Are You An Ethical Banker?

The tender dilemma You are a managing director. Your team has been asked to make a presentation to a client, and while sitting in the waiting area they discover a presentation pack left behind by their key competitor. You find out they have used the information in the pack to write their presentation. You find out what has happened. What do you do?

The inflated CV You are the Chairman of a firm which employs Brian Poole, one of a number of successful fund managers in your firm who you wish to invite to join the board. His CV says he graduated in 1984 - but he has admitted that he didn't graduate. What do you do?

The autocrat You are the risk director in a firm of wealth managers, whose chairman has pulled off a coup by poaching a high-profile chief executive from a competitor. The new CEO has made radical changes to the firm’s business methods and culture sales have risen strongly, but so have complaints, while the firm’s reputation has fallen   You report this concern to the risk committee, which is chaired by the CEO, but he makes it clear your comments are unwelcome. Further problems arise involving a third party investment product, which received heavy public criticism for poor performance, resulting in its withdrawal. Your firm has been a major promoter of this product, which has generated significant income for the firm. You report again to the risk committee, where the CEO is, once again, hostile to you and reminds you 'everyone, including you, is on course for significant bonuses on the basis of this year’s figures, so don’t rock the boat'.   The risk committee minutes, which are copied to the board, make no mention of your concerns, and you write a file note about this. You raise the accuracy of the minutes with the CE Owho says he has no intention of bothering the board with scare stories and 'you had your say at the risk committee, where you were in a minority of one'.   You are convinced that inaction is storing up serious problems.  What should be your next step?

Inks You are a relationship manager at Knights, a boutique corporate finance house and are leading a bid for an important mandate from Inks plc., an existing customer, which manufactures printing ink and cartridges   Knights has a reputation for high ethical standards and encourages charitable activities by its staff, including using its corporate email 'footer' to support nominated charities.   The current charity, which is chosen by a staff committee over 11 months ago, has an environmental focus aimed at combating global warming and its email message includes the words:  'Do not print this email unless absolutely necessary'   You receive an irate phone call from the managing director of Inks plc., who has taken offence at the wording on your email footer and threatens that if the wording is not removed by the end of the day, he will ensure Knights does not win the mandate   Failure to win the mandate may result in one or two redundancies in your firm