201 – Governance and accountability lose their Barings Anecdotally Speaking

A governance and accountability story. Welcome to the Anecdotally Speaking podcast!

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In this episode, our hosts Shawn Callahan and Mark Schenk kick off the 2024 season of the show!

The episode features a cautionary story about Nick Leeson, an infamous investment trader for the Queen’s bank (Barings) who traded them into bankruptcy.

Expect to learn:



* The devastating story leading to the bankruptcy of England’s oldest investment bank

* The importance of governance and accountability

* The impact of high risk investment trading

* The vital difference between talent and luck



And…much more!

Links and References: 



Nick Leeson story 

Shawn Callahan on LinkedIn 

Mark Schenk on LinkedIn 



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Photo by Samuel Regan-Asante on Unsplash

For your story bank

Tags: governance, internal control, trust, accountability, trader, bankruptcy

This story starts at 04:09 and ends at 10:39



This business story is centred around the downfall of Barings Bank in the 1990s. The bank’s Singapore office, led by the young and successful Nick Leeson, initially thrived with a doubling strategy, turning profits. However, Leeson’s high-risk trades led to substantial losses hidden in an obscure account. The lack of oversight and accountability within the bank’s governance allowed the losses to accumulate, ultimately resulting in the bank’s bankruptcy in February 1995.

The takeaways from this story include: the importance of governance, trust, accountability, and the fine line between talent and luck in the financial world.