Very reliable sources around the retinue of Baron Green of Mexico, Bermuda & Switzlerland have told The Slog that the Jolly Green Vicar will claim that HSBC “was run entirely on Chinese walls, and thus one division never knew anything about what was going on”.
The fatal flaws in this risible robust defence are that (1) As CEO & then Chairman of the Heist Steal Bury Conspire Bank, he had a helicopter view of all the rooms around which the Chinese walls were; and (2) As far as Mexico (Drugs) Bermuda and Swirzerland (Tax evasion) are concerned, he was by his own record, um, in the rooms, so to speak. Perhaps he was an elephant in the room, and thus invisible to other mortals. Who can tell?
Green apparently thinks his Church of England credentials will see him through. They may, but perhaps they might be somewhat outweighed by his credentials in other areas: in 1985, put in charge of the development of the bank’s global treasury operations. In 1992, Group Treasurer of HSBC Holdings. Director, HSBC Mexico. Director, HSBC Bermuda. Director, HSBC Switzerland. Responsible for the private banking and asset management activities of the Group. CEO 2002. Chairman 2006.
And here’s a nice bit to end on:
7 Sep 2010 – Sudden departure of HSBC Holdings PLC Chairman Stephen Green for the post of U.K. trade minister, shortly after David Cameron ‘reported to be struggling to persuade a major banking figure to join the Government.
That Dave, eh? Andy Coulson, Jeremy Hunt, Michael Spencer, Lord Green…he can pick ’em
The Slog 