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Nick Leeson

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Financier

The Resume

    (February 25, 1967- )
    Born in Watford, England, United Kingdom
    Derivatives trader in Singapore for Barings Bank
    Made unauthorized trades resulting in losses of $1.4 billion (1995)
    Barings was declared insolvent and taken over by a Dutch firm
    Served four years in prison (1995-99)
    Wrote the autobiography 'Rogue Trader' (1996)
    After his release, became an after-dinner speaker and an executive at Galway United Football Club

Why he might be annoying:

    He failed his final exam in mathematics in high school.
    Instead of fessing up, he tried recouping his losses by increasing the amount he invested until Barings ran out of money.
    He and his wife fled Singapore, leaving a note that simply read 'I'm sorry.'
    He complained, 'I marveled at how every single Barings person blamed somebody else -- especially me -- rather than themselves.'
    His wife left him after discovering he had been sleeping with geishas.
    His license was suspended for drunk driving (2001).

Why he might not be annoying:

    Before everything went south, he was responsible for 10% of Barings' profits (1993).
    Several observers, including Singapore authorities, placed much of the blame for Barings' collapse on the bank's poor internal auditing.
    He said management 'never dared ask me any basic questions, since they were afraid of looking stupid about not understanding futures and options.'
    He successfully battled colon cancer while in prison.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 7 Votes: 14.29% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 8 Votes: 37.50% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 19 Votes: 52.63% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 18 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 16 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 15 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 13 Votes: 76.92% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 61 Votes: 67.21% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 34 Votes: 67.65% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 28 Votes: 75.00% Annoying