Roger Barker

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Just a few weeks ago, Britain’s accounting regulator fined KPMG a record £21m for a “textbook failure” in audits of Carillion, the builder that imploded in 2018, owing subcontractors and other suppliers an eye-watering £7bn. The devastating collapse of Carillion, along with those of Patisserie Valerie and BHS, prompted a root-and-branch review of auditing and corporate governance standards in the UK.

Company directors are busier than ever before as they grapple with the potential opportunities and threats of new technology, such as AI (artificial intelligence), keeping on top of new regulations and increased pressure from investors and other stakeholders to deliver a better, greener, more profitable business. The increased demands have sparked robust boardroom discussions and were the subject of a recent paper from the IoD Centre for Corporate Governance, Are Boards Losing Control?