adair turner.jpgIf you want to work for an organization that is squarely focused on making profits, don’t work for a UK bank. That was the most recent message from FSA Chairman Adair Turner. The age of profit as the primary motive of financial institutions should be replaced by “social usefulness”. In fact, there may be some products out there so socially useless that they should be abandoned altogether, regardless of their ability to help repair roughed up British banks.

“Top management of banks — and in particular of any banks which are involved both in complex trading activities and in retail banking activities — need to operate within limits,” Turner told 300 financial-services executives and lawmakers late yesterday in London. “There are some profitable activities so unlikely to have a social benefit, direct or indirect, that they should voluntarily walk away from them.”

Welcome to the age of walking away from your problems solutions.
Banks Should Prioritize ‘Social Benefit,’ Turner Says [Bloomberg]

Comments (10)

  1. Posted by guest | September 23, 2009 at 11:37 AM

    Thanks Greg for giving me a post at midday that i read about yesterday.

  2. Posted by NakedShort | September 23, 2009 at 11:54 AM

    Greg,
    I am going to hire you as a counselor so you can shower our campers with praise and teach them the virtues of a balanced diet and regular exercise.
    David Ettenberg
    Owner/Director
    Camp Shane

  3. Posted by guest | September 23, 2009 at 12:02 PM

    Gregor lemme spell it out:
    Look at the FB on that HH > UK banks

  4. Posted by guest | September 23, 2009 at 12:12 PM

    adair turner
    struggling to save his career
    all went down on his watch
    taxi for turner

  5. Posted by guest | September 23, 2009 at 12:23 PM

    Greg, I’m going to steal your full trash bag and hide it in the dumpster.
    -Jeff Macke

  6. Posted by guest | September 23, 2009 at 12:23 PM

    short banks, long HF’s

  7. Posted by guest | September 23, 2009 at 12:31 PM

    greg, i really think that both the content and the quality of your writing would be much more appropriate, and probably better received over at our autism-stricken cousin Going Goncern.
    really.

  8. Posted by guest | September 23, 2009 at 12:44 PM

    Greg -
    You have no known social benefit either. Can we eliminate you?

  9. Posted by guest | September 23, 2009 at 1:10 PM

    BLA

  10. Posted by guest | September 23, 2009 at 1:18 PM

    …NUS

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