Credit score Suisse was the third main financial institution to break down this 12 months. (Representational)
Swiss monetary regulator Finma is probing the best way to maintain bosses at Credit score Suisse to account following its emergency takeover by rival UBS, a media report mentioned on Sunday.
“We’re not a penal authority however we’re exploring the corresponding potentialities,” mentioned Finma chair Marlene Amstad was quoted as saying in an interview with NZZ am Sonntag weekly.
Switzerland, whose vibrant banking scene is a key a part of the nation’s tradition, has been shocked to the core by the enforced merger of Credit score Suisse with UBS on the authorities’s behest.
Plenty of observers have voiced fears the brand new entity rising from the shotgun marriage can be not a lot too huge to fail as too giant to succeed — though the SNB central financial institution maintains the merger prevented triggering a wider banking disaster.
Amstad — who famous the brand new entity’s capital and liquidity calls for would want to develop progressively in accordance with its new dimension — didn’t maintain again on criticism of the tradition which had led to its predicament.
The upheaval provides to huge banking turbulence brought on by the current collapse of three US banks.
“The issues weren’t restricted to a sole a part of the enterprise however unfold throughout numerous sectors of the group and an expression of an all spherical insufficient tradition of danger,” Amstad added.
He mentioned this translated right into a basic lack of accountability.
She acknowleded “the financial institution likely has very many staff who work reliably and accurately”, however mentioned this had not been sufficient.
Credit score Suisse chairman Axel Lehmann had sought to pin among the blame for the financial institution’s troubles on social media, one thing Amstad rejected.
“The social media storm was clearly not the reason for the issue at Credit score Suisse. These return a good distance.
“The causes had been numerous scandals and errors by administration lately,” she mentioned.
“The financial institution was already in a disaster of popularity and confidence. On the finish of the day, (Credit score Suisse) failed due to quite a few scandals and unhealthy administration selections.
“The financial institution’s administration cleaved for a very long time to a high-risk technique however was not in a position to take care of these dangers in enough style.
“The issues went on for a number of years,” Amstad mentioned, including she was “not naming names.”
Some sector observers have blamed the authorities for not appearing sooner however Amstad mentioned Finma had been working behind the scenes and that its actions weren’t at all times made public.
She concluded by stressing: “A poor enterprise tradition and strategic appreciation errors on the a part of administration can’t be completely eradicated by strict regulation.”
