Nine US banks asked to justify bonuses
Waxman demands US global banks explain billions in employee remuneration
WASHINGTON, DC – In letters to nine US banks, Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, has demanded they justify billions of dollars in compensation and bonuses paid out after they accepted $125 billion as part of a taxpayer-funded bail-out.
In the letter, sent to Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Bank of New York Mellon, JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, State Street and Wells Fargo, Waxman said they collectively will pay $108 billion in employee compensation and bonuses in the first nine months of this year, almost the same amount as last year.
“I question the appropriateness of depleting the capital that taxpayers have just injected into the banks through the payment of billions of dollars in bonuses, especially after one of the financial industry's worst years on record,” Waxman wrote. He also referred to a Bloomberg News article of October 27 that detailed how Goldman, Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch had already accrued $20 billion to pay bonuses this year.
Waxman wants banks to divulge their total company compensation arrangements, including the average compensation for each employee broken down by salaries, bonuses, and benefits, as well as the number of employees paid or projected to be paid more than $500,000 in each year from 2006 to 2008. Waxman has asked the firms to supply the information by November 10.
Goldman Sachs indicated that it will co-operate with Waxman’s request, while a Citigroup spokesperson confirmed the bank would “adhere to the requirements in the government programme, including restrictions on executive compensation”.
Only users who have a paid subscription or are part of a corporate subscription are able to print or copy content.
To access these options, along with all other subscription benefits, please contact info@risk.net or view our subscription options here: http://subscriptions.risk.net/subscribe
You are currently unable to print this content. Please contact info@risk.net to find out more.
You are currently unable to copy this content. Please contact info@risk.net to find out more.
Copyright Infopro Digital Limited. All rights reserved.
You may share this content using our article tools. Printing this content is for the sole use of the Authorised User (named subscriber), as outlined in our terms and conditions - https://www.infopro-insight.com/terms-conditions/insight-subscriptions/
If you would like to purchase additional rights please email info@risk.net
Copyright Infopro Digital Limited. All rights reserved.
You may share this content using our article tools. Copying this content is for the sole use of the Authorised User (named subscriber), as outlined in our terms and conditions - https://www.infopro-insight.com/terms-conditions/insight-subscriptions/
If you would like to purchase additional rights please email info@risk.net
More on Regulation
Prop shops recoil from EU’s ‘ill-fitting’ capital regime
Large proprietary trading firms complain they are subject to hand-me-down rules that were originally designed for banks
Revealed: the three EU banks applying for IMA approval
BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank and Intesa Sanpaolo ask ECB to use internal models for FRTB
FCA presses UK non-banks to put their affairs in order
Greater scrutiny of wind-down plans by regulator could alter capital and liquidity requirements
Industry calls for major rethink of Basel III rules
Isda AGM: Divergence on implementation suggests rules could be flawed, bankers say
Saudi Arabia poised to become clean netting jurisdiction
Isda AGM: Netting regulation awaiting final approvals from regulators
Japanese megabanks shun internal models as FRTB bites
Isda AGM: All in-scope banks opt for standardised approach to market risk; Nomura eyes IMA in 2025
CFTC chair backs easing of G-Sib surcharge in Basel endgame
Isda AGM: Fed’s proposed surcharge changes could hike client clearing cost by 80%
UK investment firms feeling the heat on prudential rules
Signs firms are falling behind FCA’s expectations on wind-down and liquidity risk management