By Reuters Staff
2 Min Read
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Ernst & Young is seen in Zurich, Switzerland November 13, 2020. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann
BERLIN (Reuters) - EY Germany said its head, Hubert Barth, was stepping down and announced plans for a programme to help restore trust in its work as an auditor following the collapse of payment services firm Wirecard.
In December, German prosecutors opened an investigation into partners at EY over the Wirecard scandal after an accounting watchdog filed a report accusing them of criminality in their work for the failed payments company.
EY has lost a number of prominent contracts since news of the Wirecard scandal broke.
Frankfurt prosecutors are looking into German financial regulator BaFin's handling of collapsed payments company Wirecard, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office said on Wednesday.
SoftBank-backed robotics firm Berkshire Grey said on Wednesday it has agreed to go public through a merger with a blank-check firm in a deal that values the combined company at $2.7 billion. The deal is expected to provide Berkshire Grey about $413 million in cash, as the maker of logistics automation systems looks to take advantage of a surge in online shopping amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The proceeds include a private investment of $165 million anchored by venture capital investor Chamath Palihapitiya and funds and accounts managed by BlackRock Inc. Palihapitiya has been one of the most prolific sponsors of special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), merging them with a range of companies - from space tourism firm Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc to home-selling platform Opendoor Technologies Inc.
The head of Germany's accounting watchdog, under fire for failing to spot wrongdoing ahead of the collapse of the payments company Wirecard, is stepping down. The agency, formally known as the Financial Reporting Enforcement Panel (FREP), said in a statement on Wednesday that President Edgar Ernst is leaving his post at his own wish, effective Dec. 31. Ernst has also come under criticism for potential conflicts of interest because he held seats on supervisory boards of major corporations, including real-estate company Vonovia, retailer Metro and tour operator TUI.
Sky Studios, Gaumont Team For Original German Comedy The Wasp, With Goodbye Lenin Actor Florian Lukas
Naman Ramachandran, provided by
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Sky Studios and Gaumont have teamed on “The Wasp,” the first Sky original comedy to be produced for Sky Deutschland.
The six-part series follows Eddie Frotzke, a fallen professional dart player who, after a prolonged career slump, wants to return to his former glory. With the help of his old buddy Nobbe, also a rusty dart pro but dealing with a drinking habit, Eddie wants to find his way back into life and his career, proving that he was not called “The Wasp” for nothing.