kenfrost
Member Since: 8th Nov 2005
Blogger
Likes: 0
Thanks: 20
Ken Frost MA FCA FIPFM is based in the UK. He is a chartered accountant with over twenty years international experience of FMCG industries, consumer electronics, rough diamond distribution and the Internet.
He has worked in; KPMG, Philips Electronics, De Beers. He is a director of Phoenix Commercial Ventures Ltd (a venture capital company operating within the DPRK), he runs a network of websites under www.kenfrost.com “The Living Brand”. He is a member of Gerson Lehrman Group Councils, an Advisor with Guidepoint Global and an Expert with Ergo. He was also on the board of Daedong Credit Bank (a foreign invested joint venture retail bank based in the DPRK).
- The Gerson Lehrman Group Councils are global networks of executives, physicians, scientists, engineers, attorneys, and other professionals who deliver expertise and decision-making assistance to business, government and investment leaders from around the world. Ken writes articles covering business issues for Gerson Lehrman News, and is an Accounting & Financial Analysis Council Member (AFA Council Members include CFOs, former top regulatory body officials, partners from the world’s leading accounting firms, academics, forensic accountants, and other financial executives).
- Guidepoint Global is a global consulting and research firm that delivers superior, customised expertise and research tools to professionals in finance, professional services and industry. Clients include some of the world’s leading private equity firms, mutual funds, hedge funds and strategy consultancies.
- Ergo is a global primary research and consulting firm delivering unique insights to help their clients make informed decisions. They have built a network of in-country teams and local experts, all deeply “embedded” in their sectors in over one hundred countries across the globe. Their analysts extract information from their frontline experts and apply custom research frameworks and synthesis techniques to craft their insights into a detailed mosaic.
In January 2013 Accountancy Age ranked him 25th on their Financial Power List 2013: Big Hitters. This list identifies the top 50 who the magazine thinks will be the biggest players in accounting and finance during 2013. He also appeared on the list in 2011 and 2006.
In addition to developing and growing the KenFrost.com network of sites, Ken is happy to discuss and explore any business opportunities/proposals (both national and international); which make use of his experience and skill sets.
My answers
Homer and th DfT
Let us also not forget her time in the DfT http://hmrcisshite.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/lin-homer-and-dft-not-fit-for-... :
As per the Transport Committee - Eighth Report Cancellation of the InterCity West Coast franchise competition (published 23 January 2013):
"A more direct description of what happened [than that provided by Laidlaw] is that ministers and senior officials were lied to about how the outcome of the franchise competition had been reached. A major unanswered question is why ministers and senior officials were misled about how the SLFs had been calculated, the issue which led directly to the cancellation of the franchise competition. We recommend that the Department explain why this happened, if necessary after decisions have been reached on whether or not to take disciplinary action against particular members of staff. (Paragraph 26)
3. In our view, we cannot categorically rule out the possibility that officials manipulated the outcome of the competition not only to keep First Group in the running for as long as possible, as Mr Laidlaw suggested, but to ensure that First got the contract. We recommend that the DfT find a way of undertaking a full email capture, reporting to someone suitably independent, to help get to the bottom of why DfT staff discriminated against Virgin and in favour of First Group during the ICWC franchise competition. (Paragraph 28)"
Thanks for the credit John, and the kind comment from Democratus.
Sadly it is the case with mismanaged public sector and private sector organs that the only way to push them to change for the better is to push them in this manner; inept politicians and inept "political managers" only react when a bright light is shone upon their incompetence!
I would note that Homer's statement this week to PAC about the revenue that Cable & Wireless receive is at variance with the findings in the NAO Dec report wrt HMRC not knwoing what C&W receive (ie she is either misleading PAC or HMRC were less than open with NAO):
"Her refusal to answer is "interesting", because in December 2012 I noted that the NAO report on HMRC's call handling stated that HMRC didn't have any oversight as to how much Cable & Wireless made:
"Oh and by the way, whilst my dander is up, the fact that HMRC don't know how much Cable & Wireless (the telephony provider) make out of the contract, nor does HMRC have any right to oversight, is farking disgraceful!
Page 8 para 13:
"Cable & Wireless provides HMRC’s phone service and receives a proportion of the call charges borne by the customer. HMRC has chosen not to receive a share of the revenue and does not know how much Cable & Wireless receives because it has no contractual access to this information."
Now what does this mean?
It means either the NAO report is wrong (eg HMRC had given it erroneous information), or that Homer has told a porkie to PAC yesterday.
Which is it?
Oh wait, Amyas Morse, the head of the National Audit Office has also remembered what was in his report in December. He suggested that HMRC had withheld information about profits on the phone lines, telling Mrs Homer that he had repeatedly asked for the data and not been given it:
“I am surprised that it has only come out today."
Cough!
Methinks NAO were made fools of by HMRC."
http://hmrcisshite.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/hanging-on-telephone-is-homer-...
Good Point!
That's a very good point, I was being foolish to expect speed and alacrity from HMRC!
HMRC's Most Wanted
Old news, I covered this a month ago.
The Most Wanted also includes pics of Excom etc:)
http://hmrcisshite.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/hmrcs-most-wanted.html
Window Dressing
It's window dressing, pure and simple:
http://hmrcisshite.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/hmrc-to-recruit-1000-new-staff...
Gauke is a hypocrite
Gauke may care to look at his own "morals" wrt tax avoidance et al.
http://hmrcisshite.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/gaukes-moral-crusade.html
Barnyard is retiring
Q: Why is Stephen Barnyard (or is it Banyard?;)) so upbeat and effusive about RTI?
A: He is retiring soon!
Aha!
He could of course come back as a paid consultant, if things don't run smoothly;)
http://hmrcisshite.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/bon-voyage-stephen-banyard.html
Caviar
Fortunately caviar is still VAT free! ;)
HMRC Lifts Embargo
FYI
http://hmrcisshite.blogspot.com/2012/01/hmrc-lifts-embargo-on-talking-to...
Thank You
Thanks for the mention.
I am always happy to receive stories from HMRC staff and taxpayers relating to HMRC "issues".
www.hmrcisshite.com
Twitter id @ken_frost