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In Memory of John Lander

Post Date: April 24, 2019
Today I learnt the sad news that John Lander has passed away. John Lander founded the SIGnet (Serious Investor Group Network) organisation over 20 years ago and ran it, more or less single handed for most of that period. You can see a video from John describing the origins and purpose of SIGnet on the organisation's home page: http://www.signet.org.uk/index.html I am writing this piece to express my admiration for what he achieved, though I never met him. The SIGnet group concept provides an ...
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Audit Market Shake-Up, Ocado on TV, and Judges Scientific Presentation

Post Date: April 18, 2019
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have issued their final recommendations to improve competition in the audit market after an earlier public consultation. This follows widespread concerns over the dominance of the big four audit firms, the lack of apparent competition on price or quality, and repeated complaints about the quality of audits following several big and small company failures. Audit firms seem to have got off relatively lightly if the CMA’s recommendations are implemented by the Government. Here’s a brief ...
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Save the Date – 22nd May at 3.30p.m: Environmental Reporting – what questions should I be asking?

Post Date: April 12, 2019
Are your investments at risk from the “Blue Planet” effect or will it help them prosper? Will the companies you hold be winners or losers as politicians and the public respond to climate change? Most importantly, are the management on top of the material environmental issues for their industry, do they have strategies to respond and are they giving you the information you need? Often you will have to look into and beyond the narrative and risk reporting not just the financials ...
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Grant Thornton, Interserve and Arc Fund Management

Post Date: April 12, 2019
The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) have announced an investigation into the audits by Grant Thornton of the accounts of Interserve (IRV) in the years 2015-2017. Interserve was a large outsourcing company with most of its business from Government contracts. It ran out of cash and went into administration on the 15th March with debts of £738 million. Readers will no doubt be aware that Grant Thornton were also the auditors of Patisserie Holdings and Globo, both cases where very substantial fraud ...
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Debenhams PrePack, Dunelm Trading, ASOS and Privacy

Post Date: April 12, 2019
Department store operator Debenhams (DEB) has been put through a pre-pack administration. It’s been bought by a new company formed by its secured lenders. Mike Ashley of Sports Direct is furious. His company invested £150 million in the shares of the company in the hope of taking it over, which will now be worthless. He had some choice words to say on the subject which included that it was an “underhand plan to steal from shareholders”, “as normal politicians and regulators ...
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