The Origins of Ethical Failures: Lessons for Leaders

About Dennis Gentilin

Dennis Gentilin is a financial services professional who has been employed in the banking industry for over 15 years. His first ten years were spent working in a variety of roles in financial markets and more recently he worked within corporate strategy. Without question Dennis''s defining career moment was his association with the FX trading scandal that rocked the National Australia Bank (NAB) in 2004. Although he was publicly named as a whistleblower in that incident he has been reluctant to allow this label to define him (for better or worse) and become central to his identity. This being said it goes without saying that this experience profoundly shaped Dennis and his view of the world. What''s more his inquisitive nature and capacity for deep thought means that he reflected on the incident like very few would allowing him to develop a very unique perspective on business ethics. It is only recently that Dennis felt compelled to share his insights. The result is this very unique business book that combines a memoir on a real life experience with a meditation on our flawed humanity. Within these pages Dennis has managed to salvage like very few could the lessons associated with an ethical failure. Dennis''s primary motivation for writing The Origins of Ethical Failures is to educate. He hopes that the lessons herein will be valuable to all leaders and illustrate the central role they play in creating institutions that are more resilient to unethical conduct. But in addition Dennis hopes the book will play a role in continuing the push we have seen in recent times that looks to make ethics a key priority in the business world. As he himself says the costs associated with failing to do this are too great: Ethical failures produce no winners. The victims are not just those found guilty of engaging in illegal or unethical conduct. Community and customers lose faith in a brand they once believed in shareholders suffer considerable losses and employees are left to deal with the drawn out consequences associated with loss of trust and greater scrutiny. Ultimately society at large carries the cost. Dennis lives in Melbourne Australia with his wife Kate and daughters Amelia and Charlotte.