Markets hold the key to climate solutions October 22, 2019 One of the odder elements of our climate debate is the unwillingness of any political party to champion the green progress Britain has made recently. After all, last year more than half of the UK’s energy came from nuclear or renewables — a remarkable achievement. Yet politicians, for once, seem strangely reticent to shout about [...]
Watchdog extends Thomas Cook probe December 19, 2019 The UK’s accounting watchdog is extending its investigation into the collapse of travel operator Thomas Cook. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) announced a probe into EY’s audit of Thomas Cook’s financial statements for the year ended 30 September 2018 following the company’s collapse earlier this year. Read more: Thomas Cook went bust with liabilities of [...]
Sir John Kingman says lack of government action putting audit reform at risk October 15, 2019 The author of a report into the future of the audit regulator warned today that lack of government action risks letting the watchdog “drift on, half-reformed”. Former mandarin Sir John Kingman undertook the report into the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) following the failure of outsourcer Carillion in 2018. Kingman expressed his concerns in a letter [...]
EY appoints audit chief to run UK and Ireland business March 12, 2020 EY has picked its audit chief to run its UK business, continuing the Big Four’s woeful record of senior female leadership. Hywel Ball, who has been with the firm for 35 years, was today appointed as UK and Ireland managing partner from 1 July, succeeding Steve Varley. Ball’s selection over potential female candidates continues the [...]
MPs call for audit watchdog to reform after endorsing new chair Simon Dingemans July 22, 2019 An influential committee of MPs has called for radical reforms from Britain’s accountancy watchdog after endorsing the appointment of its proposed new chair. Parliament’s Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee (Beis) has given its approval for Simon Dingemans to take over as chair of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), but has urged the group to [...]
Thomas Cook: Travel giant ‘collapsed with a £3.1bn balance sheet deficit’ September 25, 2019 Thomas Cook would have run out of cash by early October had it not gone into liquidation on Monday, such was the calamitous state of the travel giant’s finances, according to reports. In a High Court witness statement, now-former chief executive Peter Fankhauser said the firm had a balance sheet deficit of more than £3bn. [...]
Not as easy as 1,2,3: Seven accounting errors that rocked FTSE firms January 22, 2020 Ted Baker today experienced the dubious honour of joining a list of FTSE firms that have been shaken by accounting errors in the past year. The fashion retailer revealed an accounting error was more than twice as bad as it previously thought, knocking shares down seven per cent. But it is by no means the [...]
Exclusive: EY plans major private equity push as audit reform looms over sector January 19, 2020 Big Four firm EY is planning a major private equity push as it grapples with potential regulatory changes that could dramatically alter the face of the firm, City A.M. can reveal. Its transaction advisory division is understood to be looking to boost its capabilities in the private equity sector, with the goal of winning more [...]
Softbank in talks to take over KPMG’s private members’ club November 19, 2019 Softbank is reportedly in talks to take over the KPMG’s controversial private members’ club in Mayfair, after regulators expressed concerns the auditor was giving memberships to its clients as perks. KPMG put the five-storey club, called Number Twenty, on the market in September as part of a cost-cutting drive but stepped up efforts to offload [...]
PwC fined £4.5m for ‘lack of competence’ in Redcentric audit June 13, 2019 The audit watchdog has fined PwC more than £4.5m for a “serious lack of competence” in its audit of IT services firm Redcentric. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) slammed the auditors’ failure to exercise professional scepticism following an investigation after a £20m black hole was found in Redcentric’s accounts in 2016. Read more: PwC invests [...]