Financial Reporting Council confirms plans to investigate KPMG over Hbos handling January 21, 2016 The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has confirmed plans to launch an investigation into KPMG and its handling of Hbos’ accounts today. In a statement this morning, the regulator said it had asked its executive counsel to undertake preliminary enquiries under the accountancy scheme, the disciplinary scheme for members of the accounting profession. The FRC will examine [...]
Job interview questions from some of the UK’s top accountancy firms, including PwC, Deloitte, KPMG and EY January 20, 2016 If yesterday's banking interview questions left you in a tizzy, maybe accountancy is more your cup of tea. City A.M. went back on careers website Glassdoor.com to find out just what calibre of questions wannabe bean counters and spreadsheet drafters could expect from their potential employers. PwC Senior accountant: If you were to be re-incarnated as an animal, [...]
Better on stormy seas than calmer water: Lessons from family-owned firms January 20, 2016 Western business has long criticised the family-run firm. From succession disputes to their reliance on dual-class shares and pyramid structures to clip the wings of external investors, they’re not often held up as models of corporate achievement. But research by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has found that 40 per cent of French and German companies with [...]
The UK clocked up £732m worth of fraud in 2015, up from £717m the year before, with crimes committed in London and the South East accounting for more than half the value January 19, 2016 Frauds in the UK in 2015 were worth £732m, up from £717m in 2014. A report out today by professional services firm KPMG, which studied fraud cases that reached UK courts with losses worth £100,000 or more, also discovered that the average value of fraud per case studied had risen to £2.4m, up from £2m in 2014. Crimes committed [...]
Economists: Iran faces barriers to strong growth January 18, 2016 The lifting of sanctions against Iran has not erased pessimism over the future of its economic growth. Iran’s economic growth plummeted after sanctions relating to its nuclear programme were put in place. Yet some are warning the removal of restrictions may not mark a return to high levels of pre-sanctions growth for a sustained period. “Given [...]
Accounting watchdog meeting to decide on KPMG investigation into the auditor’s role over HBOS collapse January 18, 2016 The accountancy watchdog could decide as soon as tomorrow whether to launch a formal investigation into the role of big four accountancy giant KPMG in the collapse of HBOS in 2008. The Financial Reporting Council’s (FRC) conduct committee is set to meet tomorrow to make its decision, Sky News has reported. The conduct committee will [...]
2016 already looking positive for financial services jobs as top consultants net salaries of £97,000 January 18, 2016 The new year may have only just begun but there are already signs of 2016 being a strong year for financial sector jobs. According to findings released today by recruiter Morgan McKinley, many employers have already kicked off their 2016 hiring. “Despite a rude awakening to the start of the year from financial markets, we’ve actually [...]
Panmure storms into the top five London advisors January 18, 2016 Small cap specialist broker Panmure Gordon has broken into the top five City advisers chart this morning as financial data publisher Adviser Rankings unveiled its tenth annual corporate advisers rankings for 2015. The firm soared five places up the table, jumping from tenth in 2014. Panmure also managed to hold onto its third place position [...]
Banks warned of sharp rise in ransomware attacks as one in four firms are prepared to pay a ransom to hackers to avoid cyber attacks January 13, 2016 One in four firms is prepared to pay a ransom to hackers to avoid a cyber attack, just as banks are warned of ransomware attacks against them rising sharply. With cybercrime a growing threat and strict new EU legislation imposing steep sanctions on firms that fail to protect themselves, it’s no surprise that cybersecurity has [...]
New accounting standard will change the way companies treat leases on their balance sheets, but could influence a shift away from sale and leaseback January 13, 2016 A new accounting standard will change the way companies recognise leases on their balance sheets, and could see businesses alter the way they approach property. International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 16 Leases, which was published today by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), is due to come into effect from 1 January 2019 and will [...]