Financial services is the industry the public loves to hate. Blamed for the crash of 2008 and the ensuing decade of austerity, reviled for apparently getting away with it, the bankers have become pantomime villains. But the whole sector contributes a tenth of national taxes, employs over a million people and is one of the few UK industries to generate a balance of trade surplus. Cities such as London, Edinburgh and Glasgow thrive on it and as England and Scotland look for a growth path out of recession, high skill sectors such as financial services will inevitably be part of the recovery. But how do we learn from the lessons of the past and seize the opportunities of the future without becoming unduly reliant on this volatile business? Through a historical perspective, this talk will look at these questions and suggest possible answers.
