Lessons still not learnt, warns Nick Leeson

In every industry, the vast majority of frauds are committed by the defrauded company’s own staff. But nearly 10 years after the collapse of Baring Brothers, banks have been slow to understand how to manage employee risk.

That was the message from the world’s best-known rogue trader, Nick Leeson, at a seminar organized by advisers Square Mile Compliance and Risk Audit in London last month. Leeson compared his own story with more recent scandals such as those of Allied Irish Bank’s rogue trader John Rusnak, or the four currency traders suspended by National Australia Bank earlier this year.

Has big business put checks in place to catch rogue employees before they do significant damage? Leeson suggests not.

Access intelligence that drives action

To unlock this research, enter your email to log in or enquire about access