A Matter of Trust The Practice of Ethics in Finance

From the marble trading floors of Wall Street to the dirt floor of a microfinance lender in rural Sumatra, finance touches everybody's lives. From small personal loans to collateralised debt obligations, it promises solutions for a better, more prosperous future. But not much in life is guaranteed, and financial outcomes may not match consumer expectations. When trust between practitioners and their clients is undermined it threatens the very fabric of our financial system. The result can be personal disappointment, but the financial crisis of 2007-08 highlighted how we can all be affected when economies are jeopardised by financial mismanagement. A Matter of Trust explores how the finance sector can stand as a true profession and provides a practical guide to make everyday business decisions in an ethically sound way.

Paul Kofman was appointed Professor of Finance at the University of Melbourne in 2001. In 2012, he became the Dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics.Clare Payne specialises in the field of ethics in banking and finance. Clare commenced her career as an employment lawyer and subsequently managed the Integrity Office of a global investment bank.