Standard & Poor's has hired Sue Harding, former head of global accounting strategy for the equity research group at Credit Suisse First Boston in London and former chair of the International Swaps and Derivatives Association's European accounting committee, as its European chief accountant. This is part of the rating agency's effort to build its accounting expertise in response to increasingly complex accounting rules, according to Clifford Griep, chief credit officer in New York. Derivatives is one of the more opaque areas, said Griep, adding that Harding's expertise in that will be helpful.
Harding will work alongside corporate ratings and structured credit analysts and also keep track of accounting developments, liaise with the Financial Accounting Standard Board and the International Accounting Standards Board and major accounting firms, noted Griep. Harding has previously worked at the International Accounting Standards Committee as a project manager.
Harding will report to Barbara Ridpath, chief credit officer for Europe in London, and Neri Bukspan, chief accountant in New York.
