Reeves’ £28bn wealth fund under fresh scrutiny Politics Rachel Reeves’ flagship National Wealth Fund has come under scrutiny after an audit identified “weaknesses” in the multi-billion pound vehicle’s risk controls. An audit of the National Wealth Fund (NWF) pointed to potential failures in the effectiveness of risk, management, governance and internal controls. Whilst the findings from the report confirmed “improvements have taken place”, [...]
British businesses lead the world in risk management Business UK businesses lead global peers in risk oversight, with nearly eight in ten British businesses reporting that boards are directly involved, a figure significantly higher than global peers. According to Aon’s new ‘global risk management survey’, senior leadership in the UK is taking on greater responsibility for the risks their businesses face, as three-quarters of [...]
Geopolitical instability hits the bottom line as businesses suffer investment losses insurance Businesses have suffered losses in international projects or investments due to geopolitical and economic risks, with interest in political risk insurance (PRI) soaring as a result. According to a new report by insurer Howden, over half of the companies surveyed, comprising around 500 senior risk and treasury function decision-makers, reported suffering a political loss to [...]
Barclays slapped with £42m fine for financial crime failings July 16, 2025 Barclays has been hit with a £42m fine by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for separate instances where the bank failed in its financial crime risk management. The City watchdog blasted Barclays for failing to check it had gathered “sufficient information to understand the money laundering risk” before it opened a client money account for [...]
Bank of England hits Mastercard subsidiary with £12m fine July 9, 2025 A Mastercard-owned company has been fined almost £12m by the Bank of England after it failed to fully comply with a regulatory order to fix weaknesses in its risk management. Vocalink – which was acquired by Mastercard in 2017 – has been slapped with the £11.9m fine due to failing to meet directions from the [...]
National wealth fund boss slams banking industry’s risk appetite June 30, 2025 The boss of the National Wealth Fund has blasted the banking industry’s risk appetite and cited the lack of risk-taking as the reason for waning growth figures. Speaking at City Week on Monday, John Flint, the chief executive of the newly-established government body, said: “The banking system is very heavily regulated and in the best [...]
FCA reviewing bank risk appetite to boost home ownership June 24, 2025 The Financial Conduct Authority has said it will review lenders’ risk-taking in its bid to boost home ownership. The City watchdog said it was seeking a “public conversation” on the “future of the mortgage market” as it looks to support economic growth through an overhaul on mortgage rules. An update to “responding lending rules” was [...]
A third of UK fintechs put customers data at risk of cyber attack May 29, 2025 UK fintechs are putting thousands of customers in jeopardy by leaving themselves vulnerable to a cyber attack, shocking new research reveals. Nearly 800 firms’ digital presence was analysed by the ethical hacking platform Ethiack as it scrutinised their cybersecurity. Four in ten fintechs were found to be giving hackers a “powerful headstart” by revealing software [...]
FCA to rip up insurance rules in drive for growth May 14, 2025 The Financial Conduct Authority has outlined plans to ditch “outdated or duplicated” insurance rules in a bid to help firms reduce costs and drive competition. The City regulator’s fresh proposals would hand firms greater responsibility over reviewing the value of their product. This would involve companies using the risks and characteristics of each individual product [...]
Britain will miss out on the AI revolution unless it recalibrates attitudes to risk February 13, 2025 Britain is well-placed to be at the forefront of AI breakthrough but for one thing: its deep-seated culture of risk aversion. To foster a more entrepreneurial culture, there are three things the UK should do, says Lewis Z Liu The UK has a unique set of advantages to lead the AI revolution. It boasts world-class [...]