The dastardly Mr Deedes
Credit Suisse’s princely boss Tidjane Thiam, 53, is facing revolt at the beleaguered investment bank, where it is reported he has ‘lost the building’ – management speak for losing employees’ respect. Such is their displeasure, morale-sapped traders now hiss whenever he appears on television. Dashing, Ivory Coast-born Tidjane’s tall and sleek appearance is offset by a ‘blunt and domineering’ style of management which has rankled staff, thousands of whom face the chop after the bank posted £344m losses. As has his recent acquisition of a lavish £7m schloss on the banks of Lake Zurich.
JP Morgan’s relaxed new dress code will provoke febrile claret spluttering among the old guard at the Queen’s stockbrokers, Cazenoves, which merged with JP in 2009. Blue-blooded partners at ‘Caz’ were resolutely fastidious about office attire. Upon arrival, languid young shavers were frostily informed: ‘Shoes have laces, trousers have braces.’
The Bank of England’s lustrous, Canadian-born governor Mark Carney, 51, has spent £133,276 on overseas jaunts in the past year, far more than donnish predecessor Lord King. Officials say the discrepancy is due to the ‘wider-ranging’ powers held by the Bank of England since April 2013. The ex-Goldman Sachs banker’s salary is certainly wider-ranging. He was awarded a £880,000 remuneration package after dazzled George Osborne secured his services. Could the Chancellor find a perch at Goldman when he’s out on his ear?
The decision to award brooding French trader Jerome Kerviel, 39, £350,000 for ‘wrongful dismissal, despite losing Societe Generale £3.8bn in illicit trading bets, pricks the ears of the original ‘rogue trader’ Nick Leeson. ‘If only I had a bank left to sue,’ sighs the waggish jailbird, 49, whose £827m losses toppled Barings.
Singapore-based financial PR guru and bon viveur Piers Pottinger is featured in the new PR Week Power Book, a compilation of the most influential spin-doctors around the globe. Convivial, racing-mad ‘Potty’, 62, whose turf accountant excitedly awaits his visit to Royal Ascot next week, does not appear to be taking the accolade entirely seriously. Asked which actor should play him in a biopic, he replies: ‘The Swedish Chef from The Muppets.’