KPMG encourages whistleblowing to avoid media leaks after CEO’s exit August 26, 2021 KPMG are reportedly urging staff to use its whistleblowing system to report concerns instead of the media, after a leaked meeting recording led to its former head Bill Michael stepping down, first reported by Financial News. The ex KPMG boss, who left the firm in February, made comments around “unconscious bias” during an online town [...]
FRC to ‘strengthen’ audit governance code to tackle Big Four accounting scandals August 26, 2021 The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has today announced proposals to update and “strengthen” its Audit Firm Governance Code and establish “operational separation” at the Big Four firms. The proposed changes are aimed at clarifying the role of partnership boards in holding management to account, said the UK accounting watchdog in a statement. A key proposal [...]
Return to office delayed for unvaccinated Credit Suisse staff in US August 25, 2021 Credit Suisse has told its unvaccinated US employees to continue to work from home until mid-October while vaccinated staff can return to the office from September, according to reports. The Swiss lender postponed the date when all of its US staff would be required to return to working from the office to 18 October, according [...]
Deloitte mandates vaccinations for staff in US offices August 25, 2021 Auditing giant Deloitte has told staff coming into its US offices from October, that they must be vaccinated against Covid-19, according to reports. Chief executive officer of Deloitte US, Joe Ucuzoglu, told staff in an email that from 11 October they would be required to reveal their vaccination status on a secure company website, according [...]
End of Len McCluskey era: Unite union to get first woman leader today August 25, 2021 The giant Unite union is set to have its first female general secretary after a ballot to decide the successor to Len McCluskey. Voting papers will be formally counted today, but Sharon Graham, an assistant general secretary of the union, is expected to win. It is believed she has achieved a few thousand more votes [...]
Lawyers urge UK government to save Afghan judges and artists August 24, 2021 City law firm Bates Wells has urged the Home Office to urgently help lawyers, academics and activists in Afghanistan, as the crisis in the country continues. The firm called on the government to take on board recommendations made in a joint letter by the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA) and the Afghanistan and Central Asian [...]
McKinsey wins govt contract worth up to £3m: fights off competition from EY, Bain and Boston Consulting August 23, 2021 McKinsey & Company has won a contract worth up to £3m to consult the government on digital, data and technology services ahead of the annual spending review, according to reports. The firm fought off competition from EY, Bain and Boston Consulting Group, according to reports, which suggest that the contract, valued at £53,571 per day, [...]
Global anti-money laundering fines surge as regulators dole out tougher penalties August 23, 2021 Global anti-money laundering (AML) fines at banks and financial services firms soared to $2.2bn (£1.6bn) last year, fives times higher than in 2019, as regulators have stuck to tougher lines on the industry, according to reports. In its latest review Kroll, a governance and risk consultancy, found that watchdogs levied almost $1bn of AML fines in [...]
Dentist wins £15,000 damages in libel after wild accusations surfaced online August 20, 2021 A retired dentist and his partner have won a website libel fight after becoming involved in a dispute over land in a Cumbrian village. Dr Richard Wozniak and Bridget Kelly, who had retired to Cumbria and bought a house in Rosgill six years ago, sued villager Chloe Randall. Ms Randall had fought the libel claim, [...]
Law firm Irwin Mitchell reaches ‘landmark’ £1bn assets under management August 20, 2021 Irwin Mitchell’s wealth management team has reached £1bn of assets under management (AUM) this week, the company has announced today. The firm, which also recently announced an 11th year of consecutive growth, launched its wealth management division in 2000 and focussed on providing financial planning and investment management to personal injury clients in receipt of [...]