The Rogue Trader Who Broke Barings Bank: A Conversation with Nick Leeson

In this episode of Market Maker by AmplifyME, we sit down with Nick Leeson to explore trading psychology, risk management and what it takes to survive public failure after the collapse of Barings Bank and more than $1.3 billion in losses.

At just 25 years old, Leeson was running a derivatives operation in Singapore during the high-pressure culture of 1990s banking. What followed brought down a 233-year-old institution and became one of the most infamous events in modern financial history. But this conversation goes far beyond the headlines.

We examine the psychology behind catastrophic risk, the pressure to succeed at a young age, and how ego and fear of failure can quietly distort decision-making. Nick reflects on the culture inside investment banking at the time, the compounding effect of hidden mistakes, and what resilience really means after prison, public scrutiny and rebuilding a life from scratch.

For anyone pursuing a career in trading, investment banking or financial markets, this episode offers a rare and candid perspective on ambition, accountability and the true cost of unchecked pressure.

Market Maker by AmplifyME brings you conversations with the people who’ve experienced the highs and lows of global financial markets and the lessons they learned along the way.

(00:00) The Rogue Trader Story

(02:25) Growing Up & First Ambitions

(04:36) Entering the City

(10:24) Morgan Stanley & Big Bang

(14:33) Fast Promotions in Finance

(22:44) Joining Barings

(25:06) Singapore at 25

(29:41) When Pressure Builds

(31:57) Managing Without Mentors

(34:14) Getting on With Everyone

(37:38) Status, Culture & Ego

(42:14) Stress Was Off The Charts

(42:58) The Losses Spiral

(48:35) Ethics & Accountability

(52:14) Fear of Failure

(55:45) Prison & Resilience