O n the 6 November 2012, Hans Hoogervorst, chairman of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), gave a speech at the London School of Economics in which he referred to the successes of International Accounting Standards (IAS) in battling against entrenched views to increase transparency in financial reporting.

He talked about how the expensing of share options is now regarded as routine, but at the time these proposals were put forward many strongly opposed the concept. But the central truth, that there must be a cost, because otherwise you would give share options to everybody, eventually won the day.