MPs call for crackdown on ‘excessive’ bonuses after Persimmon pay row and Royal Mail boss’ ‘golden hello’ March 26, 2019 MPs have called for a crackdown on excessive bonuses in a bid to avoid repeats of “shaming” pay packets, such as the £75m given to former Persimmon boss Jeff Fairburn. The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy committee called for companies to introduce an “absolute cap” on remuneration to avoid unpredictable long term incentive awards. It [...]
Institute of Directors concerned over future of UK corporate governance under new audit regulator March 21, 2019 The Institute of Directors has expressed concern over the future of corporate governance in the UK following the establishment of a new audit regulator. The influential business organisation said the proposed regulator that is set to replace the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), which is being abolished in the wake of a string of corporate scandals, [...]
Sterling dips lower as Theresa May seeks only a short Brexit delay from EU March 20, 2019 Sterling took a hit this morning as it emerged Theresa May has ruled out seeking a long Brexit delay from the EU. Read more: Prime Minister rules out long Brexit delay Downing Street said the Prime Minister will only request a short extension to Article 50, likely to the end of June, as the UK [...]
Brexit vote live: MPs vote to delay Brexit by extending Article 50 beyond 29 March March 14, 2019 Hello and welcome to City A.M.’s Brexit live blog for the second of potentially three huge votes on the UK’s departure from the EU. Prime Minister Theresa May was defeated in the House of Commons in a second vote on her Brexit deal on Tuesday, losing by 391 votes to 242. Last night, MPs voted [...]
Regulators for accountants and lawyers slammed for weak money laundering supervision March 12, 2019 Most regulators for accountants and lawyers are not doing enough to scrutinise money laundering, a senior regulator said today. A review of the Office for Professional Body Anti Money Laundering Supervision (OPBAS) which was set up a year ago to monitor the performance of regulators, found many were not doing the job satisfactorily. Alison Barker, [...]
Working groups established to help finance sector deal with climate change March 12, 2019 Four working groups have been set up to deal with the risks climate change poses to the UK’s financial system, the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said. The groups will focus on risk management, scenario analysis, disclosure and innovation, the groups said. The decision was made at the first meeting of the Climate [...]
Financial Reporting Council to be scrapped in shake-up of audit sector March 11, 2019 The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) will be scrapped and replaced with a new beefed-up watchdog following a review into the audit sector by Sir John Kingman, the government announced today. The new regulator will have stronger statutory powers, including the ability to make direct changes to accounts and powers to require rapid explanations from companies [...]
City Moves for 8 March 2019 – Who’s switching jobs at McCarthy Denning, Fox Williams and MSCI? March 8, 2019 Today's City Moves include McCarthy Denning, Fox Williams and MSCI. McCarthy Denning McCarthy Denning is pleased to announce that Sheikh Bilal Khan has joined the firm as a partner and global head of Islamic finance. Sheikh Bilal Khan is dual-qualified in English and Shariah Law, and has won numerous accolades for his work. He belongs [...]
Barclays banker says she knew nothing of £322m services deal with Qatar February 26, 2019 Evidence from a former vice-chairman of Barclays Capital was read to a London court today, revealing she was not aware of two services agreements the bank struck with Qatar in 2008. Gay Huey Evans, who is currently deputy chairman of the Financial Reporting Council, said Barclays’ former executive chairman of investment banking Roger Jenkins was [...]
Financial Reporting Council extends probe into Carillion’s accounts February 26, 2019 Britain’s accounting watchdog will look even further into the past in its investigation of the audit of failed outsourcing giant Carillion. For the first time the Financial Reporting Council’s (FRC) probe will stretch to work done in 2013 – but a spokesperson declined to say why this was. Read more: KPMG boss confident in Carillion [...]