PwC pays largest ever uncontested fine to Financial Reporting Council over Cattles audit sign-off August 31, 2016 The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) today fined PwC £2.3m in relation to the 2007 audit of failed sub-prime lender Cattles. The fines are the highest ever imposed by the FRC for an uncontested disciplinary hearing and only surpassed by the £3m of penalties accepted on appeal by Deloitte in connection with the failure of MG Rover. Total fines of £3.5m were reduced [...]
Sports Direct is in the hot seat again this week December 4, 2016 Sports Direct will be in the spotlight again this week as it reports its interims on Thursday. Analysts are predicting chief executive Mike Ashley will announce a profit fall of 25 per cent to £170m. The City will also be looking for signs that Sports Direct is improving its corporate governance, something the retailer promised to focus [...]
Watchdogs need to learn new tricks: MPs slam regulators over handling of HBOS collapse July 26, 2016 MPs have today slammed the finance industry's watchdogs for their failings in handling the HBOS scandal. The report from the Treasury select committee criticised the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and, in particular, the FCA's predecessor – the Financial Services Authority (FSA) – for various shortcomings in conducting their review. In particular, the MPs highlighted the [...]
MPs want the investigation into PwC’s audit of BHS to be extended July 6, 2016 MPs inquiring into the demise of BHS want the investigation of PwC's audit of the company's accounts to be extended. The Financial Reporting Council's (FRC) investigation is looking into PwC's conduct in auditing BHS' accounts in the year ending August 2014, but Frank Field MP, chair of the Work and Pensions committee and Iain Wright MP, chair of the Business and [...]
Three former Tesco executives have been charged by the SFO in relation its accounting scandal September 9, 2016 Three former Tesco executives have been charged with fraud by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in relation its accounting scandal. The ex-financial director Carl Rogberg, former commercial director John Scouler and the former UK managing director Christopher Bush have been charged for their role in the retailer's profit overstatement. They have each been charged with one count of [...]
Accounting watchdog set to announce verdict of probe into KPMG’s HBOS audit June 26, 2016 The accounting watchdog is set to announce the verdict of its probe into KPMG’s audit of collapsed bank HBOS on Monday. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) met last week to consider the outcome of preliminary enquiries. Read more: FCA confirms it will investigate former HBOS bosses The body said on Thursday that its conduct committee [...]
Embrace culture to boost your business, new report tells the boardroom July 20, 2016 Boardrooms need to focus their efforts on instilling the right culture to protect their business interests and boost their bottom lines, a report out today argues. Based on discussions with chairmen, chief executives, investors and stakeholders, the research from the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) made seven key observations which needed to be acknowledged to improve [...]
Accounting watchdog announces investigation into PwC over BHS audit June 27, 2016 The watchdog for the accountancy industry has today announced it will launch an investigation into PwC over BHS. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) said it will take a closer look at the professional services firm's audit of the retailer for the year ended 30 August 2014. A PwC spokesperson said: "We will co-operate fully with the FRC in its [...]
Financial Reporting Council launches KPMG probe over additional services provided while it audited Ted Baker June 6, 2016 The accountancy watchdog has today announced an investigation into KPMG Audit over its handling of its additional services provided to Ted Baker. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has said it will be examining how the big four firm complied with ethical standards relating to providing non-audit services while it was auditing the retailer. The periods concerned [...]
Accountancy watchdog cannot follow up on BHS inquiry as requested because it’s being asked to investigate people who aren’t actually accountants June 7, 2016 The accountancy watchdog today declined to investigate the BHS collapse as thoroughly as one professional body has requested it to, on the grounds that such a probe would fall miles outside of its remit. Responding to a letter from Simon Walker, director general of the Institute of Directors, the Financial Reporting Council's (FRC) chief executive Stephen [...]