SBCC History

Over 20 years ago (1987), SBCC was founded to be the first independent advisory firm focused on risk management, derivatives and private equity workouts. Since 1987, the firm’s professionals have been involved in analyzing and assisting in numerous global and industry crisis events.

Selected Examples
  • The S&L crisis
  • The stock market crash of 1987
  • Insurance company GICs with embedded options
  • Asset/liability mismatches of the late 1980s
  • The CMO/ IO/ PO meltdowns of the early to mid 1990s (including David Askin’s Granite Funds, Paine Webber’s kitchen sink bonds and mutual funds who risked “breaking the buck”)
  • The derivatives problems of the past decade (including Orange County, Bankers Trust, US Congressional derivatives hearings, OECD global risk round tables)
  • The currency crisis of 1998
  • LTCM (including playing a key role as part of the Hedge Fund Working Group with the Fed)
  • The Y2K challenges
  • The bursting of the tech bubble
  • The credit correlation and convertible bond meltdowns of 2005
  • Underfunded pensions

Recent Examples
  • The subprime crisis
  • The quant trading book losses of 2007
  • Challenges due to recent market volatility


The firm’s professionals also have been involved in developing “household” concepts in the risk arena: many derivatives, risk standards for institutional investors, best practices for valuation, mark-to-model risk, VaR, stress testing, how to rethink portfolio allocation and portfolio hedging, simulation techniques, quantitative trading techniques, among others. Many of these may be found in the publications section of the website.


SBCC Today

SBCC’s business activities have evolved with the market. During the firm’s early history, activities were based in derivatives, front/ middle/ back office risk management, due diligence and helping institutional investors with portfolio challenges. During the relatively benign risk environment that ensued from 1999 through 2007, the firm added a significant focus on asset management, hedge funds, new product design and portfolio construction. Today the firm focuses equally on problems (such as recent losses and senior management or board challenges driven by the subprime crisis and liquidity) and on helping firms to thrive and grow.

SBCC Group also established a marketing communications division specializing in branding initiatives, message development, and web design. SBCC Group develops cohesive and compelling marketing programs designed to create value, develop rapport, and deliver relationships within a specific target audience or investor group. Our primary objective is to elevate an organization 'above the noise' of competing firms through message development, branding initiatives, cross-media execution, and a fresher perspective.

SBCC Group clients span all continents and industries.

About SBCC

Tanya Styblo Beder, Chairman
Joseph H. Bretton, Principal
Rick Harrell, Principal