemporary insurance topics.”
        - http://operationalrisk.blogspot.com/: This blog focuses on risk strategies, operational risk management, integrity and ethics and risk culture as a whole.
        - http://www.ipoliticalrisk.com/blog/: For political risk updates.
        - http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/: The Calculated Risk blog puts a greater focus on the financial crisis… Read morewithin the United States and economic developments.
        - http://riskmanagementinsight.com/riskanalysis/: “A weblog for risk geeks. We’re risk geeks, plain and simple. We’re big advocates of the Factor Analysis of Information Risk (FAIR) framework for quantifying risk. “

        The ideal risk manager may have a professional accounting qualification, previous experience in risk management, auditing or a business planning background. That candidate will also have an ability to engage staff on all levels for a facilitated discussion of potential risks and have excellent written and oral communication skills in a persuasive manner.

        The probability of an adverse circumstance coming about and the cost of such a circumstance are the two main factors which form the basis for businesses to take risks.

        • Silvana Rangel in Risk Management

          Enterprise Risk Management or ERM

          Unlike traditional risk management, ERM differs in that businesses take risks to make a profit for their owners.

          There can be a number of important questions which need to be raised when examining the enterprise risk management framework, such as:

          1. In terms of coverage, what are all the risks?
          2. How much risk is willing to be taken? Is there an appetite for risk?
          3. How do governance and policies oversee risk taking?
          4. How do Risk Data and Infrastructure capture the information needed to manage risk?
          5. In a controlled environment, how well is risk managed?
          6. What are the biggest risks versus the smaller ones?
          7. What response is being given in order to tackle these risks?
          8. What else can go wrong?

          The Chartered Enterprise Risk Management Actuary is a global risk management qua… Read morelification with a greater focus on business knowledge and experience. It is based in 12 member countries around the world, and offers a forward-looking curriculum based on actuarial sciences. http://www.ceraglobal.org/

          Credit Risk
          Another important aspect of risk management is “credit risk” or the risk of loss of principal or of a financial reward caused by a borrower’s failure to repay a loan. It arises whenever a borrower plans to use future money to pay off a current debt. This becomes the basis for which credit risks are calculated. The calculation includes the borrowers’ collateral assets, revenue-generating abilities and taxing authority.

          The higher the credit risk, the higher the rate of interest that investors will demand when lending their capital. Companies such as Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s Analytics, Fitch Ratings and Dun and Bradstreet are a few major examples of professional analysts that specialize in the advisement of decreasing, avoiding and transferring risk.

          Market Risk
          It is the value of an investment or trading portfolio which changes according to the market. There are four standard market risk factors, stock index prices (equity risk), interest rates, foreign exchange rates (currency risk) and commodity prices. Market Risk can also be referred to as systematic risk and is essentially the daily potential for which an investor experiences losses from fluctuations in prices.

          Operational Risk
          This is a broad term which includes risk-related factors such as fraud or criminal activity, system failures, losses to physical assets through environmental risks and legal risks. IT exists in any company, whether big or small. The Basel Committee defines operational risk as being “the risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people and systems from external events.”

          • Silvana Rangel in Risk Management

            There are four essential skills required to pursue a career in Risk Management:

            -Academic Credentials in Finance such as an MBA, strong knowledge in quantitative finance and econometrics. PhDs in physics, statistics and computer science are also top qualifications.

            -Market Experience is an important asset as firms seek individuals who understand trading and how the global financial markets function. The motivation of the trader/portfolio manager needs to be understood at a mutual level so that the risks of the deal are also mutual. Market-savvy individuals are highly valued at hedge funds as well as capital markets which tend to be fast-paced with significantly high-risk.

            -Strategic:
            Leading risk managers always look to the future and are logical when using VaR levels. The strongest risk management teams are those that can kee… Read morep to the pace of the ever-changing nature of the financial markets.

            -Communication Skills:
            Not only must risk managers be educated in trading and know the ins and outs of the financial market but they must also be able to communicate in a language that can be appreciated by those in the front office, management and board personnel. Interpersonal skills are imperative as they need to be able to present the risks that financial firms face in a summarized manner that is concise and easy to understand.

            An ardent interest in the financial press is essential to the success of a risk manager. The understanding of the failures of the financial markets and the relationship they have with global events.

            • Silvana Rangel in Risk Management

              According to the International Organization for Standardization, risk management should have the following standards:
              -be an integral part of organizational processes;
              -be part of decision making;
              -explicitly address uncertainty and assumptions;
              -be systematic and structured;
              -be based on the best available information;
              -be flexible to change;
              -take into account human factors;
              -be transparent and inclusive;
              -be dynamic, iterative and responsive to change;
              -be capable of continual improvement and enhancement;
              -be continually or periodically re-assessed.

              One of the most widely used and most practical guides to risk management is the ISO Guide 73: 2009 Risk Management Vocabulary, it has an extensive vocabulary of terms to help identify activities relating to risk management. The ISO 31000: 2009 provides guidelines and principle… Read mores and gives a more general perspective to risk management because it is not specific to any industry or sector.

              A very commonly used example to depict risk management failure is the 1987 “Black Monday”, the day that the US market lost more than 20% of its value. A more recent example of the failures of risk management is the financial crisis of 2008. Both of these examples serve as clear indications that risks are unpredictable and, no matter the methods, the ability to measure credit and market risks are imperfect.

              However, it is not merely credit and market fluctuations which affect risk management, natural disasters and crime such as the tsunami which hit Japan in March 2011 and the September 11 attacks in 2000 also had an adverse effect.

              Countries such as Canada and Brazil may serve as exemplary regulatory reform for other financial regimes. An informative piece regarding the financial crisis of 2008 and risk assessment can be found on the World Economic Forum’s website at http://www.weforum.org/sessions/summary/financial-risk-management-20

              The World Economic Forum’s report from April 2010, Rethinking Risk Management in Financial Services: Practices from other Domains”, provides a unique perspective on the issues raised by the financial crisis. The report can be downloaded using this link: https://members.weforum.org/pdf/FinancialInstitutions/RethinkingRiskManagement.pdf

              Value at Risk, or VaR is a widely used “risk measure” of the risk of loss on a specific portfolio of financial assets. Aaron C. Brown, an American finance professor and quantitative analyst said, "A risk manager has two jobs: make people take more risk the 99% of the time it is safe to do so, and survive the other 1% of the time. VaR is the border." A more comprehensive overview of VaR and financial risk management can be found online at: http://www.gloriamundi.org/

              • Silvana Rangel in Copy Writing

                Copywriting is not all about producing copy for clients, there can be a writing side to it for those keen bloggers out there who want to share their copywriting knowledge. We have reached a day and age where blogging has become so popular even the Vatican is blogging (and in Latin too!).

                A number of copywriters have dedicated their time to creating blogs for beginners, connoisseurs, students, companies, websites, businesses and others alike for the benefit of their marketing success.

                Aside from Michel Fortin’s blog on copywriting, there are many others worth taking a look at. One of which is an impressive blog founded by Brian Clark. With what may seem like an obvious title, Copyblogger at www.copyblogger.com/blog, is a concise and helpful website with plenty of advice and current information. The Guardian named Copyblogger one of… Read morethe world’s 50 most powerful blogs.

                A great example of a freelance copywriter is Matt Ambrose, whose blog is “a melting pot of punchy, persuasive copywriting.” This blog contains useful information that ranges from how to make your website mobile-friendly to “mind- tricks” you can use in your copywriting. Blog address: http://copywriterscrucible.com/blog/

                For more details on business-to-business web marketing, marketing consultant Dianna Huff has an insightful blog, http://www.dhcommunications.com/blog/

                A rather humoristic freelance copywriter-blogger is John Carlton. Other than being a blogger he is also a writing teacher and has a degree in psychology. Thanks to his background in the study of behavioural science, Carlton has been able to apply this knowledge to the world of sales giving his blog a more interesting approach to copywriting. http://www.john-carlton.com/

                Sparksheet is an award winning multi-platform magazine that “explores how brands are using different platforms to get relevant content to the right people.” Their website can be found online at: http://sparksheet.com/ . And if you are a twitter user, you can follow Sparksheet’s instant updates at @sparksheet.

                Ryan Healy is the “most referred to direct response copywriter on the Internet”. He specializes in sales copy and advertisements which are the main focus for his blog, http://www.ryanhealy.com/. There you can find blog posts specific to blogging, business, copywriting, email marketing, internet marketing ethics, freelance copywriting tips, finance and politics, design and a variety of interviews with other successful copywriters.

                A more specific blog to in-house SEO copywriting is Heather Lloyd Martin’s blog: http://www.seocopywriting.com/. She has crafted a blog which encourages writers to create content for their own site, advises copywriters and offers a SEO certificate program for new copywriters in the industry.

                Another copywriter who writes a blog that provides tips about how to become a better copywriter is Kyle Neath with “examples of the good, the bad and the ugly of copywriting.” For great advice and detailed explanations of copywriting technique, visit: http://www.goodcopywriting.com/

                For new copywriters who would like to pursue the career and become professionals later on, The Content Marketing Institute is a great place to get started. The Content Marketing Institute can be found online at: http://www.contentmarketinginstitute.com/

                If you are creative, curious, congenial and a cosmopolitan in the world of advertising, then copywriting is where you belong.

                • Silvana Rangel in Copy Writing

                  An example of a very successful copywriter is American, Leo Burnett, he is known for creating the Marlboro Man and Tony the Tiger for Kellogs.

                  Another world renowned copywriter is Japanese, Shigesato Itoi, famous for creating video games and establishing copywriting as a profession in Japan in the 1980s.

                  Indra Sinha, originally from Mumbai was voted as one of Britain’s top ten copywriters. He is best known for his advertising campaign work with the Bhopal Medical Appeal. He is now currently a novelist. For a time Mr. Sinha also worked for Ogilvy & Mathers.

                  Ogilvy & Mathers is most famously known as an international advertising agency based in New York. It was founded by David Ogilvy, who started off as a chef in Paris, went on as a door-to-door salesman for cooking stoves, worked as a farmer with the Amish and finally became th… Read moree director of his own advertising agency in London.

                  Another highly respected advertising copywriter was, Dorothy L. Sayers, best known for coining the phrase “It pays to advertise!” She is also known for creating the Toucan advertisements for Guinness as well as the jingle tune to accompany it, between the 1920s and 1930s.

                  One of today’s most recognized copywriters is Canadian Michel Fortin, a man with an intriguing background that led him to his success in sales. He decided to put a focus on his copywriting skills as a result of a troubled childhood due to a physical disability. Growing up with an abusive alcoholic father drove him to become agoraphobic and to isolate himself. He lived in fear of rejection and failure.
                  Michel Fortin decided to take control of his life after being inspired by one simple quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Do what you fear and the death of that fear is certain.”
                  He took on the role of a salesman at a very young age and learned the hard way when he had to file for bankruptcy at 21. Alas, all was not lost and after just under a year Michel Fortin was a top sales producer for a Canadian Fortune 500 company. Today, he is not only a copywriter but also a public speaker and a consultant. He is the President and CEO of an international copywriting and marketing consultancy firm based in Canada.
                  Michel Fortin also has a blog on copywriting, which can be found online at: http://michelfortin.com/

                  Rory Sutherland may not be a name that is as recognized as that of Steve Jobs, but in the world of advertising he is widely known as the Vice-Chairman of the Ogilvy Group in the UK.
                  Mr. Sutherland obtained his degree at Cambridge University but before embarking on his journey in advertising he taught at a grammar school in Aylesbury. Later, he joined the prestigious advertising agency known as Ogilvy & Mathers (today, OgilvyOne London) and soon became a junior copywriter.
                  In 1996, after an online purchase for chilli sauce went wrong, Mr. Sutherland claims to be the first person in the UK to have had his credit card details stolen thus gaining further acclaim. An entertaining speech by him can be found on TED Talks at: http://www.ted.com/talks/rory_sutherland_life_lessons_from_an_ad_man.html

                  It is easy to imagine a world of copywriting such as the one portrayed in the provocative TV series known as Mad Men. In fact, Howard Luck Gossage, better known as The Socrates of San Francisco, could be considered as an authentic mad man. He was a man who is said to have “changed the world” in the 1960s, he saved the Grand Canyon from flooding, and founded “Friends of the Earth”, an international environmental campaigning organisation. He also befriended and greatly influenced Marshal McLuhan, a Canadian academic who prophesised web technology known today as the World Wide Web.

                  It is with that same power of charisma that copywriters are recruited today.
                  Copywriters need to be highly passionate about clients’ desires and have a good eye for detail. They need to be curious about a range of topics within popular culture, commerce and of the ever changing advertising industry trends.

                  • Silvana Rangel in Copy Writing

                    Copywriting is the job of attracting a specific audience to a product and to trigger an emotional reaction. The job requires you to “think outside of the box” and use creativity as a means of persuasion.
                    It can range from working within private companies, agencies, firms, and large organizations to working independently for a number of different clients. Generally a copywriter will work at an advertising agency, an agency specific to providing copywriters to other businesses.
                    There are many different aspects to copywriting which include:

                    -Search Engine Optimization Copywriting (SEO): this is creating textual content for “optimizing” the marketing of a web page and ensuring that its wording is strategic in order for it to remain at the top of a search list on a search engine.

                    -Advertising Copywriter: this is working within a cre… Read moreative team and alongside an art director of an advertising or media agency to produce advertisements or advertising campaigns for clients. This is the use of both verbally and visually stimulating communication.

                    -Freelance Copywriting: this is working independently on a job-by-job basis, having a variety of skills on different topics covering one or all aspects of copywriting.

                    -Agency Copywriting: this is work conducted within an organisation or media company and can be “in-house” for PR firms, graphic design studios, digital agencies, marketing agencies etc. An example of a major advertising agency is Publicis Group, based in London whose clients include Renault, P&G, Asda, EasyJet, Visa etc.

                    -In-house Copywriting: this is working solely for one client, usually from a large organization with their own marketing department. The focus is more specific to developing a brand’s tone of voice and working closely with the client.
                    • Silvana Rangel Silvana Rangel commented on
                      Lesley McGowan

                      Lesley McGowan in Presentation Skills

                      What's the best method/technique when preparing for a presentation?
                      Show previous comment
                      • Alex Winlow
                        Alex Winlow
                        Many tools can help your presentation and key messages to stand out from the crowd and engage your audience. In order to make sure that your verbal messages are clearly understood, you need to be prepared, keep the message simple and concise, be dynamic and natural. To insure success, preparation comes first, and weeks in advance. A disorganised presentation will result in less impact, fail in the message delivery and look unprofessional.

                        Presentations are most of the time informative, and th… Read moree best way to support facts and ideas are with visuals and not lots of text. Indeed, visuals catch the audience’s attention and make the presentation more interesting! Nowadays, most of the presentations rely on programs like PowerPoint or Prezi.com; you can support your arguments with pictures, videos, charts and many other visuals.

                        The best way to ensure a well prepared presentation is to ask yourself the 5Ws#!

                        Who? Who is the audience? What are their common interests?
                        What? What are you going to talk about? What are the main arguments? What is the best way to communicate effectively what’s on my mind?
                        How? How to deliver my message? What is the best way to communicate with my audience? How can I make my presentation more attractive? Verbal and non verbal skills are really important, plan what you have to say in advance to avoid a disorganised presentation.
                        When? Try to manage your time according to the given schedule. Being able to develop a sense of timing will make your presentation more professional. Keep time for questions.
                        Where? Try to come early to visit the site, test the audio /visual aids...
                        Why? Ask yourself why should your audience listen to you?

                        Finally, for a successful presentation be very clear and concise about your key message. In order to catch the audience’s attention, work on your verbal and non verbal communication skills. Use eye contact, control the rhythm and tone of your voice, pay attention to your body language and have an appropriate use of language. Be confident, Remember that you are the expert and never forget to remain calm, to look at the audience and smile.
                      • Silvana Rangel
                        Silvana Rangel
                        Remembering key words in relation to your topic and raising questions which can prompt debate among your audience or "get them thinking" are usually the main things I try to remember when preparing a presentation. It's also important to explore both sides of the subject to have more than just the one opinion. Also, keep your hands to your side, fidgeting never makes for a good presentation!
                      • Sumit Gupta
                        Sumit Gupta
                        I would recommend Prezi.com to create stunning presentations, rather that powerpoint.

                    • BraveNewTalent, Community Moderator, London

                      January 2012 to March 2012

                      Writing at its best.