Stephen Cooper

Independent Analyst at The Footnotes Analyst

Speaker

Steve retired from his position as a board member of the International Accounting Standards Board in 2017, following a career of nearly 40 years in investment banking, financial reporting, and education & training. He now provides consulting and training services for investors, while also writing The Footnotes Analyst - a blog on financial reporting and equity analysis, aimed at investors.

Steve’s early career was spent in auditing and investment banking. After qualifying as an accountant, he joined Schroders and worked in their Corporate Finance division on privatisations and M&A. In 1988 he set up his own education and training business, providing courses for accountants, investors and investment bankers on a range of topics, including accounting, equity analysis and equity valuation.

In 1997 Steve returned to investment banking, joining the equity research business of UBS where he spent 10 years as the head of the valuation and accounting research team. He advised UBS analysts and institutional clients on equity analysis and valuation and won many research awards for his work. He was also a member of the UBS investment recommendations committee and the investment committee of the UBS pension fund.

While at UBS Steve became increasingly involved in accounting standard setting. He served on several committees linked with financial reporting, including the working groups of the IASB on accounting for employee stock options and performance reporting. In 2007 he was appointed as a board member of the IASB for a 10-year term. He was closely involved with the financial reporting response to the financial crisis and the development of many new financial reporting standards.