Villains of 2011: Part 4

4. Kweku Adoboli
Remember Barings Bank and Nick Leeson? Well 16 years since the oldest merchant bank collapsed, it's as if the world has learnt nothing. Another rogue trader was caught at UBS in September having amassed losses of $2bn (nearly double Leeson's fateful dealing disaster) on highly risky exchange-rated funds (ETFs).

Regulators had already voiced concerns over this extremely high-risk financial instruments but major banks kept watching the profits flood in. The 31 year-old Adoboli had joined the bank as a graduate and was described as a "high flyer" – another term for risk junkie – and rose quickly to become on the leading Delta One desk stars.