The collapse of Barings Bank
Designed as an overview of the spectacular collapse of a prestigious financial institution, this case outlines the history of Barings Bank, the oldest merchant bank in London, describes how it became involved in Far East markets and how a trader in its Singapore operation, Nick Leeson, was able to run up massive losses on unauthorized dealings which led to the collapse of the bank. The case identifies areas of poor internal control, inadequate board oversight and a remuneration culture that encouraged risk taking. It looks at the role of both internal and external auditors and of the regulatory authorities.
1995
Cranfield University
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Harvard Business School Publishing
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NUCB Business School
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