Barclays board ‘should face questions over previous backing for Jes Staley’

Investor advisory firm highlights bank’s support for boss in 2020-21 despite investigation over his connections with Jeffrey Epstein

The Barclays board should face questions about its decision to back former boss Jes Staley despite his connections with the convicted billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a leading corporate governance service has said.

Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) told investors in Barclays that questions “can be posed now” about the board’s judgment in continuing to support Staley between 2019 and 2021 when he was subject of regulatory investigations into the nature of his relationship with the disgraced financier.