Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features. Direct message the job poster from QUANTEAM - North America (RAINBOW PARTNERS Group) About the Company: As the founding entity of RAINBOW PARTNERS, Quanteam is a consulting firm specializing in Banking, Finance, and Financial Services. Guided by our core values of closeness, teamwork, diversity, and excellence, our team of 1,000 expert consultants, representing 35 different nationalities, collaborates across 10 international offices: Paris, Lyon, New York, Montreal, London, Brussels, Geneva, Lisbon, Porto and Casablanca. We are looking for a Compliance Officer specialized in Trade Surveillance for one of our clients, an investment bank based in Montreal. Role Overview: The team’s Department is responsible for overseeing compliance with laws, regulations, guidelines, and policies that apply to the firm’s banking and financial activities, particularly in the areas of anti-money laundering, anti-terrorism financing, sanctions & embargoes, know-your-customer obligations, client protection, market integrity, anti-bribery & corruption, data protection, and client tax transparency. The Department enables the firm to operate according to essential compliance standards, ensures that the firm's non-compliance and reputation risks are controlled, while supporting the business with existing activities and in the development of new products or services. Compliance acts as a second line of defense, developing and implementing policies, procedures, and controls, monitoring activities, advising the business, assessing risks, and providing training to ensure understanding and application of requirements, contributing to spread a culture of compliance within the Group. The team is a global team within the Compliance department responsible for the monitoring of security transactions and Firm communications to ensure compliance with applicable policies, industry rules, and regulations. It consists of two surveillance teams, one focused on the monitoring of security transactions and the other on the monitoring of audio and electronic Firm communications. The team is seeking an additional resource in the Firm’s Montreal office to support its monitoring of the U.S. operations. Key Responsibilities: Review of electronic and audio communication alerts across various business units and escalate issues to relevant stakeholders for investigation and resolution. Participate in the development, testing, and implementation of new surveillance scenarios and minimum standards. Participate in regional and global compliance initiatives and investigations. Assist with the review and analysis of new and/or amended industry rules and regulations. Assist with new business initiatives and their potential impact on the surveillance program. Collaborate with regional and global colleagues across multiple departments including but not limited to Front Office, Operations, Technology, and Legal. Contribute to the preparation of management metrics and reports. Required Qualifications and Skills: 1 to 3 years of experience in either communication surveillance, general compliance, and/or financial services. Bachelor degree or equivalent. Knowledge of trading and brokerage operations – front to back processing. Knowledge of Fixed Income or Equities instruments. Advanced skills in working with business clients (front office, accounting, finance, and risk) to understand and document business requirements and priorities, as well as develop technical or user process solutions. Previous experience working with developer teams, with a solid understanding of major SDLC approaches, particularly Agile methodology. Proficiency in understanding and creating queries in SQL. Proficiency in Excel, Word, Microsoft PowerPoint. Ability to manage multiple priorities, commitments, and projects. Excellent verbal and written communication abilities. Education: Bachelor degree or equivalent. Language: Seniority Level Mid-Senior level Employment Type Full-time Job Function Finance Industries: IT Services and IT Consulting #J-18808-Ljbffr
About the Company:
As the founding entity of RAINBOW PARTNERS, Quanteam is a consulting firm specializing in Banking, Finance, and Financial Services. Guided by our core values of closeness, teamwork, diversity, and excellence, our team of 1,000 expert consultants, representing 35 different nationalities, collaborates across 10 international offices: Paris, Lyon, New York, Montreal, London, Brussels, Geneva, Lisbon, Porto and Casablanca.
We are looking for an IT Project Manager for one of our clients, an investment bank set in Montreal
Role Overview :
Th team is in charge of the information systems for Capital Markets Department covering all capital markets domains (from pre-trade to post trade through risk management and regulatory reportings). The team covers all IT activities, ensuring applicative support to end-users, maintenance and evolution of the information system including ambitious and innovative transformation programs to accompany business growth while protecting and reinforcing current best-in class business franchises. Capital Market IT teams are distributed across the world, currently in Paris, London, Hong Kong, Singapore and New York. The team is looking to reinforce its presence in North America, consolidating and reinforcing its workforce on Fixed Income e-trading, pricing and booking activities (Rates, Bonds, Repos) and securitization activities, as well as US-specific back office systems (payment, reconciliations). As such, the team is opening a local Project Manager position in Montreal.
Key responsabilities :
The responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to:
- Frame, design and steer different aspects of the Teams’s implementation project: - Put in place the proper governance & comitology - Assist in preparation of steering committee presentations - Share information with all stakeholders - Liaise with different teams - Track actions to closure - Gather achievements, risks and delay - Design the roadmap - Steer budget
- People aspects: - Follow the recruitment plan, both permanents & contractor resources - Facilitate on-boarding of new resources (permanents or contractors) with dedicated materials and packs - Update accordingly the top management
- Relationship with vendors: - Represent the team in cooperation with local procurement vis-a-vis our vendors - Organize and animate our sourcing pipe
- Infrastructure set up: - Follow up the implementation and raise any risks, challenges, delay observed - Put in place requirements of all tools, applications, processes for the Montreal team in a manner that is consistent with the global Teams setup
- Premises: - Follow the correct implementation & availability of positions in accordance with the global ramp up plan
Required Qualifications and Skills:
- 5+ years of experience - Bachelor Degree or equivalent - Autonomy - Leadership - Proven successful experience as a Project director within challenging / startup like environment - Result-oriented mindset - Team player - Excellent presentation skills - Excellent writing skills
Language:
English : mandatory French : is a plus
About the Company:
As the founding entity of RAINBOW PARTNERS, Quanteam is a consulting firm specializing in Banking, Finance, and Financial Services. Guided by our core values of closeness, teamwork, diversity, and excellence, our team of 1,000 expert consultants, representing 35 different nationalities, collaborates across 10 international offices: Paris, Lyon, New York, Montreal, London, Brussels, Geneva, Lisbon, Porto and Casablanca.
We are looking for a Compliance officer specialised with Trade surveillance for one of our clients, an investment bank set in Montreal
Role Overview :
The team’s Department is responsible for overseeing compliance with laws, regulations, guidelines and policies that apply to the firm’s banking and financial activities, particularly in the areas of anti-money laundering, anti-terrorism financing, sanctions & embargoes, know-your-customer obligations, client protection, market integrity, anti-bribery & corruption, data protection and client tax transparency. The Department enables the firm to operate according to essential compliance standards, ensures that the firm non-compliance and reputation risks are controlled, while supporting the business with existing activities and in the development of new products or services. Compliance acts as a second line of defense, developing and implementing policies, procedures, and controls, monitoring activities, advising the business, assessing risks, and providing training to ensure understanding and application of requirements, contributing to spread a culture of compliance within the Group. The team is a global team within the Compliance department responsible for the monitoring of security transactions and Firm communications to ensure compliance with applicable policies, industry rules and regulations. It consists of two surveillance teams, one focused on the monitoring of security transactions and the other on the monitoring of audio and electronic Firm communications. The team is seeking an additional resource in the Firm’s Montreal office to support its monitoring of the U.S. operations. Key responsibilities:
The responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to :
• Review of electronic and audio communication alerts across various business units and escalate issues to relevant stakeholders for investigation and resolution • Participate with the development, testing and implementation of new surveillance scenarios and minimum standards • Participate in regional and global compliance initiatives and investigations • Assist with the review and analysis of new and/or amended industry rules and regulations • Assist with new business initiatives and their potential impact to the surveillance program • Collaborate with regional and global colleagues across multiple departments including but not limited to Front Office, Operations, Technology and Legal • Contribute to the preparation of management metrics and reports
Required Qualifications and Skills:
• 1 to 3 years of experience in either communication surveillance, general compliance and/or financial services • Bachelor degree or equivalent • Knowledge of trading and brokerage operations – front to back processing • Knowledge of Fixed Income or Equities instruments • Advanced skills in working with business clients (front office, accounting, finance, and risk) to understand and document business requirements and priorities, as well as develop technical or user process solutions • Previous experience working with developer teams, with a solid understanding of major SDLC approaches, particularly Agile methodology • Proficiency in understanding and creating queries in SQL • Proficiency in Excel, Word, Microsoft Power Point • Ability to manage multiple priorities, commitments, and projects • Excellent verbal and written communication abilities
Education:
• Bachelor degree or equivalent
Language :
• English : mandatory • French : Mandatory
About the Company:
As the founding entity of RAINBOW PARTNERS, Quanteam is a consulting firm specializing in Banking, Finance, and Financial Services. Guided by our core values of closeness, teamwork, diversity, and excellence, our team of 1,000 expert consultants, representing 35 different nationalities, collaborates across 10 international offices: Paris, Lyon, New York, Montreal, London, Brussels, Geneva, Lisbon, Porto and Casablanca.
We are looking for a Murex Developer for one of our clients, an investment bank set in Montreal or Toronto
About the Company As a Murex Functional Expert specializing in Market Risk, you will play a key role in shaping the Bank’s IT landscape, working at the crossroads of financial markets and cutting-edge technology. Your expertise in Murex, a leading platform for managing derivatives and financial risk, will allow you to make a significant impact on Market Risk management processes, including Value at Risk (VaR), Fundamental Review of the Trading Book (FRTB), and regulatory reporting.
About the Role Provide specialized support for Murex’s Market Risk and Middle Office modules, ensuring seamless integration within the bank’s ecosystem. Analyze risk-related requirements across various asset classes, delivering scalable and compliant solutions. Collaborate with Middle Office teams to enhance VaR calculations, FRTB implementation, and risk reporting within Murex. Ensure automation and compliance, integrating risk analytics and controls into the Bank’s DevOps framework. Support deployments and upgrades of Murex Risk components, working closely with IT, Risk, and Front Office teams. Act as a key point of contact for resolving risk-related issues, coordinating with vendors when necessary.
Responsibilities Provide specialized support for Murex’s Market Risk and Middle Office modules Analyze risk-related requirements across various asset classes, delivering scalable and compliant solutions Collaborate with Middle Office teams to enhance VaR calculations, FRTB implementation, and risk reporting within Murex Ensure automation and compliance, integrating risk analytics and controls into the Bank’s DevOps framework Support deployments and upgrades of Murex Risk components, working closely with IT, Risk, and Front Office teams Act as a key point of contact for resolving risk-related issues, coordinating with vendors when necessary
Required Skills Strong knowledge of Murex Risk and Middle Office modules Understanding of financial markets, derivatives, and risk methodologies (VaR, FRTB) Proficiency in SQL, UNIX, and Agile methodologies Analytical mindset, attention to detail, and a strong motivation to learn
QUI NOUS SOMMES
Quanteam est une société de conseil indépendante spécialisée dans les marchés financiers, implantée en France, au Royaume-Uni, aux États-Unis, au Canada et au Maroc. Forte d’une équipe de 800 collaborateurs, Quanteam accompagne les Banques de Financement et d’Investissement, les compagnies de gestion d’actifs, les assurances et les grandes entreprises dans leurs projets de transformation des systèmes d’information, d’innovation technologique, d’ingénierie financière et de mise en conformité réglementaire.
Nous recherchons un Actuaire Dommages pour travailler avec l’un de nos clients basé à Montréal ou à Québec.
MISSION L’Actuaire Dommages intégrera l’équipe de Surveillance des risques et actuariat corporatif pour intervenir sur des missions variées dans le domaine de l’assurance dommages, notamment en lien avec la gestion des triangles de réserve.
Vos responsabilités incluent : Construire et analyser les triangles de réserve en lien avec la modélisation des risques. Travailler sur Excel pour modéliser les données actuarielles et les projections. Collaborer avec des équipes multidisciplinaires pour mener des analyses quantitatives précises. Participer à des mandats variés nécessitant une expertise en actuariat dommages.
COMPÉTENCES REQUISES Compétences techniques : Bonne maîtrise d’Excel et des outils liés à l’analyse actuarielle. Expertise actuarielle : Expérience dans les calculs de triangles de réserve et la gestion de données actuarielles. Profil académique : Diplôme en mathématiques ou en actuariat. Soft skills : Capacité à travailler sur plusieurs mandats, esprit d’analyse et autonomie.
About the Company:
As the founding entity of RAINBOW PARTNERS, Quanteam is a consulting firm specializing in Banking, Finance, and Financial Services. Guided by our core values of closeness, teamwork, diversity, and excellence, our team of 1,000 expert consultants, representing 35 different nationalities, collaborates across 10 international offices: Paris, Lyon, New York, Montreal, London, Brussels, Geneva, Lisbon, Porto and Casablanca.
We are looking for a Business Analyst specialised with Capital Market for one of our clients, an investment bank set in Montreal
Role Overview :
The team is seeking a hands-on Business Analyst with extensive experience in investment banking, specifically in securities and cash products (Equity and Fixed Income Settlement and Clearance).
Key responsibilities:
The candidate will be responsible for reviewing alerts of potentially suspicious activity generated via the Bank's automated transaction monitoring system; closes or escalates them to a case; and investigates cases.
The responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to : • Business Requirement Analysis: Analyze and understand business requirements, functions, and processes within the fixed income and equities securities processing domain • Solution -Assessment: Drive towards both technical and non-technical solutions, evaluate tactical and strategic approaches, and provide cost and timeframe estimates for solutions • Solution Workshops & Testing: Coordinate solution workshops, oversee the testing phase with users, and obtain necessary signoffs. • Requirement Bridging: Translate precise and detailed business requirements to developers and ensure the accuracy of technical specifications • User Coordination & Testing: Work with users to create comprehensive test plans, develop user sign-off criteria, and be hands-on in analyzing and documenting testing results • Architectural Design: Participate in the design of new architecture in alignment with IS strategIt is critical for the candidate to have a proven track record of collaborating with operations, front office, risk, finance, and external partners. They must be adept at managing business client expectations in a dynamic, time-sensitive environment
Required Qualifications and Skills:
Must Have:
• 7+ years of experience working as a Business Analyst, preferably with at least half of this experience in investment banking on securities and cash products (Equity and Fixed Income Settlement and Clearance) within a Technology team • Knowledge of trading and brokerage operations – front to back processing • Knowledge of Fixed Income or Equities instruments • Advanced skills in working with business clients (front office, accounting, finance, and risk) to understand and document business requirements and priorities, as well as develop technical or user process solutions • Previous experience working with developer teams, with a solid understanding of major SDLC approaches, particularly Agile methodology • Proficiency in understanding and creating queries in SQL • Proficiency in Excel, Word, Microsoft Power Point • Ability to manage multiple priorities, commitments, and projects • Excellent verbal and written communication abilities
Nice to have :
• Familiarity with Broadridge applications (BPS/IMPACT/FinancePraDLR) • Ability to coordinate and facilitate project execution and delivery with teams in different time zones • Proactive, self-motivated, dynamic, and results-oriented with the ability to take on leadership roles when necessary • A team player with a collaborative attitude, able to maintain high discipline levels within the given SDLC process • Ability to understand XML and JSON • Experience working with PowerBI
Education:
• Bachelor’s degree or Master’s in Finance, Business Administration, or Computer Science /Engineering with a minor in Finance..
Language:
English : mandatory French : is a plus
WHO WE ARE
As the founding entity of RAINBOW PARTNERS, Quanteam is a consulting firm specializing in the fields of Banking, Finance, and Financial Services. Guided by our core values of closeness, teamwork, diversity, and excellence, our team of 1,000 expert consultants, representing 35 different nationalities, collaborates across 10 international offices: Paris, Lyon, New York, Montreal, London, Brussels, Geneva, Lisbon, Porto and Casablanca.
We are hiring an intermediate Infrastructure Networking Engineer to work with one of our clients, an international investment bank based in Montreal.
Position Overview
The Network Security Engineer (INET) will oversee, manage, and provide support for IT security infrastructure in production environments across the Americas. This role requires advanced expertise in firewalls, proxies, DNS, and load balancers, along with strong troubleshooting and implementation skills in network security solutions. The ideal candidate must be capable of handling multiple projects simultaneously, possess deep technical knowledge, and demonstrate strong project management and communication skills. The position also requires 24/7 support availability and occasional regional travel.
Key Responsibilities
The Network Security Engineer will be responsible for:
Designing, configuring, maintaining, and troubleshooting security infrastructure, including firewalls, proxies, DNS, and load balancers, in compliance with corporate standards. Deploying and managing firewall platforms, specifically Fortinet and CheckPoint. Maintaining and supporting HTTP/HTTPS and SOCKS proxies, particularly Bluecoat SG Series and McAfee. Monitoring and auditing security systems, including firewalls and proxies, through regular security checks. Documenting incidents and configurations, utilizing SNMP-based reporting tools. Providing daily operational support, assisting with deploying and troubleshooting security systems. Performing proactive maintenance (OS upgrades, hardware patches, and fixes). Collaborating with cybersecurity teams to define, implement, and improve security policies. Interacting with business units to ensure project compliance with security requirements and address technical challenges. Adhering to security policies and best practices to mitigate IT risks and enhance production stability through proper documentation. Requirements
Professional Experience
At least 3 years of experience as a Network Security Administrator, ideally in the financial services sector. Experience in IT support. Certifications such as CISSP, CCSA, or CCSE are a plus but not mandatory.
Technical Skills
In-depth knowledge of: Load balancing: F5 LTM/GTM. o Firewalls: CheckPoint, Fortinet. o Proxies: McAfee, Blue Coat. o DNS/DHCP systems: Infoblox. Strong understanding of TCP/IP fundamentals and network security technologies such as clustering, NAT, VPN, and transparent mode. Proficiency in CLI commands (Bash, Shell, IOS, etc.). Experience with CheckPoint Multi-Domain Server and Fortinet security tools. Familiarity with network automation and monitoring tools (HP Network Automation, SolarWinds, Zabbix) is an advantage.
Soft Skills & Work Ethic
Strong technical expertise and project management skills. Excellent communication and teamwork abilities. Self-motivated and capable of working independently. Ability to work in a collaborative team environment. Willingness to provide 24/7 support when required.
About the Company:
As the founding entity of RAINBOW PARTNERS, Quanteam is a consulting firm specializing in Banking, Finance, and Financial Services. Guided by our core values of closeness, teamwork, diversity, and excellence, our team of 1,000 expert consultants, representing 35 different nationalities, collaborates across 10 international offices: Paris, Lyon, New York, Montreal, London, Brussels, Geneva, Lisbon, Porto and Casablanca.
We are looking for a FullStack developer specialised with FrontEnd technologies (Angular and React) for one of our clients, an investment bank set in Montreal
Role Overview :
The team is responsible for Information Systems, Real Estate, Sourcing, Group Data Office & Global Solution Center. The team is responsible for providing the Group with innovative digital capabilities and tools and assisting them in this technological transformation. The aim is to develop and deploy innovative and industrial digital capabilities for the Group, with the aim of enabling the complete digitalization of business paths. Key responsibilities:
The responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to :
• Design and development of product evolutions on the front-end components (Angular & React JS), as well as on the back-end components (Java & Kotlin language). • Respect for virtuous development practices contributing to the improvement of code quality and maintainability (clean coding, craftmanship • Implement the "software factory" to build and deploy the application. • Proposal of technical solutions and realization POC if necessary. • Technical support of the product with users and teams implementing it • Product start-up operations • Assistance third-party entities with implementing the product to then integrate it. • Active participation in the team's Agile ceremonies. • Documentation of the product, its components, and team practices.
Required Qualifications and Skills:
Must Have:
• 5+ years of experience in a similar role. • Angular, React, Bootstrap • Java, Kotlin • SQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle • SpringBoot • ElasticSearch, Kibana, Matomo • Kubernetes • GitHub, GitHub Actions, Sonar, Jenkins • the candidate must suggest pragmatical solutions to fit the need of the team project, while respecting the quality standards. • The candidate has to be able to understand complex problems involving multiple IT teams or users.
Language:
English : mandatory French : is a plus
About the Company:
As the founding entity of RAINBOW PARTNERS, Quanteam is a consulting firm specializing in Banking, Finance, and Financial Services. Guided by our core values of closeness, teamwork, diversity, and excellence, our team of 1,000 expert consultants, representing 35 different nationalities, collaborates across 10 international offices: Paris, Lyon, New York, Montreal, London, Brussels, Geneva, Lisbon, Porto and Casablanca.
We are looking for a Change and Transformation Lead for one of our clients, an investment bank set in Montreal
Role Overview :
The candidate wil be responsible for smoothing and leading an efficient transition of Applications and IT infrastructure Services The candidate will assess, design and deliver the transformation projects yielding in desire, quantifiable outcome.
Key responsabilities :
The responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to : • Develop suitable business transformation strategies • Guide leaders throughout transformational changes • Lead change management projects and set out desired change outcomes for the organization • Lead engagement with stakeholders on overcoming barriers to change • Assess the organization of teams to remove internal change barriers • Work with IT service providers and come up with joint propositions of transformation programs, assess their feasibility and manage the execution of projects that are validated • Track the outcome of transformation projects against their outcomes/objectives • Set out process change and change management across the organization • Review and suggest changes if necessary to the operating models, methods, processes and tools • Conformance to agreed quality management system • Instill the practice of innovation & CI (Continuous Improvements) in the structure • Continuous focus on productivity gains, efficiency and cost savings • Comply with all applicable legal, regulatory and internal Compliance requirements
Required Qualifications and Skills:
Must Have:
• 10+ years of experience • Extensive experience in IT transformation projects • Knowledge of Applications and IT infra for an IT delivery center • Knowledge of IT security • Experience of working with investment banking products • Ability to challenge the status quo • Excellent communication, analytical and organizational skills • Knowledge of banking domain and more specifically, investment banking • Effective presentation skills in front of management
Language:
English : mandatory French : is a plus
About the Company:
As the founding entity of RAINBOW PARTNERS, Quanteam is a consulting firm specializing in Banking, Finance, and Financial Services. Guided by our core values of closeness, teamwork, diversity, and excellence, our team of 1,000 expert consultants, representing 35 different nationalities, collaborates across 10 international offices: Paris, Lyon, New York, Montreal, London, Brussels, Geneva, Lisbon, Porto and Casablanca.
We are looking for a Devops SRE specialist for one of our clients, an investment bank set in Montreal
Role Overview :
The team’s mission is to provide tools for IT development by leveraging DevOps practices.
The Team has members in Paris, Bangalore, and Montreal.
The team has to ensure best practices in terms of reliability, resilience, and infrastructure performance for the environments where our applications are hosted, an SRE squad has been established. This team focuses on automating cloud infrastructure provisioning, monitoring the platform, migrating legacy infrastructure, and other initiatives aimed at enhancing service performance and reducing incidents.
The team provides developers with a comprehensive suite of tools and platforms. These include the Integrated Development Environment (IDE), Software Development Kits (SDKs), and the administration of GIT servers, Jenkins/TeamCity servers, Jira, Nexus, Sonar, and XLDeploy, both on-premises and in Azure.
Key responsibilities:
The responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to : Support and Adoption: Ensure the stability and availability of the software factory’s services and tools Adhere to the platform’s SLA in a Follow-The-Sun (FTS) support model Operate services in compliance with security regulations Communicate effectively regarding incidents and planned releases Assist application teams in adopting best practices for industrializing their Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery (CD) pipelines Support application teams in using the CI/CD tools provided
Development and Evolution of the Offering : Develop prototypes and conduct Proof of Concepts (POCs) to validate new tools for the software factory Install, upgrade, and maintain tools and new instances Reduce support workload through increased automation and the use of chatbots Contribute to the evolution of the offer on Microsoft Azure Public Cloud Define and implement monitoring KPIs to establish SLOs/SLAs/SLIs and monitor application performance
Knowledge Sharing: Contribute to documentation and promote the correct use of tools Write internal processes to improve support team efficiency Advocate for best practices on the Continuous Delivery platform and participate in the “Test and Deployment” community Serve as the regional (AMER) expert on CI/CD tools, offering advice and guidance when needed
Required Qualifications and Skills:
Must Have:
At least 5 years of experience in development or administration of Software Factory tools Experience with Linux, Bash, Python, Jenkins, Git, and Monitoring tools Autonomy: capable of independently leading meetings with users, representing the department to application managers, and escalating issues when necessary Ability to understand internal tools, prioritize tasks, follow up on ongoing actions, and keep stakeholders informed of any delays Strong oral and written communication skills, including presentation skills (ability to present CI/CD tools)
Nice to Have: Experience Microsoft Azure, build tools (Maven, MSBuild, npm, etc.), TeamCity, Jira, GitHub Enterprise, XLDeploy, Nexus, JFrog Platform, Artifactory, Sonar, PowerShell, Kubernetes, Docker, Terraform, ArgoCD, and GitHub Actions.
LANGUAGE: English : mandatory French : is a plus
