MTN Leak

hange has come. A new day has dawned. An unprecedented event many of us never expected to see in our lifetime occurred this past week and opened many eyes.

As tumbleweeds blow around the MTN market, dealers have been forced to find other ways to amuse themselves this week. Luckily Halloween may have provided a welcome distraction as bankers race to the fancy dress shop, but for those who have not yet perfected their outfits, Leak has some suggestions.

MTN dealers from French banks joined forces this week to terrorise the streets of west London. The last cowboy in MTN town and soon-to-be-sleep-deprived fashionista cruised around Maida Vale and Regents Park waving coyly at the ladies from the flash comfort of Chris Hill’s doomed Lotus Elise.

The most fashion conscious of all the MTN bankers has this week stepped forward to follow the biggest trend to hit the market this year: Chris Hill has joined the swathe of frantically reproducing MTN dealers, this week announcing the pregnancy of his partner, Lucy.

Over the last few weeks, MTN and CP dealers have had much to fret about: the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the shock of the Icelandic government’s ever waning enthusiasm for stepping into the breach to sponsor Discover Iceland and now, the worst of them all... The shutting of Ubon in Canary Wharf.

Last week’s Bank of Ireland event allowed bankers some time to relax amid the turmoil, or at least hide, sensibly quivering in fear of what this week had to hold.

t’s always sad to see an MTN comrade depart, but Daniel Cassels’s farewell drinks on Tuesday evening weren’t allowed to get everyone too down under.

In a week of misery, Leak has watched as even nerves-as-hard-as-steel MTN dealers raced to pull their hard earned pennies out of ICICI, Kaupthing and HBOS and into safer accounts, such as mattress stuffing. With Lehman Brothers biting the dust, and bankers biting their nails, there has been little cause for cheer.

The last cowboy left in buttoned-up MTN Town saddled up and rode again this week — on his 25cc scooter of course.

Last Friday, Leak had the privilege of attending Glitnir’s Discover Iceland event, and the hosts made sure everyone was suitably spoilt.

Editor’s note: En route to Iceland yesterday, Leak was unable to file his usual column. Fortuitously, his old auntie has graciously accepted an invitation to answer readers’ letters.

The holiday season continues, though Leak can only dimly remember that it’s supposed to be summer when he faces away from the rain-splashed window and thinks about globetrotting MTN bankers.