Agency

1.

Law.

A formal legal relationship between at least two parties in which one, the principal, authorises the other, the agent, to represent the principal's legal interests and to perform legal acts that bind the principal.

2.

A similar less formal relationship which may be legally binding, but which may not, depending on the words and actions of the related parties.

3.

A business or other organisation which facilitates business or other introductions. For example an employment agency or an estate agency.

4.

Behavioural economics.

The ability of individuals to exercise a significant degree of personal control over their own economic and other circumstances, or the psychological belief of an individual that they have such abilities.

5.

Corporate treasury.

Agency is a structural corporate treasury role where the day-to-day treasury decisions are made at local level by operational management, but the execution is centralised to obtain efficiencies and economies of scale.

An agency treasury structure is associated with a greater degree of centralisation, compared with an advisory treasury.

See also

• Advisory
• Agency theory
• Agent
• Behavioural economics
• Correspondent banking
• Del credere agent
• Delegatus non potest delegare
• In-house bank
• Principal