Duncan Mavin – författare

An epic true story of ambition, greed and hubris – the collapse of Greensill Capital is a billion pound scandal that shredded the reputation of a British Prime Minister.'The British version of Bad Blood . . . [but] better' – The Sunday Times'Terrific' – The Observer, Book of the WeekPyramid of Lies charts the meteoric rise and spectacular downfall of Lex Greensill and his company. He had a simple idea that disrupted a trillion dollar industry and drew in Swiss bankers, global CEOs, and world leaders, including former British Prime Minister, David Cameron. But a staid business model concealed dubious practices, as Greensill made increasingly risky loans to fraudulent companies using other people’s money.Financial journalist Duncan Mavin, who helped expose Greensill, tells the incredible story of how a former sugar-cane farmer became one of the world’s richest men before falling back to earth. With a globe-circling narrative full of scandal and intrigue, Pyramid of Lies reveals how the grubby world of shadow banking really operates.‘Forensic and riveting’ – The New Statesman‘Meticulously researched and enjoyably lively’ – The Daily Telegraph

‘A stark warning to all of us about what happens when we let bankers do what they like’ – Oliver Bullough, bestselling author of Butler to the World‘Gripping . . . Scandal after scandal’ – The TimesDiscover the story behind Credit Suisse, from its scandal-ridden history to its explosive collapse – this is the thrilling exposé of the empty hubris that keep our biggest banks alive.A 166-year-old bastion of Swiss banking, Credit Suisse was among the most important and influential financial institutions in the world – but a veneer of high-class service disguised a darker, dirtier reality.From its sterile Zurich headquarters, the bank catered to a clientele that included dictators, drug dealers and former Nazi officers, and helped fleece its own clients out of billions of dollars. This continued for decades, even as Credit Suisse continued to expand and grant its own executives lucrative bonus contracts.Meltdown is the fascinating history of how the house of cards fell apart. Bloomberg investigative journalist and bestselling author of Pyramid of Lies Duncan Mavin takes readers inside the bank’s hushed marble corridors, detailing its secretive culture, its unrelenting human ambition, and the series of increasingly selfish decisions, made by a handful of men at the top, which ultimately led to disaster.‘A riveting autopsy of how one of banking’s titans gradually, then suddenly, crumbled under the weight of its own misdeeds’ – Bradley Hope, New York Times bestselling author of Billion Dollar Whale and Blood and Oil‘This financial thriller of a book offers a tantalizing glimpse into the rot at the heart of one of the world’s most powerful banks’ – Parmy Olson, bestselling author of We Are Anonymous and Supremacy

'This is more than a richly detailed story about the hubris, corruption and incompetence that doomed Credit Suisse; it's a stark warning to all of us about what happens when we let bankers do what they like' - Oliver Bullough, bestselling author of Butler to the World---For centuries, Swiss banks have served the globe's wealthiest individuals, employing a strict culture of anonymity and gaining massive wealth in the process. But when Credit Suisse collapsed, the veil of secrecy came down and the world was suddenly privy to the corruption, scandal and empty hubris that keep our biggest banks alive.It was a 166-year-old bastion of Swiss banking, amongst the most important and influential financial institutions in the world – but a veneer of high-class service disguised a darker, dirtier reality. From its sterile Zurich headquarters, the bank catered to a clientele that included dictators, drug dealers and former Nazi officers, and helped fleece its own clients out of billions of dollars. This continued for decades, even as Credit Suisse continued to expand, acquiring smaller banks and granting its own executives lucrative bonus contracts.Meltdown is the story of how the house of cards fell apart. Bloomberg investigative journalist and bestselling author of Pyramid of Lies Duncan Mavin takes readers inside the bank’s hushed marble corridors, detailing its secretive culture and the series of increasingly selfish decisions, made by a handful of men at the top, which ultimately led to disaster.This is the fascinating history of one of the biggest financial institutions of our times - and a thrilling exposé of the wider financial services sector - which promises to give readers a shocking and brutally honest look into a previously-unknown world of greed, lies and unrelenting human ambition.---"A riveting autopsy of how one of banking's titans gradually, then suddenly, crumbled under the weight of its own misdeeds" - Bradley Hope, New York Times bestselling author of Billion Dollar Whale and Blood and Oil"This financial thriller of a book offers a tantalising glimpse into the rot at the heart of one of the world's most powerful banks" - Parmy Olson, bestselling author of We Are Anonymous and Supremacy"We're used by now to bankers behaving badly, but Duncan Mavin takes it to another shocking, anger-inducing level. Credit Suisse stood for propriety, but he shows this to be a total fabrication" - Chris Blackhurst, former editor of The Independent and bestselling author of Too Big to Jail"A gripping story of power, greed and panic, and a humbling reminder of the enormous cost of capitalism going awry" - Josie Cox, author of Women, Money and Power

'This is more than a richly detailed story about the hubris, corruption and incompetence that doomed Credit Suisse; it's a stark warning to all of us about what happens when we let bankers do what they like' - Oliver Bullough, bestselling author of Butler to the World---For centuries, Swiss banks have served the globe's wealthiest individuals, employing a strict culture of anonymity and gaining massive wealth in the process. But when Credit Suisse collapsed, the veil of secrecy came down and the world was suddenly privy to the corruption, scandal and empty hubris that keep our biggest banks alive.It was a 166-year-old bastion of Swiss banking, amongst the most important and influential financial institutions in the world – but a veneer of high-class service disguised a darker, dirtier reality. From its sterile Zurich headquarters, the bank catered to a clientele that included dictators, drug dealers and former Nazi officers, and helped fleece its own clients out of billions of dollars. This continued for decades, even as Credit Suisse continued to expand, acquiring smaller banks and granting its own executives lucrative bonus contracts.Meltdown is the story of how the house of cards fell apart. Bloomberg investigative journalist and bestselling author of Pyramid of Lies Duncan Mavin takes readers inside the bank’s hushed marble corridors, detailing its secretive culture and the series of increasingly selfish decisions, made by a handful of men at the top, which ultimately led to disaster.This is the fascinating history of one of the biggest financial institutions of our times - and a thrilling exposé of the wider financial services sector - which promises to give readers a shocking and brutally honest look into a previously-unknown world of greed, lies and unrelenting human ambition.---"A riveting autopsy of how one of banking's titans gradually, then suddenly, crumbled under the weight of its own misdeeds" - Bradley Hope, New York Times bestselling author of Billion Dollar Whale and Blood and Oil"This financial thriller of a book offers a tantalising glimpse into the rot at the heart of one of the world's most powerful banks" - Parmy Olson, bestselling author of We Are Anonymous and Supremacy"We're used by now to bankers behaving badly, but Duncan Mavin takes it to another shocking, anger-inducing level. Credit Suisse stood for propriety, but he shows this to be a total fabrication" - Chris Blackhurst, former editor of The Independent and bestselling author of Too Big to Jail"A gripping story of power, greed and panic, and a humbling reminder of the enormous cost of capitalism going awry" - Josie Cox, author of Women, Money and Power

The Pyramid of Lies by international financial journalist Duncan Mavin, is the true story of Lex Greensill, the Australian farmer who became a hi-flying billionaire banker before crashing back down to earth, exposing a tangled network of flawed financiers, politicians and industrialists.Lex Greensill had a simple, billion-dollar idea - democratising supply chain finance. Suppliers want to get their invoices paid as soon as possible. Companies want to hold off as long as they can. Greensill bridged the two, it's mundane, boring even, but he saw an opportunity to profit. However, margins are thin and Lex, ever the risk taker, made lucrative loans with other people's money: to a Russian cargo plane linked to Vladmir Putin, to former Special Forces who ran a private army, and crucially to companies that were fraudulent or had no revenue.When the company finally collapsed it exposed the revolving door between Westminster and big business and how David Cameron was allowed to lobby ministers for cash that would save Greensill's doomed business. Instead, Credit Suisse and Japan's SoftBank are nursing billions of dollars in losses, a German bank is under criminal investigation, and thousands of jobs are at risk.What Bad Blood did for Silicon Valley and The Smartest Guys in the Room did for Wall Street, The Pyramid of Lies will do for the world of shadow banking and supply chain finance. It is a world populated with some of the most outlandish characters in business and some of the most outrageous examples of excess. It is a story of greed and ambition that shines a light on the murky intersection between politics and business, where lavish fortunes can be made and lost.