Top directors and shareholders look for more prudential pair of hands

As the Slog exclusively predicted some time back, senior Prudential directors and institutional shareholders (having holed Tdjani Thiam only just above the water-line) are turning their attention to the senior of the two brains behind the ill-fated AIA purchase, Harvey McGrath.

There is sound thinking behind this. First, Thiam lacks the experience or shrewdness of a natural trader. Second, McGrath is a pompous arse. And third, it seems unlikely that the people who matter in global finance will ever again be able to take a Thiam/McGrath team seriously.

This last is I know the view of several senior directors. But it seems unlikely Thiam is entirely out of the woods yet: and his future will anyway depend on who is found to replace the current Chairman.

Still, Robert Peston gets it wrong again. I understand he’s in line for the Radio 4 Controller job. He’d be good at that.