Ian Fraser on Writing about RBS the Bank that Broke Britain - MPAF94

The financial crisis of 2008 rocked the world.

Institutions collapsed. Economies tottered on the brink. In the UK the Royal Bank of Scotland fell. The Government had to step in and bail the bank out.

My guest today wrote a book called Shredded about the bank’s failure. Although triggered by the September 2008 bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, it was largely the consequence of its pursuit of scale for its own sake.

Listen to Ian's story of how he came to write the book. He describes how RBS became a rogue institution with few qualms about “misselling” financial products pursuit of profit, a cavalier disregard for the law and a warped idea of its own financial skills and strength.

Hear about the lessons the whole financial services industry can learn from the Bank that broke Britain.

That's all right here in episode 94 of the Marketing Protection and Finance Podcast.

Who is Ian Fraser?

Welcome to the MPAF Podcast – I’m Roger Edwards a Marketing guy from Edinburgh, talking to a wide range of guests about marketing topics, and issues and stories from protection and finance.

Thanks for downloading or streaming the show I really appreciate your support. I’m really excited about today's interview with Ian Fraser.

I’ve known I am for many years. In fact, when I was Marketing Director at Bright Grey and Scottish Provident, Ian was my go-to person for media training.

Ian is a journalist and broadcaster specialising in corporate finance, financial services and economic analysis.

A contributor to the FT, Sunday Times, Sunday Herald and numerous other titles, Ian wrote the definitive account of the rise and fall of The Royal Bank of Scotland in his book Shredded: Inside RBS the Bank that Broke Britain.

And it’s the story behind that book that we’re going to dive deep into today, right here on the Marketing Protection and Finance Podcast.

Links and Show Notes.

For links to the books and apps mentioned by Ian, please visit http://rogeredwards.co.uk/MPAF for the show notes.

What is the Marketing Finance and Protection (MPAF) Podcast?

It’s the Podcast for Financial Services Professionals looking to share business ideas and inspiration in the world of Marketing, Protection and Finance.

The MPAF Podcast is a 30 minute audio show you download from http://rogeredwards.co.uk/MPAF, iTunes or Stitcher Radio. Each week I’ll be interviewing financial services providers, advisers, experts and journalists.

Interviews to listen to in the car, on the train or on the treadmill.

The main focus of the podcast is on what we can do to make protection and finance more accessible to the consumer and how financial services professionals can develop and promote their businesses.

We’ll look at financial services products, interesting business models and campaigns with an emphasis on the following:

Marketing – talking about how financial services professionals can develop and promote their businesses using traditional marketing tools but focussing on modern content marketing and social media techniques.

Protection – talking about life insurance, critical illness, income protection and other protection products

Finance – talking about pensions, platforms, savings and investments

My aim is to make sure that you will get one or two big business ideas that you can apply to our own business.  Whether it is a sales idea, advice idea, product tweak or simply an app that is worth looking at.

I’m your host, Roger Edwards.

A marketing guy from Edinburgh I help people like you with your marketing strategy, content and social media. Until I set up my own business I was in and out of senior marketing roles in UK Financial Services Companies for two decades. Some of you might remember me as the Marketing Director and Managing Director of Bright Grey and Scottish Provident.

Please subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes and I’d be grateful if you would leave a review. http://rogeredwards.co.uk/itunes

Fancy Appearing on the Show?

Would you be interested in appearing on the MPAF Podcast? Are you working on a new proposition, campaign or a business model you want to talk about? Do you fancy drawing out some inspirational business and marketing ideas that MPAF listeners can take away to use in their own businesses? Do please contact me if you want to get involved. http://rogeredwards.co.uk