HSBC suspends head of responsible investing who called climate warnings ‘shrill’

Bank investigating Stuart Kirk's conference speech deriding flooding risks and climate warnings from UN and Bank of England

HSBC has suspended a senior banker after he referred to climate crisis warnings as unsubstantiated" and shrill" during a conference speech that has since been denounced by the lender's chief executive.

Stuart Kirk, who has been HSBC's head of responsible investing since last July, will remain suspended until the bank completes an internal investigation into the matter.