Fraud and corruption in the world of business

Chris Clements, Forensic Accountancy Partner at Deloitte, will be drawing on real-life examples to illustrate the damage fraud and corruption can cause to businesses, and what steps can be taken to spot the signs, eradicate it and resolve situations.

The guest lecture is part of a series of events run by the University’s Centre for Governance, Leadership and Global Responsibility, based within the Leeds Business School at Leeds Beckett.

A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, Member of the Expert Witness Institute, the Academy of Experts, and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Chris said: “Surveys consistently show that no country, anywhere in the world, is free from fraud and corruption.  As a multi-billion pound problem in the UK alone, now is the time to take fraud and corruption seriously.  By attending the talk, I hope to broaden people’s appreciation of what fraud and corruption are, why such crimes are perpetrated and who commits them. 

“I will be using my experience of real life cases, such as the £50m turnover business that collapsed as a result of its Managing Director fiddling the accounts so that he could obtain just a few hundred pounds in bonus payments, to provide insights into the profile of a fraudster and some of the red flags that could indicate that fraud and corruption is taking place.  As a result attendees will be better informed to try to prevent fraud and corruption happening and, if it does happen, be in the best position to identify it before it destroys businesses and lives.”

Paul Houghton, Principal Lecturer in Accounting, Finance and Economics at Leeds Beckett, added: “Having specialised in Forensic Accountancy since 1996, gaining a wealth of experience in international arbitration, investigation, expert witness and advisory work throughout the UK, Europe and the world, Chris is well-placed to offer advice on such matters.

“I am in no doubt that Chris’s talk will be hugely beneficial to attendees, especially those in business.  I can only imagine the real-life examples he has been privy to – they will unquestionably make for an entertaining, and quite possibly, eye-opening guest lecture!” 

The full list of talks in the series is:

‘Fraud and Corruption in the World of Business’ – Chris Clements, Partner, Deloitte LLP.  Tuesday 8 March 2016

‘Upside Down Management’ – John Timpson CBE, Chairman of Timpson Ltd.  Tuesday 12 April.

‘Leeds: The City of Collaboration’ – Allison Page, Partner, DLA Piper and member of the Two Percent Club.  Tuesday 26 April.

‘Governance – A Necessary Evil or a Driver of Performance?’ – Alex Simpson, General Counsel, Company Secretary and Chief Ethics officer, ASDA.  Tuesday 10 May (8.30am to 10pm).