Strauss-Kahn Quits IMF, Kicking Off Succession Contest [Bloomberg]
Dominique Strauss-Kahn resigned as the 10th leader of the International Monetary Fund, kicking off a contest for his successor as Europeans seek to retain the job amid a lack of unity among emerging-market nations. “I want to devote all my strength, all my time, and all my energy to proving my innocence,” Strauss-Kahn said in a statement released by the Washington-based IMF four days after his arrest on sexual-assault charges. The fund said it will comment “in the near future” on the succession. Strauss-Kahn, 62, had been leading polls for France’s 2012 presidential election.
U.S. watchdog sees cross-border audit deal with China this year [Reuters]
James Doty, chairman of the PCAOB told Reuters, the breakthrough came during the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue that took place in Washington last week. “Both sides have agreed to accelerate efforts, including undertaking a process for negotiations and engaging in technical assistance activities, to reach a bilateral agreement governing cross-border audit oversight,” Doty said in an emailed statement.
Beyond the Balance Sheet: Redefining the Role of Today’s CFO [CFO Journal]
The role of the CFO is not what it used to be. Traditional control, financing and compliance are still important aspects of the job. But in a hypercompetitive world, the best CFOs have a much broader set of skills, insights and experiences.
In defense of Gen – Y (aka the millennials) [CPA Success]
Tom Hood is here for you.
Baby Names for Accountants [The Summa]
After the “Baby Like” craze, Dave Albrecht has taken things a step further.
The Quandary of Coburn’s Exit [WSJ]
The remaining members of the Gang of Six met without Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and agreed to press on in their effort to craft a long-term pact that could include controversial proposals to raise revenues and curb Social Security. But the departure of Mr. Coburn, a conservative known as a deficit hawk, could prove a fatal blow to hopes that an ad hoc set of senators could crack the code of deficit-reduction politics and find a compromise that has escaped party leaders.
California Court Compels Overstock.com to Turn Over Contact Information of Former Employees to District Attorney Investigating Consumer Fraud [WCF]
You can practically see Sam Antar wringing his hands in glee (like a convicted criminal would do) over this.
G.O.P. Senators Question I.R.S. Scrutiny of Donors [NYT]
A group of Republican senators wrote to the head of the Internal Revenue Service on Wednesday seeking internal correspondence and other information about the agency’s heightened scrutiny of donations to some nonprofit advocacy groups that are playing a growing role in political campaigns.
McDonald’s Under Pressure to Fire Ronald [WSJ]
More than 550 health professionals and organizations have signed a letter to McDonald’s Corp. asking the maker of Happy Meals to stop marketing junk food to kids and retire Ronald McDonald. The letter, slated to run in the form of full-page ads in six metropolitan newspapers around the country on Wednesday, acknowledges that “the contributors to today’s (health) epidemic are manifold and a broad societal response is required. But marketing can no longer be ignored as a significant part of this massive problem.”
Madoff liquor cabinet sells for $41,500 [CNN]
Among other items, a bottle of “mysterious brown liquid” went for $950.