Free Republic

Beware the seductive allure of investment banks Carl Mortished The stranger is charming, clean-cut and well groomed. A good companion, witty and worldly, he takes you to the opera, to the races and he seems to know lots of people. He is attentive; you meet regularly for lunch in quiet corners at exclusive restaurants. He listens as you talk about your problems, and he seems to care, offering comfort and sensible advice. Soon, you are confiding in this stranger, spilling your guts about your plans, business dealings and investments. Again, he has sensible advice to offer, but he asks for...

Paris is less attractive for international financial companies than London partly because of French attitudes to business, according to a leading US investment banker. “London made it very attractive for people to come there and work there, and I think in France, quite frankly, attitudes exist that cause people to shy away from that part of the world in terms of being a financial centre,” ... Mr Perella pointed to concerns about “raids” on international companies by the French tax authorities. “There have been a lot of stories ...of raids into people’s homes and offices to seize their computers to...