Sam Birchall

1 week ago | raconteur.net | Sam Birchall

As a young hedge fund analyst in New York City, Tom Hardin made a series of poor decisions that led him into the world of insider trading. “I didn’t wake up one day intending to commit a crime. I was a 20-something analyst trying to prove myself in a high-stakes, high-pressure industry,” he says. Like many in finance, Hardin was chasing “performance, reputation and the illusion of success”. Slowly, he started making compromised decisions, cutting corners in ways he convinced himself were harmless.

2 weeks ago | raconteur.net | Sam Birchall

When Jeff Epstein was vice-president and CFO at Oracle during the 2008 financial crisis, his team had $10bn (£7.8bn) in cash but were not immune to the market collapse. The experience taught him how to make critical decisions so the business could survive – and fundamentally shaped his perspective on how finance leaders should navigate risk and uncertainty.

2 weeks ago | raconteur.net | Sam Birchall

Financial institutions that operate outside the traditional banking system but perform similar functions, such as lending money or facilitating investments, are rather ominously known as shadow banks. Politicians and economists have warned that shadow banking, when left to its own devices, has the potential to trigger a financial collapse. Last year, the Bank of England’s governor, Andrew Bailey, sounded the alarm on the risky nature of shadow banking.

2 weeks ago | raconteur.net | Sam Birchall

The collection of official statistics in the UK dates back hundreds of years but until the second world war broke out, there was no central department to manage all of this data. To aid the war effort, the British government created an independent agency that could coordinate economic data, monitor evacuation schemes and better understand the impact of air raids. It helped, among other things, to find the most efficient ways to produce weapons, allocate troops and transport supplies.

3 weeks ago | raconteur.net | Sam Birchall

Finance functions could benefit from more outsiders at the top table. Unconventional leaders often bring diverse or unique cultural, educational or industry-based experience that can help challenge groupthink, drive innovation and improve decision-making. Finance teams are often victims of stereotyping. Most people entering the profession are qualified accountants or auditors. But the industry is crying out for fresh talent, as capable finance leaders are in high demand and short supply.