Ban private firms from auditing Scotland’s public spending, urges report
The Scottish Government should ban private firms from auditing local authorities’ accounts as their involvement is an obstacle to transparency […]
Stock horror – review of David Ricketts’ ‘When the Fund Stops’ and Owen Walker’s ‘Built on A Lie’
When Neil Woodford’s fund management group collapsed in October 2019, it sent shock waves through the investment world. But it
“Spank The Banker” post-film chat
I was a guest alongside the economist and former MP and former member of the Treasury Committee George Kerevan, the
Banking’s journey from virtue to vice
Award-winning author and writer Ian Fraser explores how and why Scotland’s banking industry, much admired by Adam Smith, fell from
Risk management: how corporates can fix risk blindness
When it came to predicting the coronavirus pandemic, which has spread worldwide since the first case was detected in China
Five new predictions for the future of money
1 End of cash 1 End of cash Reports of the death of cash have not been exaggerated. Professor Chris
Why the time is right for infrastructure investment
The world is facing a gargantuan $15-trillion infrastructure investment gap. According to Lawrence Slade, chief executive of the Global Infrastructure
Master Criminals of the Universe: review of Anastasia Nesvetailova and Ronen Palan’s ‘Sabotage’
Sitting in a white leather armchair at a hustings event in June last year, Boris Johnson bragged that he had,
The state of British banking on Renegade Inc, with Ross Aschcroft
It was a pleasure to appear alongside the former Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley Police, Anthony Stansfeld on
Could a rise in insolvencies actually be good for business?
It’s easy to forget that the UK has been living through what BBC economics editor Faisal Islam describes as “a
Addressing peer-to-peer lending’s wafer-thin margins
Putting money into peer-to-peer (P2P) lending once seemed like a no-brainer. The original companies in the sector, including Zopa, carefully
Hype, millions raised and failure: welcome to fintech
The emerging financial technology sector has big challenges to overcome Seldom has a warning seemed so prescient, so quickly. Last
Tax: how fear of reputational risk can drive real change
Not too long ago, the heads of tax at large multinational companies saw their jobs as bit of a game.
Race is on as tech shakes up capital markets
The main players in global capital markets – investment banks, asset managers and stock exchanges – collectively generate some $500
As Ross McEwan steps down as RBS CEO, Ian Fraser assesses the health of the bank he leaves behind
In light of the resignation of Ross McEwan, Chief Executive of the Royal Bank of Scotland, Ian Fraser — author
Five predictions for the future of money
When considering the future of money, a key trend across all developed economies is how cash is at risk of
Darling warns of ‘reckless’ no-deal Brexit
Former chancellor of the exchequer Alistair Darling has pointed to strong parallels between the banking crisis of 2007-09 and the crisis
Banks: when will our lily-livered politicians take on the banks
The trouble is that the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath MP’s “comprehensive bank rescue plan” (he didn’t like calling it a bailout)
RBS, the FCA and the Treasury – Making it Happen
Her Majesty’s Treasury was in driver’s cab as SME customers of RBS / NatWest were driven to destruction The biggest
Carillion collapse prompts audit rethink
Monday, 15th January 2018 will probably be seen as the UK audit industry’s ‘tobacco moment’ – a day that caused
The next crisis
As the dust settled on the global financial crisis of 2008, just after many of the world’s largest banks and