Simon D. Reagan has previously worked in the international capital markets, in the so-called ‘swaps’ division of a leading Japanese financial institution. He now lectures regularly on banking crises, money laundering and insider dealing, and complex financial instruments used in the shipping sector.
He holds degrees in law, and a doctorate in capital markets finance. His belief has long been that financial markets are driven more by human pyschology and intuition, with basic emotions of fear, panic, optimism and exhuberance being ultimately more important than the cold numbers and trends focused upon to the near-exclusion of all else by market ‘pundits’.
This book focuses upon the oil resources of the Caspian Sea, widely regarded by many analysts as being the new ‘Klondyke’ for exploration.The political intrigues in the region, including the tensions between states bordering the sea, provided a rich seam to be tapped for the substance of the book.
The notion of unpunished war crimes, found as a theme at the very core of the book, provided the emotional driving force and energy to produce this work.