Barclays CEO Jes Staley steps down amid UK probe into Epstein links
- CEO Jes Staley had dealings with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein
- Bank says Staley ran Barclays Group with ‘real commitment and skill’
Barclays, which had supported Staley during the investigation, added in a statement that the preliminary conclusion “makes no findings that Mr Staley saw, or was aware of, any of Mr Epstein’s alleged crimes”.
The bank added that Staley has been replaced with immediate effect by its head of global markets, C.S. Venkatakrishnan.
The statement added that Barclays and Staley were made aware late Friday of preliminary conclusions from the investigation carried out by British financial watchdogs.
“In view of those conclusions, and Mr Staley’s intention to contest them, the board and Mr Staley have agreed that he will step down from his role as group chief executive and as a director of Barclays,” the bank said.
“It should be noted that the investigation makes no findings that Mr Staley saw, or was aware of, any of Mr Epstein’s alleged crimes, which was the central question underpinning Barclays’ support for Mr Staley following the arrest of Mr Epstein in the summer of 2019,” it added.
