Credit Suisse settles spying case with former executive banker July 26, 2021 Credit Suisse has reached an out-of-court settlement with its former star banker Iqbal Khan whose explosive allegations of corporate espionage led to the resignation of chief executive Tidjane Thiam, the Swiss bank said on Sunday. “All involved parties have agreed to settle,” said Credit Suisse, according to the Financial Times. “This matter is now closed.” The [...]
NatWest’s Ulster bank to sell €7.6bn of assets to Irish bank Permanent TSB July 23, 2021 NatWest’s Ulster Bank is set to sell €7.6bn of loans and 25 branches to Irish bank Permanent TSB, as the British bank backs out of Ireland. Permanent TSB (PTSB) and Ulster Bank’s owner, NatWest, have signed a deal that will see between 400 and 500 Ulster Bank employees’ transfer over. The proposal will also have [...]
Barclays appoints Ingrid Hengster as Germany head July 22, 2021 Barclays announced the appointment of Ingrid Hengster as country chief executive for Germany and global chairman of investment banking. Hengster joins from KfW, the German state-owned investment and development bank, where she held the role of executive board member since 2014. “The almost eight years at KfW were very rewarding because I had the opportunity [...]
Six million SMEs risk ‘being forgotten’ in net zero transition, banks warn July 22, 2021 The UK’s six million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) could be “forgotten or left behind” in the country’s net zero transition, warns Bankers for Net Zero in a report. The initiative – supported by Barclays, Handelsbanken, Triodos, Ecology Building Society, ClearBank and Tide – argues that measures need to be implemented to avoid leaving SMEs unprepared [...]
Bank of England Andrew Bailey concedes shortcomings in diversity July 21, 2021 Governor Andrew Bailey has promised to do more to address systemic racial inequality after a review found “material disparities” persist at the Bank of England. Staff from ethnic minority backgrounds were less likely to be promoted, received smaller bonuses and were afforded fewer opportunities for career development and progression than their white colleagues, according to the [...]
Barclays names new investment bank heads July 20, 2021 Barclays has promoted JF Astier and John Miller to lead its investment banking business, as part of a new management team to oversee the business that mainly advises on big corporate deals such as mergers and stock market listings. The bank said the team, which will also include the heads of divisions such as human resources, [...]
Regulation and investors’ demands push fund managers towards ESG July 20, 2021 Regulatory imperatives and investor demand are driving an increased focus on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) principles, according to a PwC report published today. The study found that three-quarters of the fund managers questioned – holding £15.5 trillion in assets – are being influenced by investors and policymakers to drive sustainability outcomes. Regulation 76 [...]
‘What I Know Is…’: black professionals share their experiences July 20, 2021 | City Talk One of the main reasons for the under-representation of black professionals in investment management is the lack of knowledge and information about joining the investment profession and the opportunities that it can deliver. For the financial sector which is increasingly focused on sustainability and where corporates are increasingly rewarded for good ESG policies, ensuring that [...]
FCA warns fund managers to improve their “poor-quality” ESG applications July 20, 2021 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has told fund managers that their “poor-quality” ESG fund applications must improve. The UK watchdog said it has received “numerous” applications with a sustainability focus that were “poorly drafted” and fell below its expectations. “They often contain claims that do not bear scrutiny,” the FCA wrote in a letter to [...]
Swiss bank UBS hits highest profits in over five years across all regions July 20, 2021 Swiss bank UBS posted net profits north of $2bn today, as handling assets for the ultra-wealthy proves to be a money-maker for world’s largest wealth manager. Net profits saw a 63 per cent jump in the second-quarter, which exceeded analyst forecasts by more than half a billion dollars. “The momentum is on our side. We [...]