By: Maria Ward-Brennan

Professional Services Editor Maria Ward-Brennan is the Professional Services Editor at City AM, focused on law, Big Four, and other management and accounting consulting firms. She edits the Beyond The Billable newsletter and column. She was previously a litigation reporter at The Lawyer. Contact her via email at maria.ward-brennan@cityam.com or on X @MariaW_B.

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Mini-bond trial: London Capital & Finance administrators legal battle against former executives commences

February 19, 2024

The administrators of London Capital and Finance (LCF) civil legal proceedings kick off today against the former executives of the company, including its former CEO Michael ‘Andy’ Thomson. The investment company collapsed back in 2019 after an intervention by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) following a discovery that LCF was marketing unregulated mini-bonds along with [...]
Why Heston Blumenthal has asked Companies House for greater transparency

February 17, 2024

Michelin star chef Heston Blumenthal has asked the boss of Companies House and Registrar for "greater transparency" after one of his business was scammed.
Petrofac: Two former executives charged with bribery by UK anti-fraud agency

February 16, 2024

The UK anti-fraud agency has revealed it charged two former Petrofac senior executives with bribery over influencing contracts awards. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has charged Marwan Chedid and George Salibi, who worked in various senior roles within Petrofac Group in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The SFO alleges that from 2012 to 2018, Chedid [...]
Former Goldman Sachs analyst given 22-month prison term for insider trading

February 16, 2024

A former Goldman Sachs analyst who was found guilty of six counts of insider trading and three counts of fraud has been sentenced to 22 months in prison.
Nigel Farage threatens Natwest with legal action unless it settles his compensation claim

February 16, 2024

Nigel Farage threatens Natwest new CEO Paul Thwaite with legal action with an aim to make "sale of shares very difficult", unless the bank settles "an ongoing compensation claim with him"
Natwest confirms Paul Thwaite as new boss with £1.2m annual salary

February 16, 2024

Paul Thwaite has been confirmed by Natwest's board to be the new group CEO, as he is set to take home a £1.1m pay package
Close Brothers shares collapse after FCA auto finance probe forces it to scrap dividend

February 15, 2024

Shares in Close Brothers have collapsed after it scrapped dividend payouts for the current financial year and put 2025 rewards under review, with the group bracing for potential compensation costs from a motor finance review by the City watchdog. The news sent the group’s shares down 28 per cent in London on Thursday morning. Close [...]
Relx revenue jumps as demand for the firm’s AI tools and data analysis surges

February 15, 2024

Tech group Relx's revenue surpassed £9bn in the 2023 financial year as the company benefitted from the growth of information-based analytics and decision tools.
SFO chief wants to pay whistleblowers – but City lawyers warn policy faces hurdles

February 14, 2024

City lawyers have warned that implementing a policy of paying financial crime whistleblowers rewards in the UK won't be straight forward and faces a number of legal and cultural challenges.
Mastercard and Visa are back in court over interchange fees

February 14, 2024

The lawsuits allege that Mastercard and Visa both acted unlawfully by overcharging businesses for accepting credit and debit card payments on corporate and consumer cards.

‘Expect to be spied on’: MI5 chief warns UK tech startups over foreign threats

Football regulator warns Burnham: I’ll quit if ministers meddle in Manchester City

Artificial is a terrifying look at AI – and the year’s most important film

By: Maria Ward-Brennan

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