This Essay is a case study on Nick Leeson and the Barings Bank fiasco. It is aptly titled: "THE COLLAPSE OF BARINGS - WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH £827 MILLION?"

INTRODUCTION The failure of banks is not unknown and over recent years there have been many cases of banks collapsing. The fall of Barings Bank in 1995 generated much publicity at the time, but it is now just another example alongside the likes of B.C.C.I. What is interesting is how the collapse actually happened. Surely one man could not solely be responsible for the fall of such a well-established institution? Within this essay …

…just the dealings of one man, Nick Leeson. A lack of controls and regulation both played significant roles in the collapse. Obviously, there are many lessons which can be learnt from this case which have been stated previously. To summarise, however, even if all the lessons mentioned are put into practice, the inevitable could still happen. If one man is willing to defy the system, he is sure to find a way of doing so.