Chris Skinner's blog Shaping the future of finance

In a post that I’m sure will get a response from some folks (Jeffry?), February’s Banker Magazine (I write a monthly column for them) dropped onto my doorstep this morning with the front page: "The World’s Top 500 Banking Brands". You might be surprised that …

Big trouble down at Park Avenue this week, as the New York Post discovered that Citigroup was about to spend $50 million on a new Corporate Jet. Hundreds blogged, reported, commented and threw rocks at 399 Park Avenue, Citi's Head Office, until 24 hours later …

The next meeting of the Financial Services Club will be held on 2nd February with Brian Thumwood, e-Billing Programme Manager for DHL, discussing DHL's experiences with e-Invoicing in practice. DHL have completely transformed their accounts receivables processes using e-invoicing innovations, with major benefits as a …

David Doyle, policy expert on European financial markets, discussed the latest European financial services legislative movements at the Financial Services Club yesterday. David began with an outline of the priorities for the Czech Presidency of the European Union, which runs through to June: review of …

David Doyle, policy expert on European financial markets, discussed the latest European financial services legislative movements at the Financial Services Club yesterday. David began with an outline of the priorities for the Czech Presidency of the European Union, which runs through to June: review of …

David Doyle, policy expert on European financial markets, discussed the latest European financial services legislative movements at the Financial Services Club yesterday. David began with an outline of the priorities for the Czech Presidency of the European Union, which runs through to June: review of …

I don't normally share or post my speeches – I prefer to just talk rather than read - but I wrote my speech last night for a dinner presentation and thought I would share with you a shorter version here.  The speech disappointed a few folks as …

After losing 74% of their value in the past two weeks, Barclays clawed back much of their market capital losses today thanks to this letter: Open letter from Marcus Agius and John Varley SIGNIFICANT PRE-TAX PROFITS IN 2008 RECORD INCOME LEVELS ABSORB £8BN OF GROSS …

After losing 74% of their value in the past two weeks, Barclays clawed back much of their market capital losses today thanks to this letter: Open letter from Marcus Agius and John Varley SIGNIFICANT PRE-TAX PROFITS IN 2008 RECORD INCOME LEVELS ABSORB £8BN OF GROSS …

After losing 74% of their value in the past two weeks, Barclays clawed back much of their market capital losses today thanks to this letter: Open letter from Marcus Agius and John Varley SIGNIFICANT PRE-TAX PROFITS IN 2008 RECORD INCOME LEVELS ABSORB £8BN OF GROSS …

After losing 74% of their value in the past two weeks, Barclays clawed back much of their market capital losses today thanks to this letter: Open letter from Marcus Agius and John Varley SIGNIFICANT PRE-TAX PROFITS IN 2008 RECORD INCOME LEVELS ABSORB £8BN OF GROSS …

Last week was a joyride wasn't it? We saw the inauguration of a new President in America, Heartland Payment Systems had a malware that infected and disclosed pretty much all the card details of every American citizen, the UK government pumped a further £200 billion …

Last week was a joyride wasn't it? We saw the inauguration of a new President in America, Heartland Payment Systems had a malware that infected and disclosed pretty much all the card details of every American citizen, the UK government pumped a further £200 billion …

Last week was a joyride wasn't it? We saw the inauguration of a new President in America, Heartland Payment Systems had a malware that infected and disclosed pretty much all the card details of every American citizen, the UK government pumped a further £200 billion …

In a scathing interview with The Times yesterday Lord Myners', Gordon Brown's City Minister, states that the UK's banks almost collapsed last October: “We were very close on Friday, October 10. There were two or three hours when things felt very bad, nervous and fragile. …

I just got this email from ibank.secure@abbey.co.uk: This is to inform you that your Abbey National Bank Secure Messages Center has1 new alert. To access your Abbey National personalized Secure Messages Center, click on the image below: Account Reference: (0x3d.0x38.0x4e.0xcf) Please do not reply to …

In 2006, I was honoured to be invited to join a project looking at scenarios for the financial markets, as an advisor to the World Economic Forum.  The first call I had with the project leaders, they asked me what concerned me most about banking? …

In 2006, I was honoured to be invited to join a project looking at scenarios for the financial markets, as an advisor to the World Economic Forum.  The first call I had with the project leaders, they asked me what concerned me most about banking? …

In 2006, I was honoured to be invited to join a project looking at scenarios for the financial markets, as an advisor to the World Economic Forum.  The first call I had with the project leaders, they asked me what concerned me most about banking? …

Lots of articles have appeared recently blaming David Bowie for the credit crisis: Is the recession David Bowie's fault? guardian.co.uk British Press Blame David Bowie for Recession Rolling Stone  Is David Bowie To Blame For The Financial Crisis? Javno.hr, Croatia    Did David Bowie Cause the …

After being pushed back six months to May 2008, due to the challenge of the developments required for Vocalink, APACS claim today that the Faster Payments Service has been a great success. The good news is that RBS, Natwest and Barclays report that nearly 100% …

The Vatican launched their new YouTube channel today. I stumbled across it because it came up as the Papal Channel, and I misread it as PayPal (only joking :-)  The main video really does illustrate the march of technology well and Pope Benedict XVI is …

I've had a few comments on the fact that I keep blogging about the business of banking rather than my normal focal points: technologies, regulations, payments and my real passion which is the future of banking. The thing is that the future of banking, right …

I've had a few comments on the fact that I keep blogging about the business of banking rather than my normal focal points: technologies, regulations, payments and my real passion which is the future of banking. The thing is that the future of banking, right …

I've had a few comments on the fact that I keep blogging about the business of banking rather than my normal focal points: technologies, regulations, payments and my real passion which is the future of banking. The thing is that the future of banking, right …

I keep hearing that Vince Cable, Shadow Chancellor Deputy Leader of the UK's third largest political party, the Liberal Democrats, predicted this crisis but could find little evidence of such. However, according to Hansard, he asked then Chancellor Gordon Brown the following question on 13th …

We had a fun evening at the FSClub last night, debating whether bankers were more polluting than the steel plants of China. How polluting are the steel plants of China you might ask? Not as much as cows although, according to an issue of Science …

I wrote the last piece about nationalisation, because I was reflecting upon the challenges involved in the banking sector right now. The bottom-line is that shareholder confidence has disappeared in the sector, especially in the UK.   For example, on 12th December I put a chart …