Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Walz escapes ban in SFA deal

Jill Treanor
Tuesday 10 December 1996 00:02 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Mary Walz, the former Barings executive, has escaped being banned from working in the City after reaching a settlement with the Securities and Futures Authority (SFA). However, it is understood that she will have to contribute a small amount to the SFA's costs for investigating the case against her.

Full details of the settlement could be published as early as today. Ms Walz was unavailable for comment yesterday, and the SFA would not confirm that a settlement had been reached.

Confirmation of the settlement would come barely a month after Ron Baker, her boss and the former head of derivatives trading at Barings, took the SFA to a tribunal and escaped a possible ban from holding a senior position in the City.

He was reprimanded and ordered to pay costs of pounds 7,500 over his supervision of Nick Leeson, the rogue trader who brought Barings to its knees. Ms Walz, however, is likely to face paying lower costs than those levied on Mr Baker.

The tribunal found in Mr Baker's favour in four of the five cases put before it by the SFA. He was given a public reprimand over the fifth charge concerning the supervision of Barings' proprietary trading.

Ms Walz, 36, an American who lives in London, last week failed in an industrial tribunal claim to be paid a pounds 500,000 bonus that had been promised to her by Andrew Tuckey, the former deputy chairman of Barings.

The bonus promise was made just 13 hours before the bank collapsed early last year due to losses of more than pounds 800m run up as Leeson bet the bank on the Asian markets.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in